Money Moral Dilemma: Should I send Christmas cards to my partner's family who don't send them to us?

MSE_Kelvin

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks...

I love sending Christmas cards, and always send them to my partner's family, who we don't often see or hear from. It's been years since any of them sent us a card, and with cash tight this year, I'm starting to think I'm wasting my money as it's not cheap to buy and send cards to them all. But it doesn't seem in the Christmas spirit to stop sending them because we don't get anything back, and I worry about my partner losing contact with his family.

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MalMonroe

Although I'm with you, as I also love sending Christmas cards and would normally probably say just do what you feel like you want to do, I wouldn't bother in your situation. It's going to be difficult to send cards this year anyway what with all the postal strikes and some postal workers saying some of our cards won't be delivered until February next year (just quoting what I've seen online, more than once).

I wouldn't worry about your partner losing touch with his relatives, especially since you say "... my partner's family, who we don't often see or hear from" - it sounds as if he's lost touch already. Especially as they don't bother returning your friendly gesture. And as NBLondon says, above, if your partner is particularly bothered about keeping in touch then let him take the lead.

It seems as if the reluctance to keep in touch with his relatives is mutual, don't you think?

Torry_Quine

My experience of this.
Every year I sent first a wedding invite and then Christmas cards to a relative of my husband overseas and no response. I did it because it seemed the right thing. After many years we got one back which gradually developed into a letter. When they sadly passed we were mentioned in the obituary. Obviously that's just one experience and the decision has to be yours. 

Willowtree222

Do they live near to each other? If they did you could send one envelope or small parcel to one of them with them all in. That would at least cut down on postage costs.

bikaga

Your partner staying in touch with their family is their problem, not yours. Talk to them about it. You don't have to do their emotional labour.

If you enjoy doing Xmas cards, do them - maybe pick a few key contacts rather than all of them. But if it's not making you feel happy and there's no response, honestly, don't bother. Your partner is a grown-up.

Katiehound

Save the cost of the cards, the cost of the postage and make a donation to charity instead, they are really only expensive bits of tatt and this year who needs that??

If your husband wants to keep in touch with them I suggest he writes them a letter but at a different time of year, maybe then he will get a reply.

Badgerswood23

I had this dilemma and stopped sending cards. Now about 4 years later I really regret it.  Not all families are good are staying in touch but having that card through the door may mean the world to someone.  They won’t tell you though. 

To tell someone you are thinking of them is priceless 

   

Herts_Julie

Given that it costs nearly £1 postage per Christmas card, if you haven’t heard from these people in years, I would say it’s time to save the costs and the time involved and cut your losses.  I agree that cards are a great way to keep in touch but they haven’t responded so you never know, they may have moved home … or died!  If they wanted to keep in touch you think they would have sent a card, telephoned or emailed in all those years.  Mind you, the best way to provoke a reaction is to tell them someone has died … where there’s a Will there’s a relative on your doorstep!  😁

Ed264

If you've not received cards from them for years, I wouldn't be sending cards to them. On a general note, I keep an accurate record of who cards are sent to and received from. If we don't receive anything from them by 31 December (which allows for postal delays - strikes or not) then they're deleted from our list!

clearancer

My “neighbours on Facebook” group is full of “anyone know Marie Buffet, I’ve got a Xmas card for her” type posts. So this year I’ve put a return address on the few cards I’ve sent through the mail. 

dirtmother

I have twice had thanks for continuing to send cards when the recipients didn't reciprocate for years - in both cases they had been severely depressed. 

If you need to keep costs down, you could send a letter (and include email and other contacts with it so that might encourage them to make contact in another way and if need be you can switch to stamp free too next year)

I like choosing nice cards and stamps, I write a standard letter which I print and then hand write personal elements. I love receiving nice cards with notes and letters and it is a key part of my Christmas decoration (and a good deal more recyclable than many other types)

Might be worth thinking about why you don't hear from them - busy? they feel awkward? Christmas/Winter is a difficult time for them? Every so often I'll get a letter, sometimes a long letter from someone, either at Christmas or in the New Year who I don't normally get any news from.