If someone sent you a (nicely) handmade Christmas card, would you think…

[FestiveFruitloop]

YABU: that they couldn’t afford to buy ‘real’ cards?
YANBU: that they just liked making Christmas cards?

Assuming the card has clearly been made by an adult and not a child. Context to follow, just curious. (Regular member, not a journo. 😄)

It’s not about not being able to afford it ! You can buy a pack of cards for £1 but card making materials cost far more money and effort . If be very pleased and flattered that they’d spent time to make it

Sure! I'll send a few snaps of this year's in a moment. They're fairly simple designs, there are some beautiful kits out there but I'd bankrupt myself buying those. 😄 I usually just buy a book or two of backing papers (assuming no crackers to hand 😄) alongside the card blanks, and then various toppers, whatever catches my eye really (but this is where I have to watch myself as I can get carried away, there are some lovely ones available!) along with things like sparkly border tape and small sequins for finishing off, and make the designs up as I go along, though I have evolved a few 'prototype' designs, so to speak, over the years. I get a lot of my supplies from The Works.

These are pretty typical (and if anyone recognises the style I’ve just outed myself, but only to anyone I care enough about to make a card for, so it’s all good 😄)

They are lovely. I would be well pleased to receive cards like that.

Aw, thanks! 🙂

A friend of mine cuts up old Christmas cards to make new ones. They’re a bit naff. She writes handmade by ………..on the back. Bless, it gives her something to do.

Oops, just realised the pic of the one with the bells on was taken before I trimmed the uneven edge and extra ribbon off the top. I do neaten everything up before anything goes out, just to be clear. 😆

I sometimes incorporate parts of old cards too, as some designs can make good backgrounds, but I like to change the designs up so they're as little like the original cards as possible. I sometimes base parts of designs on gift tags as well, the fox pic on one of the above is a gift tag (from WH Smith if I remember rightly, and some of their sparkly gift tags also make nice card toppers. 😄)

I would be really touched that they had made the effort.

Awww they are amazing OP, i would much prefer something like that than a generic one from a store! Really great job

Your cards are gorgeous! Id be so honoured to get one!

I’d think they are naff, sorry. Our elderly neighbour used to make very similar. She enjoyed it, so good for her.

But any cards we get go straight into the recycling, so they’d be completely wasted on us.

I throw cards in trash aswell. Handmaid, storebought and picture ones aswell. It is one thing not to cherish them but calling handmaid cards naff?

Why trash and not recycling?

I’m not a pedant but this could be embarrassing for you in RL…

handmade

Looking at my life, it takes a bit more than a typo or auto correct to make me embaressed 😃

As for trash or recycling. Depends on the material. Doesn't also mean I don't appreciate cards when I first recieve them. But I guess the larger point was understood pedant or not 😉

I agree. They are lovely. I receive a homemade card every year and I really look forward to it.

I’d be delighted to receive a handmade Christmas card. How lovely.

On Mumsnet you’d have to throw it away because it’s bound to be covered in germs.

@FestiveFruitloop They are charming ! I would be delighted to receive something like that

They are nice

Just wondered if there is any way the friend felt it was too personal (home made card with the cracker from a dinner you went to) and thought you were hitting on him?!

I mean, he knows that you make them for everyone and have for years. But unfortunately the kind of person who might forget that about you is often the same kind of person who tends to think everything anyone does is an attempt to attract their irresistible self…. Rather than just a hobby…

It was when I did it for work colleagues many years ago. Several of then called me a ‘cheapskate’ despite the fact that the materials cost more than a decent pack of shop bought cards. I never did it again. But if I were to receive a homemade card I’d be really touched.

I make all my own cards. So far, not one person has said I am being tight. Often I get sent a message with attached picture of my card in pride of place. Go to the effort to make me a card and I am thrilled.

Depends who the “someone” is.

We have a friend who does this, I think that she is just mean. Before she took to sticking her cards together she used to send postcards which were a pain because they don't stand up like a Christmas card.