Should I Send Christmas Cards This Year?
Cards from Next
Let me let you into a little secret. I love stationery, I love cards and I love pens and pretty envelopes, ok that’s not so much of a secret……But, writing cards, not so much. I would actually make the world’s worst pen pal.
Let’s take our summer holiday as an example. Every year my husband buys at least ten postcards, takes a list of addresses away with him and dutifully writes them. By contrast a few years ago as I hurried to write mine on the last couple of days of holiday, after putting them off and putting them off, I wondered to myself why am I doing this? I hate writing postcards, so why do it on my holiday? I haven’t written one since.
Now there’s Christmas cards. What comes with Christmas cards seems to be a sense of duty. If someone sends you one it is after all only polite to return the gesture. Last year at pre-school my son received loads, I refused to write them for a 3 year old as well as myself, so I didn’t write any in return . Then I felt guilty and somewhat Scrooge like for not doing so.
Each year I seem to have a few friends who send out an email or update their Facebook status to say they will not be sending any cards and will instead ad be donating the money to charity and I read it with envy and think oooh no card writing how lovely.
However, I love receiving them up and putting them around the house with all of the Christmas decorations. So it is kind of selfish of me to not write them is it not?
For the past few years we have compromised. Sending them to people we won’t see, grandparents and older family members who would expect them and to our neighbours. Kind of a halfway house I guess. I imagine I will do the same this year as I just feel too guilty not to send them at all.
What do you do?
This blog post is part of The Reading Residence‘s monthly Linky Papery Peep
I will admit I’m a card writer. Do I love it? Not really, but I think it shows thoughtfulness. I wouldn’t have been able to not write cards back to the children who’d sent cards to your kiddie, I’d have felt too mean. Would I have enjoyed the process, probably not, but I would have set aside an hour or so to do them. I always send Christmas cards, postcards, birthday cards, always have (albeit not always on time lol) so I can’t imagine I’ll change ant time soon, plus, I too enjoy receiving them, so it’s only fair. ???? 😉
Oh man you’re right, I am so going to have to write children’s cards this year aren’t I? And you’re right I enjoy receiving them too x
I’ve always sent them. Until last year. There was just too much going on and I was in the middle of a complete breakdown! I decided I felt terribly guilty about it but further still, decided I didn’t need the added pressure. I envied the people that donated to charity. This year, that will be me giving to charity. We are about to start a house build so I’m going to have even more going on in the run up to Christmas 2015, but it’s about putting your needs first sometimes. And besides, life is too short!
I am torn between life is short and oh but it is nice to receive them, it sounds like you have loads going on at the moment though I don’t blame you!
I always send them and have already bought them in, including enough for all of my daughter’s school friends. But then, I do pen pal, so I don’t mind writing them!
I am actually already looking at my Christmas stationery and wrap, I think I probably will end up sending them I just feel too guilty.
I don’t send as many as I used to – partly because it’s too expensive!! I send them to people we don’t see that often but want to wish well, people we never see (such as older family friends and some aunts/uncles), neighbours and hand to closer family when we see them. I don’t write them for everyone at work because that’s just bonkers if you ask me. And I gave up writing postcards yonks ago 🙂 #paperypeep
I agree I never did for work either, totally bonkers and gets ridiculous. Also good point postage is not cheap anymore either.
Like you I love receiving them and use the beautiful cards to decorate the house at Christmas time. I don’t mind writing them, though sending to people I communicate with often always seems a bit forced, as they kind of know what’s going on in my life already, so nothing new to report. Plus I have found them expensive in previous years… though that has been solved now, as my mother-in-law, who’s unfortunately no longer with us, left quite a collection as I think she had a bit of an addiction to beautiful cards, so I wont be buying any new ones for many years to come.
Great read! Thank you 🙂 #Coolmumclub
Nadia – ScandiMummy x
Thank you 🙂 Yes it does seem daft to the people you see all the time, but I guess it is nice to send to people you see less regularly. Your card stash sounds rather lovely, although sorry to hear about your mother-in-law x
I’m a sender. There are few traditions in our lives, and writing out Christmas cards for our family and friends is definitely one I’m keeping! We also make a donation to charity each Christmas – a tradition my husband has had since his Uni days. He’ll have a job prising those cards and pens out of my hands in November! X
Ha I think I need to just reduce the list and start writing them sooner as I think I just will feel mean not sending any x
I’m so the same – love to receive them not keen on writing them. The bits that bug me are having to check everyone’s addresses Having to check that I have friend’s husbands and kids names right (I realise I should know these things!) I made ginger bread last year for my co workers no way I was writing cards for all of them. I think this year I’m going to do them early (maybe in a cafe with lots of cake or with a cheeky vino). That way it doesn’t get mixed up with the craziness of December.
Yes I think the key is to start them early isn’t it? Really like the idea of making something for co-workers though that’s a nice idea 🙂
I love sending and receiving cards but I know what you mean about the huge job of writing them (although I do love that ‘job done’ feeling when I see. Huge pile of finished cards. I have two suggestions
1. Set up a list of address labels o n the computer, it is much quicker to stick a label on each envelope than to write addresses
2. How about getting some cards in from now – you would only have to write one a day, or even five in one sitting and they would all be done by December. It takes a very short time to write five cards, and that lovely finished pile would grow before your eyes.
One more thing – how about ‘best of both worlds ‘ ? Maybe look for heaped cards and send a donation for the difference you would have spent to charity?
Printing labels on the computer is a good idea and yes I agree I think the key is to start early so I am not rushing to get them sent out. i actually think I have lots left from last year in the loft so hopefully they will not cost too much this year.
Sorry, should have checked the post – I meant to write ‘cheaper cards’
For the past few years I haven’t sent cards, the kids send cards to their friends but I think these days people just do things over text or email, which is a shame as there is nothing nicer than opening christmas cards!
Gemma xx
My children are unfortunately too young to write their own at the moment, so if my son gets them I need to write them in return. I do like opening them which I think means I just need to suck it up and write them!