Poorly chicken

[Ain't Nobody Here]

I pared my list right down a couple of years ago but would quite like to stop sending them altogether. It's a job I hate (I get no help from OH) and I think if I haven't spoken to/seen someone during the year, then sending a card just means neither of us could be bothered to get in touch so we obviously don't mean that much to each other!

 

I have just sent cards to my dad's 2 remaining very elderly sisters in Canada and Australia but am tempted to just not send any to anyone else. I know the guilt will set in though, when they start coming through the door .

 

Am I being a real bah humbug? Has anyone else just bitten the bullet?

Edited December 5, 2012 by Guest

[bluekarin]

I am not sure if I could give up altogether. I do think about my friends and family which I don't see and would feel bad if I didn't send them out. A friend of mine sends no cards but instead donates to charity. I would love to cut down my list - there are a few who have never sent me a card. Not that I send to receive, but it does feel I think about them more than they do me. So actually, I have talked myself into cutting down my list

[snowberry]

I didn't send any last year & it seems that most of my friends & neighbours felt the same as I only had a few that year. They do look pretty & nice, but it is a shocking waste of money & resources really. I'll just remind people that we don't 'do' cards, as it's not that unusual really nowadays.

[Looney]

I don't mind sending cards but I tend to only write cards for people that I actually need to post cards to. Friends that I see regularly that live locally I don't bother with as I can wish them Happy Christmas to their face. I don't have many people on my list that I'm only in contact with via Christmas cards. I am going to feel the pain of helping my son write cards to EVERY child in his class though

[WitchHazel]

You couls slip a note in with this year's cards saying that you won't be sending cards from next year.

[Olly]

That's what my cousin did, two years ago - she said she'd be giving money to charity instead, and hasn't sent any cards since then. I still send her a card, but I must admit I'm thinking of cutting my list right down.

 

I never give cards to friends that I see frequently, instead I send an email saying that I am giving a donation to charity. There are a few people in my address book who are not on email - mostly older people - and I'll go on sending to them, but I think a Jacquie Lawson online card will do for many of the others.

[Charlottechicken]

I love Christmas cards and do think it's a shame that they are going out of fashion. Mind you, I don't know many people so never have to send more than a couple of dozen

 

I generally buy a couple of packs of charity ones in the sales, less than a pound for 10 or 12, and that sees me through the next Christmas. Most of my cards are hand delivered so not much to pay in postage either. I can see that is where the main cost is and it's a shame there isn't a special Christmas card rate!

[Henslaved]

I "bit the bullet" 3 years ago. I did tell people the first year that I wouldn't be sending any . It does get easier year after year, as the less you send, the less you receive the less bothered you are .

 

I now only send them to close family (only because I would never hear the end of it from mum ).

 

I don't think you're being "bah humbug" at all. My personal opinion is that they're a total waste of time, money and trees.

The Victorians have a lot to answer for .

[Lesley]

I cut right back a few years ago and did the same, let people know that there wouldn't be cards the following year. I do email a charity card to some friends though.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Glad to hear I'm not alone .

 

I think I'll still send a few, mainly to family and long-standing friends but will attempt to pare my list down even more.

[Mrs_B]

You are definitely not alone - I only really do cards paired up with a pressie and I sent a text on Christmas Day to my contacts otherwise!

 

However - I do like picking nice cards and the past few years my mother-in-law has infuriated me as she's been buying cards on behalf of me and my partner, and behind my back (because I have said several times NO) getting my other half to just 'sign' them from us! I know she's only trying to help, but I can manage to get cards (plus the ones she buys for people from 'us' are really horrible, cheap and tacky, so I hate to think that people think they are from us if that makes sense!)

 

x

[The Dogmother]

I do charity e-cards to all except the family and neighbours who don't do email and would be offended otherwise.

[snowberry]

The problem with charity christmas cards (unless you get them directly from the charity) is how little of the money benefits them. Buying them from WH Smith etc is a rip off.

[Egluntyne]

I'm on two ends of the spectrum. I send loads of ecards ... and then hand make cards for friends and family.

[Mercedes55]

I don't think you should feel that you are being "bah humbug" for trying to cut down how many cards you send. Yesterday I sat and wrote out all my cards and it was awful, I really hated doing it. I did cut down on a few for people that I haven't spoken to for years and I will try to keep sending less. For me it's not just the tedious job of writing them out but also the price of postage stamps which are more expensive than the cards themselves

[chickencam]

I was standing in the post office yesterday behind two elderly ladies who were sending card abroad and then buying their second class stamps for the UK cards. £15 to send 30 cards is so expensive

 

We don't send many by post, we have a few neighbours to whom we hand deliver cards and the people in the office, which seems a bit silly, but it does add a little festive cheer to the desks in the couple of weeks on the run up.

[Mercedes55]

I was standing in the post office yesterday behind two elderly ladies who were sending card abroad and then buying their second class stamps for the UK cards. £15 to send 30 cards is so expensive

 

We don't send many by post, we have a few neighbours to whom we hand deliver cards and the people in the office, which seems a bit silly, but it does add a little festive cheer to the desks in the couple of weeks on the run up.

 

It's a total rip off. I used to post that amount of cards but this year I have only posted ones that are too far away to deliver by hand. We will make a point of taking the cards out with us in the car and pop them in friends letterboxes by hand.