Are Christmas cards dying out?

hazyjo

I'm 42 - hate Christmas, but love writing cards! I like picking them each year, like writing them, but am not always so good at handing them out/posting them. In fact, I've written all mine already Not sure when I'm sending them though.

Used to be an epic job at work - the Christmas card lists were a nightmare. They seem to have stopped it completely over the last couple of years (thankfully!). I remember boxes and boxes of them piled all over the boardroom table. Just ridiculous!

Jx

Tropez

I find that it's only members of older generations that send me Christmas cards and I send them one in return as it's the done thing.

My friends around my age don't bother with them and I don't either. We send each other gifts but not cards and I'm quite happy with that.

ikkle87

We will probably send about 8 christmas cards out to relatives and I will have a few spare if anyone from OH's work decides to send us one so we can reciprocate but we probably will only get about 8 back too.

My attitude to christmas will probably change now that I'm a mum but until he's a wee bit older to understand I'm still a scrooge and don't want a christmas tree, or decorations up.

19lottie82

I don't send them, what's the point?

Well, I tell a lie - I send one to my OH and one to my Mum, as she is very much in to them and would moan if I didn't send her one , but that's it!

If people in work give them to me, I say thanks but explain that I don't send them.

miss_independent

Well this explains ALOT!

I'm 28 and through uni, work and hobbies, I've always been shocked not to receive cards from people (people who are considered pretty good friends) despite me sending cards to them. I receive cards from lots of people at church and family but rarely friends. I've worked with children and received a fair few cards from them (but considering I sent them to all the kids I taught, I received only a small percentage, maybe 30% back). I was pretty disgusted that, when working in a business with only three employees and working bloody hard for them for 8 years my bosses stopped giving me a Christmas card, and didn't even pay me my last set of wages before christmas on time - we were then on (unpaid) holiday for two weeks so I had no wages to tide me over the most expensive time of the year.

Actually, I'm glad to see this thread as I have felt very hurt in the past when I've not received a card from special/important people in my life but this thread explains why. Not that I agree with it, I find it very sad tbh. The cutting down costs thing is a bit of a fob off too as in places like The Card Factory you can buy large packs of cards for only a couple of pounds. Even cheaper if you buy out of season.

onlyroz

No I don't tend to send cards. I think they're expensive (to buy and to post) and unenvironmental. I might feel differently if I had a lot of relatives overseas but typically anybody I would want to wish a Merry Christmas would be somebody I'd be seeing anyway. Some relatives get peeved that I don't send them a card, but I view that as their problem and not mine.

onlyroz

miss_independent wrote: »

The cutting down costs thing is a bit of a fob off too as in places like The Card Factory you can buy large packs of cards for only a couple of pounds. Even cheaper if you buy out of season.

Yes, but the bl00dy stamp costs 60p these days :eek:

balletshoes

daisiegg wrote: »

Firstly, please don't move this thread - I know there is a Christmas board, but by definition the people on there will be Christmas lovers so it won't be a representative discussion!

I was just wondering, do you do Christmas cards? Do you receive any?

I ask because I am mid twenties and I don't know anyone of 'my generation' (friends, colleagues and family members) who do Christmas cards. I do them for the neighbours as it seems to be the done thing on this street but don't exchange them with anyone else. I don't even get them from older relatives (I assume they still write my name on cards they send to my parents).

In a way I think it's a shame if it's a tradition that's dying out, but on the other hand I always remember my mum and dad absolutely hating it when December rolled round and they had to write Christmas cards - they really, really detested it! Now I think they only send them to a few elderly relatives who would be upset not to get one.

So, what's your experience/opinion of this? If you said your rough age too that would be interesting

I haven't read anyone else's replies yet, but I will.
I'm in my mid-40s, and I don't like writing loads of Christmas cards, but I do like to send some. My immediate neighbours get a card because I get on well with them and I'm not usually at home on Christmas. My Mum and her generation (so my aunts and uncles) get a card because they like to receive them and I probably won't see most of them over Christmas. Apart from that, I send a card to each sibling's household, one to both of my best friends who I don't live near, and thats it. No-one gets a "special" card apart from my Mum.

I like to receive a few cards, but to be honest most of the ones I receive end up stacked in a pile on the windowsill.

samtoby

I agree with the postage costs. I won't be sending many.

balletshoes

lazer wrote: »

I lvoe Christmas cards!

I love sitting on front of the fire writing them with the christmas music in the background!

I love receiving christmas cards too, makes the house look all christmassy - I am not one for the new fangled Christmas decorations with everything matching etc.

I like the multi-coloured christmas lights, the random decorations on the tree etc.

thats exactly how my mum feels about them - she writes and receives hundreds of cards, and displays them on her walls in special hangers .