Community Chat

[Moonchilde]

The other thread got me to wondering how many people still send out long lists of Christmas, Hanukkah or holiday cards, vs 25 years ago, for example.

I know that people who own a business or who have a lot of business connections probably still send out as always, for business reasons.

But in today's world vs the childhoods of many of us, husband and wife probably both work. Dealing with children's extracurricular activities takes more time than it used to. The cost of both postage stamps and cards has quadrupled. 

From those long lists, maybe half to three-quarters of those cards are sent to don't send cards in return. Do you keep sending? Gradually drop people off your list? Just curious as to how people my age and younger are handling this these days. It's a bit sad, but I can foresee card-exchanging fading away in another 25 years.

I now have the time and the money, but only a very small circle who bother to send cards any more. I don't know - maybe I'll enjoy it more. Thoughts?

[Kitlynn]

I send out Christmas cards and a hand written letter every year and have for thirty years. I will continue to do it even to the people I don't get one from. It is one of the things I really enjoy about the holidays is sitting in the evening with the Christmas lights on and all the decorations around me with a nice cup of tea or hot chocolate while I write. I still believe letter writing is an art form, good manners should be second nature and dinner should be an event! We do get quite a few cards I have to say and we also get a lot of calls and emails with people telling us how much they loved the card and letter. It is just a tradition for me so I will continue to do it.

[Moonchilde]

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@Kitlynn wrote:

I send out Christmas cards and a hand written letter every year and have for thirty years. I will continue to do it even to the people I don't get one from. It is one of the things I really enjoy about the holidays is sitting in the evening with the Christmas lights on and all the decorations around me with a nice cup of tea or hot chocolate while I write. I still believe letter writing is an art form, good manners should be second nature and dinner should be an event! We do get quite a few cards I have to say and we also get a lot of calls and emails with people telling us how much they loved the card and letter. It is just a tradition for me so I will continue to do it.

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Your description sounds lovely! Getting so much pleasure from it, I would keep it up too 🙂

[chrystaltree]

I don't send many cards out at all, I liked sending cards but after a while the number of cards I received in return dwindled and I saw no point in sending cards to people who didn't reciprocate..  Now I mail out about 15 cards a year to friends and family who live far away and who I rarely see.  I usually include a short note and so do they. but NOT one of those awful Christmas Letter things!  Brag letters my used to call them.  I also attach a Christmas card to the presents I give.  Life changes, customs change and with email and FB and social media stuff; Christmas cards are falling out of favor.  

[Bellabutterfly]

Hi Moonchilde!

I still send Christmas Card.  I send out anywhere from 120 to 140 each year.  I always write a personal little note in each individual hand written card.

I am 55 years old and I enjoy it.  I DO NOT STOP sending Christmas Cards, if I (we) my husband and I should not get one.

Last Christmas, I was so so ill.  Hospitalized twice in December alone.  So, I did not and could not send Cards out last Christmas.  It was the first time ever I didn't write Christmas Cards.

Friends far away, and family were all calling the house., asking if we were ok?  For it was so out of character for me not to send a Christmas Greeting Card that they knew something was wrong.

It is a "Little Bit", of "Christmas Past" that I truly enjoy doing. And I hope to continue on doing it for many, many years.

Now, I you were to ask my 86 Year Old Mother...

Last year, was the first time since Mom was 17 yrs old that she did not write Christmas Cards.

Normally, she too would write out anyware from 120 to 130 Christmas Cards.  She has very bad arthritis and she is just too crippled up to write them anymore.  Plus, over the last 2 years so many of their friends (Hers and Dads) have passed.  So last year they called the remainder and wished them a "Phone Call Christmas Greeting". 

I truly hope people still continue writing...For it is truly becoming a "LOST ART".  That I still treasure. 

[PamelaSue72]

We send out a handful of cards, mostly to family and some to our closer friends. That's pretty much it. We don't send our religious cards at all; they are strictly a holiday-type card, often with cats on them. Or we will send out Santa cards as I'm a big Santa Claus fan. Easier that way and nobody is offended if I use the "wrong" religious card.

[qualitygal]

Sad to say, our list has really gone down.So there's only a few we send out and get now.

[gidgetgh]

I still send Christmas cards, just under 60 cards each year.  I do drop people off my list and add others.  I plan to keep sending cards as long as I'm able.  I hate to see traditions die and, for me, this is one of them.

I ordered my cards a few weeks ago.  I really like the cards made by Odd Balls, out of Arkansas.  A local card/paper store is ordering them for me.

[queendiva]

Ditching Christmas cards was the the first I did after becoming a single mom. Now I only send them out when there has been a major change in our family: moving, graduation, engagement- so I will be sending a photo card this year. College graduation and military service for one child, engagement and marriage next spring for the other. I will probably send a couple dozen cards to friends and family.

[Nataliesgramma]

I still send them out to close friends and family...