Christmas Cards - to all the children in the class or just to friends?

[emkana]

dd2 (6) was a bit upset tonight because she has only received one christmas card so far, but her friend already has five, so it looks like some children only write to some of the children in the class. dd2 wrote to everybody. What do your children do?

DS has received 3 so far, I'm not pushing replies unless he suggests it ......yes I am lazy Mum!

Mine do (a very cheap one) for everyone in the class.

I would say at our school to do either all or none is most common - the differences in numbers often come when cards are sent from other classes. i.e a particularly keen to write girl friendly child may do one for everyone on her class and then friends from other classes too.

Did wonder why anyone bothers today though when DS2 (also 6) opened 8 cards without looking inside a single one!

We only write to some children and then do extras as we receive the unexpected cards (just as I do). DD is in a big school, so writing to all children in her class plus friends in the other class would be too much for her (and me). Try and prevent the children from comparing numbers of cards if possible (easier said than done of course). Also remind her that there are still a couple of weeks left of school, so there's plenty of time for more cards to arrive.

Before I worked in a classroom I never gave it a thought and my children just used to write cards to their friends.

Having watched how disappointed some children are when they don't receive any or very few I think it's nicer to send to everyone in the class and mine do that now regardless of who sends them one.

I think they're a PITA and especially can't see the point when it's obviously the mothers' who have written them

I asked my DD (6) whether she'd like to write them or whether she'd prefer to bring some sweets in on her birthday (next Thu).

Guess which she chose?!

3 of mine have done their whole class. Oldest at secondary school chose a few friends.

They all sat down and wrote them themselves, even 5 yr old DD2.

DD wrote a card to everyone in her class, but then there are only 14 of the and she is friends with them all.

DD done one for everyone in her class (wrote them herself) and it seems to be the case, judging from all the cards she is bringing home, everyone is doing the same.

Oh, and DD has written all her cards herself, has done since starting school in Reception.

Last year we made (I realised the madness of this quite quickly!) and sent Christmas cards to the whole class.

This year I am going to try and avoid it all together...so far, so good.

ds1 is only in pre school atm so everyone but when he moves up this will still be the case i would feel so sads for ds if he was left out.

This year I have bought DS1 (9 in Yr4) and DS2 (6 in Yr1) one box of 40 (cheap) cards.

They have been told that it's up to them who they send them to, they can use them all at school - and miss out their Sunday school friends, or they can spread them around.

It's entirely up to them. If they don't send any then I shall put them in the cupboard for next year

We write to just friends really.

DS1 who hasn't had many (I think 10yo boys may be too cool for cards ) has even refused to send one to one girl he got one from "she sent one to everyone Mummy!"

They have each written about 15-20 inc a number of teachers/TAs etc (DS1 writes one to the school cooks )

We make our own anyway so don't want to go too mad.

BTW mine always write their own too. I was a bit when DS2 who is in yr 2 opened a card from a classmate clearly written by the mother .

Mine write to all - for exactly the reason you've outlined in your OP. Some children will get 30 cards and others might get one or two. No need for that kind of upset.

See this is interesting that so many say write to all.

I have 3 DC and in their years at school there are about 180 kids in total (2 classes each year). They all have friends in both classes. I am sooo not about to buy or make 180 cards tho. And tbh I doubt if they woudl write them.

Hence we send to friends. As do I as it goes.

My two (9 and 6) wrote their own cards to their friends. They have both sent twenty, to various children in various classes. I don't see the point in writing one out to every single child, tbh, I don't send cards to everyone on my road.

As a teacher myself I also see the importance (especially in primary school) of kids writing cards to the whole class. It is very different, chickens than writing cards for everyone on your road. A classroom community functions very differently than a neighbourhood of people in separate houses.
It's just a holiday greeting, why not extend that friendly greeting to the whole class instead of a select few? Especially when they will all witness the distribution and some children might be partially or even completely left out.

just wanted to add - not that I think they should write cards. I do not think they are necessary at all. Only if they want to. However, if they do choose to do cards, it is a thoughtful gesture to extend that holiday greeting to the class, rather than just a few or even most, excluding some.

I say send to everyone, horrible for anyone to be left out.

The kids should deffo write them themselves too even if their handwriting is indecipherable and Mum(or whoever) has to write the names again underneath.

As a teacher StarExpat, what do you think of the idea of putting a chocolate coin santa in the card? A few in DS class do this, and he is verykeen to do it, (as he expects to get to eat any leftovers).

But surely sending cards to people that you don't like/don't know is an empty gesture? I would not expect my children to send a christmas card to the child that has been making them miserable all year, for example.

In our school, the rule is that one does one card for the entire class. I don't have a problem with this. Ensures that no-one feels left out, although my dss would not care whether they got one or not.

Plus it means that they don't have to write loads out - hell, I don't write out loads anymore

I am in favour of whole class for cards. It only takes a few minutes to write the names, if DC find it hard, just do it for them. (But don't try to disguise your writing to look like a child's, that would be cheating)

I remember at school when I was about 7, we used to dish out ALL the cards on the last day. The teacher from the reception class came in to ours and asked if anyone knew little Johnny, so that we could quickly write out some cards for him before she gave them out as he was the only one with none. Turned the situation round from a sad little boy, to one proud to get some cards from the big class.

DD plays equally with children in both classes in his year. So only the "whole class" basis we would be doing 60 cards!

Thankfully his school have adopted a "make a contribution to charity and write a Christmas greeting to be stuck on wall" policy. however we are still getting some cards home so now have a double dilemma over whether we do cards as well ... Sigh ...