Do you Still Send Christmas Cards?

[Tim]

I've just read Peter's latest Newsletter and his piece on sending Christmas cards intrigued me. For quite a few years now I've not sent cards to family and friends who we are regularly in touch with. It was starting to cost about £80 a year and I couldn't see the justification for doing so.

So instead I email them now.

The money I've saved on postage and cards I then donate to charity, and I also fill out the Gift Aid.

This seems a much better solution for me and it no longer rankles me either.

But what do you do?

 

[peter]

Most of the cards we send go to people we haven't been in touch with since last Christmas - it's an opportunity for us to bring them up to date with any family news, achievements, or disasters.

We keep many of the Christmas cards we receive, either because there are handwritten notes inside, or because they're from elderly relatives who may not see many more Christmases. And sometimes because they are personalised, with photos of the sender's family.

Somehow emails aren't quite the same....

 

[Gillian]

I send Jacqui Lawson cards to all those with an e-mail address and who I know won't be offended at not receiving a regular posted card. I still post cards to elderly relatives and friends and to the very few who (to my knowledge) can't stomach electronic cards. The price of buying cards and mailing them had become prohibitive. Like Tim, the money I don't use for that purpose goes to my favourite charity. I agree with Peter that electronic cards aren't quite the same but then so many things nowadays aren't 'quite the same'. Actually, I was very pleasantly surprised when I first switched to electronic cards at how many people replied with 'what a good idea'. It probably helped that I explained where my money would be going instead.

 

[Pauline]

Personally I enjoy receiving proper Christmas cards and being able to display them around the house.

Even in the days before most people had email there were some who chose to give money to charity rather than posting cards, but it always felt to me like the [non] recipient was the one making the sacrifice for charity rather than the [non] sender.

 

[Gillian]

Pauline's argument is one I've heard against electronic cards many times. To an extent I agree but the fact is I'm happy to be able to give more to charity, and, with very few exceptions, I don't think the non-recipients feel deprived. One other thing: Cards aren't put on display in all countries; they're just piled up!

 

[Margery]

give more to charity

Like many people, my husband and I have our "favourite" charities which we support. However, we have found recently that more and more worthy charities are seeking our support, both by mail and telephone. Many are heart-rending with graphic stories and pictures of needy people, victims of disaster, etc. and it has become increasingly difficult to refuse their requests. There are only so many "charity dollars" to go around, but I do feel guilty when I refuse a request. I wish that I knew the answer......

 

[emjay]

Unsolicited phone calls are not welcome

 

[Gillian]

Margery, I've got round your problem very satisfyingly (for me at least) by paying for the university education of one orphan in Zimbabwe. This is very expensive and takes all my 'charity money'. It has two advantages: a) the girl gets a good education that can be vouched for, and b) I can ignore all other pleas for help with an easy conscience. We've been supporting the same girl since she was at primary school and it's been so good following her progress and knowing exactly where my money's been going and that it hasn't been wasted.

 

[Bob Spiers]

The sending of Christmas Cards is a bone of contention between my wife and I, although fairly low key I must add. I prefer to send Christmas Cards to immediate family and close friends and (as Gillian) Jacqui Lawson e-cards to others. If my wife had her way it would be cards to just a handful of immediate family (and she has cut down those on her own side of the family dramatically); the rest to get 'e' cards or even none at all.

My wife dislikes the commercialism of Christmas and as many know from other posts, even the 'C' word although as the season approaches, that attitude is somewhat relaxed. In the end we DO send quite a few Christmas Cards -always written out by my wife - but over time the list has dwindled dramatically, especially since we are both retired when 'swapping' cards (thus saving post) with work mates was the norm.

My wife has copper plate handwriting and it is a joy to behold the envelope never mind the card and we are always being told in the family you can spot our card from all others. Each year, and almost at the last minute other than the two cards we send to Australia, we go through the list and agree a normal card, versus 'e' or none at all. Once that is over my wife acquiesces gracefully and lovingly chooses the cards writes them out and addresses the envelopes. Each year the cost of sending the cards appals us but we end up saying 'oh well it is Christmas'

 

[Gillian]

Bob, I'm so glad you, or rather your wife, address the card envelopes by hand. One of the joys of receiving mailed cards (yes, I do actually still get quite a lot - more than enough) is guessing who it's from by the handwriting. Now a lot of people have taken that particular joy away by using computer-written stickers. Yet another Christmas grouch. Oh dear!

 

[emjay]

My wife has copper plate handwriting and it is a joy to behold the envelope never mind the card and we are always being told in the family you can spot our card from all others.

I was thinking recently about buying some 'blank' family trees/charts* and thought how wonderful it would be to have the ability to scribe in 'copper plate handwriting'

* as advertised by *www.my-history.co.uk

 

[Margery]

we send to Australia

Bob, I must say that we Aussies really do appreciate the lovely cards sent from over there. My cousin always seems to find really "Christmassy" ones with Snow, Robins, etc. I try to find appropriate Australian themed ones but can usually find the same old dreary ones with Santa on a surfboard or a kangaroo hopping across Sydney harbour bridge!

 

[Heather]

I try to find appropriate Australian themed ones but can usually find the same old dreary ones with Santa on a surfboard or a kangaroo hopping across Sydney harbour bridge!

Margery, Australia Post has some nicer than the usual Aussie cards on sale this year, they are an exclusive range only sold by them. Designed by Australian artist Lee Krutop, they are colouful and come in 2 packs, 20 cards for $2.99 and 12 cards for $1.99.

 

[Heather]

I still like to send and receive cards, although the cost of postage has risen so much in the last few years I find that I am having to cut down my list somewhat. I'm not sure how much the postage is from the UK to Australia but the other way we only have one choice Airmail, weight up to 50g, $2.55 There is another reason that my list is getting shorter...... quite a few of our family members and friends are no longer with us and as Peter does, I like to keep the last one from them especially if they contain news items.

 

[Margery]

Australia Post has some nicer than the usual Aussie cards on sale this year

Thanks, Heather, I'll have a look - they sound very reasonably priced, too.

 

[Margery]

cost of postage has risen so much in the last few years

In lieu of a card I sent a rather nice calendar to my cousin and husband a couple of years ago (it featured some of the places we had visited when they were out here) and the postage was OUTRAGEOUS! They loved the calendar, though.

 

[Bob Spiers]

I was thinking recently about buying some 'blank' family trees/charts* and thought how wonderful it would be to have the ability to scribe in 'copper plate handwriting'

* as advertised by *www.my-history.co.uk

Thanks for that, Emjay. After a brief chat with my other half, she has said she is quite willing to scribe the family details I provide and have ordered two charts via your link for each of our family lines. She normally uses a lovely Calligraphy pen set (bought way back by your truly) and - amongst other things -has produced some place setting cards for a wedding, and a special Menu card. However for the Family Tree chart I think the acid-free pens also being sold by My History for the work will be best, as true Calligraphic script (using various sized flat nibs) will be far too bulky to fit in the chart boxes.

 

[Bob Spiers]

Bob, I must say that we Aussies really do appreciate the lovely cards sent from over there. My cousin always seems to find really "Christmassy" ones with Snow, Robins, etc. I try to find appropriate Australian themed ones but can usually find the same old dreary ones with Santa on a surfboard or a kangaroo hopping across Sydney harbour bridge!

My sister and I have swapped traditional Calendars for years and whilst we tried to change the theme each year, she (bless her heart) always chose the ubiquitous 'views of Australia'. So apart from knowing all Oz national and state national events, I so lost count of the number of pictures of Sydney Harbour Bridge, views across the local river in each state capital, Ayres rock (sorry for using its old name), Great Barrier reef, et al, which in the end caused me to mention (just in passing you understanding) that perhaps another themed calendar might not come amiss.

So after that each year we received themes depicting the flora and fauna of Oz and, of course alerts to Oz main calendar events. Last year she reverted to views again but I hadn't the heart to say a word and besides in was nice to see Sydney Harbour Bridge again. In the end - keeping it to ourselves - we decided the Oz calendar goes in the kitchen and from a choice of Calendars received via this or that magazine subscription, or even home made via the printer, one of those would end up in my Den. At least this way I can be alerted to British Bank holidays and differentiate between events held at different times to those in Australia (I refer to Mother and Fathers' day).

Mind you I have subsequently learned my sister keeps ours in the Kitchen as well, because as she explains, the Australian one on the wall near the Computer at least has the right Mother and Fathers' day and alerts her to such things as the Melbourne Cup.

 

[Margery]

Please

alerts her to such things as the Melbourne Cup

Pleased to hear that she has her priorities right.

 

[Carla]

I have cut down dramatically on how many Christmas cards I send, and sent out some e-cards last year. For some reason sending the e-cards seemed like 'cheating' to me but it certainly saved on the cost of cards abroad. I attached them to emails to my German relatives and included an update on the family.

I do make a point, every year, of sending a card with a letter included, to a few of my closer 'family tree connections. I have two elderly second cousins and we exchange news letters this way. Whenever I receive one of their cards and letters at this time of year I love sitting down and seeing what they have been up to. w e exchange any new information we may have found and all sorts. Having hand written letters from them is a lovely keepsake for me, and I know they enjoy my chatty updates.

One thing I will ask is what does everyone write in their Christmas cards? Every time I write one I feel I need to write slightly more than 'To ....... Merry Christmas from .......' so I end up almost writing a small novel (okay slight exaggeration). I think it's because I want the receiver to feel that I am not just quickly writing a card for the sake of it, but do actually care about them enough to keep in touch.