Should we stop sending lots of Christmas cards?

lilac_lady

I'd like to stop sending Christmas cards and donate the money to charity instead. I'd probably want to send a few to close friends and relatives (but I'm thinking "why?" as I write this) but would like to stop the other ones Any ideas about how I could start doing this without offending people?

Quasar

lilac_lady wrote:

I'd like to stop sending Christmas cards and donate the money to charity instead. I'd probably want to send a few to close friends and relatives (but I'm thinking "why?" as I write this) but would like to stop the other ones Any ideas about how I could start doing this without offending people?

I think this is a very worthy idea. So much money is spent on sending cards to people we only see once every few years, and mostly we feel it's a chore. I have cut down on cards a lot, and from sending out about 20-25, now I only send about 10.

Giving the money to charity instead, makes it a present in the truest spirit of Christmas: helping the needy.

:T

Marsie

Do you know, I can see all the logic in this and very little logic in continuing to send Christmas cards - there is an environmental impact, cost impact and it's a huge chore which I always end up sitting up till the wee small hours doing because I've left it late.

Unfortunately ... I love getting Christmas cards, and in this busy life it's a means to catch up with people you don't speak to regularly.

I'm afraid I just can't bring myself to stop it. I just have to satisfy myself with buying charity cards and know that at least a little of it goes to a good cause.

M.

savingforoz

I simply explained to people that I would not be sending them Christmas cards, but donating the money to charity instead, and then wished them a happy Xmas. I had no negative reactions at all and indeed others told me that they were already doing the same.

kingshir

I love sending and receiving cards and I make all the ones I send out, so I get double the happiness. Just do what suits you!

ioscorpio

Why not send them Ecards for free eg Yahoo, so no cost of purchase or postage

kiwigirl

Hi

We normally send a lot of cards but we decided last year (mum was diagnosed with cancer 12 months tomorrow) that we'd donate the money to the local breast care centre, I think we only sent a card to uncle (who also got diagnosed with cancer around the same time) and his partner and my brother, no one else got a card, and most people thought it was a brilliant idea what we were doing.

If we do donate again, it'll be for the local hospice who have been really great help to mum and are more thankful for the donations.

We normally do buy charity cards, have done for several years.

Most people think it's a good idea if you do donate the money to charity. Just tell people ahead of time and then they won't be expecting your card. You can also do as iomexico suggested and do ecards to people on internet.

KG

lilac_lady

It's a good idea to send e-Christmas cards. I'll do that but I don't have email addresses for most of the ones I send because they're the ones that I only have contact with via Christmas cards. I was thinking that I should send the cards this year but put a note into say that this will be the last year that I'm sending cards. I'll tell them that I'm donating the money to charity (I really am!). If they don't believe me...tough.

poppy_f1

i stopped sending christmas cards a few years ago to the majority of people, only send them to my parents, and close friends

Open_Wallet_Surgery

lilac_lady wrote:

I'd like to stop sending Christmas cards and donate the money to charity instead. I'd probably want to send a few to close friends and relatives (but I'm thinking "why?" as I write this) but would like to stop the other ones Any ideas about how I could start doing this without offending people?

How about suggesting both you and they make a donation to their local hospital neo natal or paediatric intensive care unit instread of maxing up the card shops profits
Lets face kids always tug at heart strings.
I work for my local hospital, and although theres only 30 of us in our dept we always do this....

sandhabibi

lilac_lady wrote:

I'd like to stop sending Christmas cards and donate the money to charity instead. I'd probably want to send a few to close friends and relatives (but I'm thinking "why?" as I write this) but would like to stop the other ones Any ideas about how I could start doing this without offending people?

A friend of mine did exactly this last xmas and just told ppl she wasn't sending any cards but instead donating the money she would of spent to charity, This saves time and will make you feel good for doing it. Nobody took offence as it was for a gd cause.