Infants - Christmas cards? I was shocked last year - not going to join in

[bacon]

DS1 last year was in reception and from the start of December started to get christmas cards from the individual members of the class. All written by the mums.

I was a bit taken aback really as I certainly wasnt going out to buy more cards and spend the evening writing out 30 cards and signing my son's name.

Again, now in year 1, I have no intention of going with the flow as I always think the card thing has gone out of hand anyway.

My little fella is a popular and social member of the class I'm not going to join in with this until he is old enough to write his own and buy his own!!!

As a christian family we love christmas and wish everyone a happy one but why this sudden consumerism with cards at such a young age? Whose blinkin idea was this? when did this start?

ANyone else who doesnt join in?

Not really, mine love getting and giving cards at school!

Mine have always written cards top everyone in their class from reception upwards.

Mine have always signed their own, and written them in their entirety as soon as they could.

I was guided by the child - if they wanted to send cards (which they did), then I facilitated that.

It's not just about your preferences - it's also those of your DS. What does he want?

When & where I grew up we gave no mutual Xmas cards, but nearly all the kids gave classmates Valentine's day cards (in Feb, obviously, Am American, btw, I find British interpretation of how to do Valentine ridiculous, too).
As one of the most unpopular kids in class it was kind of nice, tbh, to be included in something.
Just don't do it if you don't like it, OP. But nothing wrong in it either, imho.

I think it is a lovely idea. DD will be writing her own cards. We've done it since nursery/pre-school, but probably only to those children she wants to send cards to.

If they have an internal post system, many of the children get very excited at the thought of the Y6 postperson having a card to give them.
Up to you, but have an answer ready for your DS if he asks.

My dd is in Reception and we will not be joining in either. Just like we haven't for the last few years at nursery (toddlers sending cards ffs!!)

I dislike cards in general. It's such a waste. I can just about live with birthday cards through the year but Christmas is too much all at once. I do the charity donation thing instead and just send a very select small number of cards to family/close friends who I know will appreciate them.

Mine always signed their own from reception onwards.

It is a big thng for them giving and receiving the cards at school. There is a special postbox and each day a child is chosen to deliver the cards around the school.

It was exactly the same when I was at primary school 20 years ago.

Grinch!

You could probably get 30 cards for a pound at a Poundland type shop.

I see cards as Christmas decorations - they make my house look festive and I like getting loads from different people, so I write loads too so our friends can add to the decorations in their houses.

We like it (but I was a bit when she was at nursery to receive cards from babies who couldn't actually speak yet ). Aged 4 and upwards they do know what they're doing and love being involved.

We make ours and it's a great rainy day activity to start mucking about with glitter and card, then spend another afternoon writing them, then taking them into school and posting them. DD loves it.

Come and join the collective!
We are not sending ANYBODY cards AT ALL...that's how hardcore we are. We don't care about what other people think, we know Christmas cards all stink!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/Christmas/a1326458-The-I-hate-Christmas-cards-but-love-Christmas-support-thread-now-open#28096011

dd always sends cards, I write them as she has sn,
it is nice, she loves getting them as well

My kids make their own - always have, from pre-school onwards. Decisions about what kind of cards to make this year, how to make them, what equipment we need to get etc are a key part of early December for us. The children decide how many to make and who gets them, and when they are made they write them.

Much cheaper to make your own. Some years we do splash out on stickers or card toppers, but some of the best ideas are very cheap e.g. cutting 'bauble' or 'Christmas tree' shapes out of old cards or pretty paper and then outlining and decorating them with coloured or gold pens, or doing potato prints or whatever.

You think you have a problem, as a teacher I send a card to every child in the school
Thankfully it's only a small school

At DD's school for the 2 years she's been there the school had an initiative that the kids bought a star (made from card) from the office for £1, and then wrote a Christmas message on it. These were then hung around the school. The money went to a local charity.

She was given a few individual cards by classmates though.

My girls always wanted to write the cards since before school. Dd1 wrote out family cards out of choice in reception.
Ds is less keen, but he'll sign his name.

I always feel there are some shy/lacking in confident people (including children) who to receive a card means a heck of a lot to them. Not sending a card can make those lonely people feel more cut off and lonely.

Don't like the virtuous sounding "I'm not sending cards because I'm so good I'm giving the money to charity" because it isn't virtuous. It's not doing something that might have bought pleasure to others and at no personal sacrifice. In fact it's probably much easier. Sorry.

actually good point, where does one get those miniature cheap cards that are perfect for class giving? I always end up with the pound a zillion packs out of cheap & cheerful shop, but would like the kiddy ones, if I knew where to buy.

I would have thought in Year 1 he was old enough to write his own. If you're going to wait until he's old enough to buy his own then presumably that would be when he has a job, so 16+?

I'm sure he likes receiving the cards and would be gutted if he was the only one not receiving them. Why don't you relax about the whole thing and ask your DS if he wants to send some cards this year?

In Y1 he should be able to write his own cards and read the cards from his friends as well. My dd gets loads of pleasure from receiving cards and she even makes her own for some people and has done from being around 3. I am sure your ds would be upset if he didn't get any cards, wouldn't he ? Therefore YABU!

Sorry- just realized this is not YABU

Sorry AIBU

Christmas cards make good decorations - we hang ours on a string and the kids love it. I have one in Y1 and one in nursery and both will write cards themselves to all their classmates. I wouldn't care if the mum wrote the card instead of the child - just hang it up as a decoration and chill out!

Plus - Christmas cards and envelopes are totally recyclable.

Plus - nobody will care if your DS doesn't participate so it is a non-problem really!

we have always done this with the boys, his special friends have had a mini christmas chocolate in them and the rest have had either all or paart written by the child.

"Don't like the virtuous sounding "I'm not sending cards because I'm so good I'm giving the money to charity" because it isn't virtuous. It's not doing something that might have bought pleasure to others and at no personal sacrifice. In fact it's probably much easier. Sorry."

Are you serious? Sorry but I really doubt children in reception even notice cards. They are a waste of money and a natural resource. Giving to charity would be a much better idea.