How are you feeling about cards this year?

[Blankiefan]

I've clung on to doing cards over the past few years. It feels like most of my friends are stopping or have already stopped. This year, I can't find the motivation. COVID feels like a good excuse not to be sending off more germs into people's homes but am I just being a bit miserable? If you usually do xmas cards, are you bothering this year? As a follow up, if you don't do it this year, do you think you'll go back to it in the future?

For me for some reason I feel more like doing cards than usual. I do usually do them, but have considered stopping, but for some reason this year I've really wanted to do them.

Maybe something to do with reaching out to people at a time when it's been harder than usual to meet up.....

Yes still doing christmas cards, like PP I really want to fo them even more this year. Past few years I've not really written any cards apart to immediate family but this year I just want to sit down with a glass of wine and write a whole bunch of them.

I haven’t done cards for years, but am doing them this year.

I don't think Covid is a reason not to send cards. After all, everyone gets ordinary mail. It cheers people up to receive a card. I posted mine last Thursday and have received a couple so far, expecting more.

I haven't sent cards for a million years. I don't really have anyone to send them to anyway.

I don't expect to receive any cards so I won't be sending them.

Germs dont trável on cards

I make our cards. It helps get me into a holiday spirit, and into a spirit of thinking about those I love and haven't seen for so long. I especially like doing special ones for my grandchildren, nieces and nephews. My cards are far from professional, but it feels even more worth it this year.

I'm making cards but this year I'll be doing them for family and close friends only. Other relatives and colleagues will get a digital versions from me, I'm using a christmas slideshow maker to do the slides with my arts and send out to everybody via e-mail. I don't think ordinary cards are dangerous though, but just in case I'd like to stay on the safe side. Plus many people are skeptical about physical cards, either

I've sent some, but mainly to family and friends we can't see at the moment. I've done 4 less than last year, not sure I can trim my list much more.

I am doing more this year. I have a lot of extended older family who are going to have very limited contact and I want them to know we are thinking of them. Most of them don't do text or email and we are too far away to do a socially distant drop by.

I've been reducing cards every year and pretty much just send them to elderly relatives. I was also feeling a bit meh about the whole thing this year...lacking motivation about Christmas stuff in general really.
However, I met a friend for a walk yesterday and she gave me a card and it actually really lifted my spirits. It's just a nice thing to receive! So, I am going to make more of an effort and send more than I usually would.

I honestly have never seen the point of cards unless it’s from someone close to you who writes a nice message. The ones you get saying Dear Fred, Merry Christmas, love Bob seem like such a waste of time and paper.

However, I do think it’s a generational thing. My grandma will receive over 100 cards and takes great pleasure in noting who has sent her one and making sure she sends one in return. She also loves an old fashioned one with a long printed text inside, thinking the sender picked out that message especially with her in mind.

I will do them, but only because DHs family will have a fit if I dont. There is always a 'reminder' from my MIL (to me, not to DH) that its X's birthday so dont forget to send a card, and there are proper snide remarks if I forget so Christmas cards are a must. It's just easier than facing the backlash. But i hate them with a vengeance. All they are for is to judge people if they dont send you one, and then they chucked in the bin. I cant wait until I dont have to send them anymore. Not one of my friends sends them (I am 30).

I’m not sending any more than usual but I am making a bit more effort to include a personal note in each one and some pictures of the dc for those who appreciate that. It’s been a lonely year.

The older generation in my family expect them. My dm would give me a proper bollocking if i didn't send one to my aunts and uncles. Just like she does if I take longer than 48 hours to send a thank you letter

Indifferent, the same as every year.

I only send cards to my remaining aunts/uncles or family friends who are much older and mostly not on social media. Must admit, while I hate the waste, I do enjoy receiving cards from them as they always write a message in them.

Can anyone remember as a child (many years ago!!!!) everyone being excited by a card arriving with a Canadian postage stamp? I still do a little "oh it is from Canada!" when they arrive and ds just says "and?" then rolls his eyes at me 🙄

I haven't given any to my generation or younger for 5-ish years now, unless we are giving to the teenage kids with money/vouchers inside.

I think most people are doing more this yearas they haven't seen each other.

I agree that just Merry Christmas love Bob is a bit sad.

But I find Christmas letters can get a bit tiresome.

So we do an A4 pictures from the year page. About 10 photos of the family with captions. It can have nice ones - year 11 prom, and driving test, and it can have funny ones - fog on the beach on holiday.

I like to think that people like to get it.

I'm not doing Christmas this year, never mind cards. I'm feeling very low, and Christmas on my own will only remind me of what I can't have right now. So I'm sitting this one out - my choice, all good.

I've put on social media that I'm not doing (and would rather not receive) Christmas cards, and instead I have made a donation to charity. People seem to be happy with that, and a charity have gained a bit of cash.

Argh @MummaBear4321 I would have to ltb if he had a mother like that

I'm sending some this year.

I'm pretty cut off from my family distance wise and not seeing any of the wider family this year due to Covid. I'm normally a panic and send them on the last posting date person but this year I had them all written with long messages and posted on the 1 Dec. I was quite sad at how many people have just said they're not doing them this year but I guess as they're closer together in a lower tier they're not feeling the isolation as much.

I had started a cull the last few years but am sending more than ever this year, as a way of connecting with people and letting them know I am thinking about them.

I find the boasty letters horribly cringe, we get a few - I write a missive on one side of the card for people that I don't see through the year, trying to make it personal to them eg recalling a time we shared together etc.

I heard a rev on R4 the other day saying how special a card is, how different to a text etc. She described it as a gift and because it is on display can give you many moments of joy. Worth the postage this year, I feel.

I can’t be arsed with writing loads. Have done them for close family as it’s just ‘what we do’. Will write cards for families we give gifts to as well. That might well be it- I’ve got no energy reserves left for much else!

Definitely doing them- we send and receive lots.

I think this year is THE year to send them - people need cheering up, and we haven’t seen lots of our family and friends for 12+ months as a result of the pandemic- definitely more of a reason to bother, I’d say.