Christmas Card Etiquette

subjecttocontract

Katiehound said:

subjecttocontract said:

  I get rather annoyed if people just stop sending them to us but we still send ours.

and I get annoyed when folk send me cards when I have repeatedly said "Please don't!"
I would far rather they donated that £1 (say) to their favorite charity and give me a ring,( which is usually for free) and have a chat instead.

I've had a few say that they won't be sending cards this year and that's fine with us, everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Nobody has ever asked us specifically not to send to them......you are the first I've ever heard mention it. If it makes you feel better we also donate & fund raise regularly for charity.

There are such things as cards produced & sold for charity but I suspect they get a very small proportion of the sale price.

purplevamp

We very rarely send cards these days, only to family.  I don't mind if I don't get cards from my cousins, friends, etc.  We display them on a (very old) Santa and reindeer stringed card cutout and put fairy lights across the string part.  They get more spread out across the string every year   If you enjoy sending them then keep doing so, but don't feel obliged to send them to every Tom, D!ck and Harry. (Sorry, had to edit as it didn't like the word D ick)

Katiehound

'There are such things as cards produced & sold for charity but I suspect they get a very small proportion of the sale price.'
 I'm fairly sure you are right about that

and I really really have asked folk not to send cards, for the past 5 ? years.........

Auti

If they are handmade cards perhaps they are sending them to you to show they appreciate you and it gives them pleasure to make them. Also maybe senders send so they don’t feel so lonely (shop cards) - that they are known to someone. 

Just my thoughts

Jami74

It just feels so wasteful putting them in the recycling after Christmas. I feel bad that people spent money on something I briefly look at and then bin.
When my kids were younger I'd save them and we'd use them as gift tags or to make decorations with the following year.
Now we've moved, for the first time in years, possibly ever, I'm posting a card to my friend that I left behind. I know they'll appreciate it.
 Also got a couple of cards for family members to put a voucher in. Oh, and one for my Grandma because she's nearly a hundred and doesn't want for anything but Christmas cards were a thing in her day and she'll like looking at them.

enthusiasticsaver

I got my first Christmas card yesterday which was a home made one from a friend from almost 40 years ago I rarely see or speak to and the thought of sending a return one is not one I enjoy. I am not craft orientated so it would just be a bog standard one and probably like ours it goes in recycling and is just a waste of postage. What I might do instead is send an email or phone her to catch up just to let her know I still think of her. 

Dizzycap

welshbabe88 said:

Hi - a bit late for this year - but...

I like sending cards - some handmade - but am also mindful not to just keep sending regardless - currently do about 70 and get 40+ back (but some are to kiddies or older folk that I don't expect a return card from).

I was wondering what is the way of handling some people that now notify that they are stopping doing cards and donating to charity instead? 
Do they still get a card - or do you just stop sending too? 
I have stopped with one person - but another friend I think I'll continue - but wondered what the 'correct' way would be?

Send them a FREE e-card by email. Plenty available online and some sites allow you to make your own online before sending. Great if you enjoy making cards, which I also do. As the price of sending, even 2nd class, has got well out of hand, this year I've only posted 6 to my longest & dearest friends, the rest got an e-card

Dizzycap

Cloth_of_Gold said:

welshbabe88 said:

Cloth_of_Gold said:

welshbabe88 said:

I like stringing up my cards received as part of the Xmas decorations.

So do we. You can hardly do that with an e-card or a Facebook post can you? It’s also ice that someone has made the effort. 

Yes - I've graduated to that sticky stripe stuff now - and I also have some tiny pegs to hold them firm.

We just stand them on ledges (some with a little bit of sellotape on the back to help them stay up) or on furniture.  It just makes the place look a bit more festive.  

I put mine along the top of the lounge & hallway mirror & on the sideboard. I gave up with all the faffing around with hanging strings, card hangers etc because it always looked so messy & cluttered

sillyvixen

The only cards we send are for our nephew and niece as they receive cheques and a Christmas card is an ideal and convenient way of packaging them. Our church has a Christmas card board to send greatings to other members and suggests a donation for action for children in lieu of sending cards out (no obligation if you can't afford) my dad and brother are happy to have their names added to our card as although they don't attend church, they still have links to people through my late mother. 

Nelliegrace

How should you address a card to someone, his partner and their children? We should have asked them years ago. I hand it to DH to do with his almost illegible handwriting. They are not Peter and Jane, of course. 

Mr and Mrs P. Smith and family?
Mr P. Smith and family,
Mr P. Smith, Miss J. (Name Unknown,) and Family,
Mr P. Smith, Jane, and family,
Jane and Peter Smith and family, 
Peter, Jane and family.
All at number 10.

I wouldn’t worry, but young people take offence, like the married teacher who sued because her infant class called her, “Miss.” I would have used the French term, a Madam.