Let's bring Christmas cards back

suvigirl

As per the title, the last few years have seen less and less Christmas cards being sent. Don't know about anyone else, but I don't care for texts wishing me a happy Christmas.

I like cards. I always send some, but I've decided this year I'm going to send loads. Who's with me?

Deja Boo

I always send cards… rarely get any back, but that doesn't matter.

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122855049#Comment_122855049

Me too, but it's lovely to get them, I think

Jim_Hodge

We're still sending and receiving as many as ever. What drop off has there been?

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122855062#Comment_122855062

Oh you're Lucky, maybe you're a bit older then me.....no offence!

Shan Doras

Stamps now costing about 1.50c each has put most people off sending them.

Akrasia

I've never sent Christmas cards because I'm not over 50, but the price of stamps would bankrupt most pensioners on a fixed income

Greyfox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058381287/lets-bring-christmas-cards-back

Not me, sending cards in the post is a waste of time when you can just send a WhatsApp instead

ThePentagon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122855083#Comment_122855083

Stamps were €1.35 last year and something like two million Christmas cards were sent in Ireland. Price of a stamp is €1.40 now so I doubt there will be a significant decrease in number of cards sent.

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122855178#Comment_122855178

Ahhhh stop, who wants to get a million crappy texts, sending a card takes a bit of effort!

phormium

Stamps too expensive now. I would always have sent some but due to parents deaths in some of my friend circle over the past few years I didn't send any that year and in every case none of us started it up again the following year!

That whittled down the numbers a bit and now the increase in stamps and it's just not worth it. Lovely idea but I think this year will be my first year sending none at all unless I get one first and have to return one!

It is a pity though, PO could help with some sort of special offer, a really good one, on stamps for Christmas cards. That said though what's the cut off point age wise, under what age is nobody sending cards now? My daughter who is 40 sends just a couple to some elderly relatives she is fond of and doesn't see often but other than that I'd say most under 40 wouldn't dream of it!

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122855196#Comment_122855196

And only €1.18 if you buy a book of 17.

Deja Boo

Confession: mine are all written out already, granted I don't have many to send the past few years, but still done… I like calligraphizing (is that a word?) and hand painting, so it takes some effort. I drop some by the neighbours in my building with a treat (so, no stamps!)

Feline Groovy

I've already written some but I'll be giving them to the recipients in person. Posting them is a thing of the past for me all right.

bureau2009

An Post DON'T WANT people to post cards! 😠

Deja Boo

Back when Yahoo had Groups (and I was new to the internet), I joined a card exchange, thinking it would just be a few to send. Turned out it was over 30 to send at one time - all or nothing… I was stunned and overwhelmed (and in the middle of a residence move)… but it was amazing to receive so many cards that year.

watchclocker

I'm with you

Used to always send them early December and fell out of the habit but was thinking the other day I should get back into it ans this is my sign

I do still give them to the neighbours but not posted

bladespin

We always send/give cards, mostly we hand deliver them, great fun for the kids doing the postman run, the stamps are too expensive to post many now.

A word of caution we even got caught for Vat on a Moon pig card a friend from the UK sent to us, not sure if it works vice versa but €12 to get a card was fairly flabergasting!!! Nuts.

EmmetSpiceland

The kids get a packet of them, with their own designs on, in school every year. They love sending them off.

Cards aren’t going away any time soon here.

Greyfox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122855206#Comment_122855206

And an unnecessary effort, if someone is worth the effort a phone call before or after Christmas would be better

LambshankRedemption

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058381287/lets-bring-christmas-cards-back

Every year my mother used to paint a christmas card, get one of us to scan it, and then we'd print off about 30 and send them. This year I am resurrecting the tradition by designing and painting my own.

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122857208#Comment_122857208

That's really lovely

Upandout

I am knocking on 50 and I only sent them to the older family members but once they were gone I don't send any.

Such a waste of paper. I make the effort and give a phone call or a meme. I doubt if they will be around for the next generation due to the high environmental impact of the dyes and paper.

littlefeet

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122857365#Comment_122857365

Have you stoped sending birthday cards as well or stoped sending cards of any kind.

Mollyb60

It's even worse in the North. Royal Mail considers ROI a foreign country so posting cards down to my family who mostly still live down there is insane money. I rarely get ones back apart from close family. I'll still send them though. I took up watercolour painting this year so I'm half considering trying to make my own cards to send. Tried a few simple designs to see how time consuming it would be.

suvigirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122858275#Comment_122858275

We always post our cards to England from the north, but we're from beside the border, so it's handy

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122857200#Comment_122857200

No one i know answers the phone to unscheduled calls any more.

NewbridgeIR

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122858567#Comment_122858567

I always answer the phone. No caller ID on the landline so it adds to the excitement.

littlefeet

Some of this is a perfect example of the atomised live that are common in modern society.

They can't see the interconnecteness of everything including sending cards and it's connection to living in a community.

As for not sending cards for Enviournmental reason while simuntaniousley driving a car, heating their home with fossil fuels and eating meat.

anewme

Really interesting to see this thread. Many people must be feeling the exact same! Having always been late sending cards the last few years and only half bothering, mine are already written since (with a lovely gel pen) and will be posted early December. Some presents already bought and wrapped too!

Love getting cards too. Much more personal than a text for me anyway.

taxAHcruel

It's never really been anything we have been personally interested in here. Christmas Cards and Santa never really feeling right for us as something we wanted to do with our own kids. Several other aspects of Christmas we engage in wholeheartedly though.

Speaking of eating meat - our upcoming Christmas Dinner are currently wandering around our garden looking for their next feeding. And since the kids fed them last I think that makes it my turn.

JupiterKid

I've always done Christmas cards.

A greeting over social media or a text just does not compare in any way to receiving a card that someone took the effort to buy, write on, and post off. It's a tangible reminder of the Christnas spirit of love and friendship.

As per usual, I'll be writing and posting off our Christmas cards during the first week of December, around the time the tree goes up. 🎄

Upandout

Yes, I don't buy any cards now. They are such a waste of paper. They go up for a few days then into the recycling.

Upandout

I drive electric, and our home is A rated. So yes I do my best to not cause environmental damage so there's a place for the future communities.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122859539#Comment_122859539

You know the extra food, lights, travelling to see family etc is all such a waste too. All over in a week or so. Let's cancel it all together. We'd see the reduced emissions instantly.

It's Christmas FFS lighten up. The chip and precious metals in your phone or tablet do more harm than a bit of cardboard and ink.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122857365#Comment_122857365

Upandout

Wow did you mean to be so rude?

Newsflash some of us want more Christmas's so we do our best to make that reality.

I don't travel never bothered replacing passport out of date a decade ago. I want to look my kids in their eye knowing I did my best, don't you ?

Feline Groovy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122855462#Comment_122855462

Why does it want to end itself?

Deja Boo

Everyone has their own way of celebrating and their own ideas of making the best world for their family, can't we just leave it at that?

Do we really need to argue about sending christmas cards (or what's left of the dying art) being a menace to society? The world is already so far past 'menace' it's a bit redundant.

Feline Groovy

It may not be as common to send/give Christmas cards today with communication technology so easily accessible, but what these tools have led to is self publishing, which is wonderful. I love Lambshank's post, and the way little kids can create a card and get them published is adorable (and sometimes hilarious).

But yeah I got a couple of cards during Covid, just wishing me well - I thought it was amazing. Such a beautiful gesture. I wasn't going through anything particularly remarkable compared to anyone else - just two extremely thoughtful friends.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058381287/lets-bring-christmas-cards-back

Yes me too

Although I hand deliver most. Will only post the ones that I have ro post because ye the price if a stamp and I hate buying stamps.

Greyfox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122859567#Comment_122859567

Visiting family or friends at Christmas feels wonderful, sending a card is nowhere near as meaningful. I understand that cards mean an awful lot to some people but for others they are just very overpriced paper

donegal_man

We'll be sending probably about 15/20 cards to friends and relatives dotted around the place. My daughter has special needs and to see her face light up when cards arrive, especially from overseas means a lot.

bureau2009

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122859690#Comment_122859690

An Post is only interested in the lucrative business of parcel post.

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122861674#Comment_122861674

They're doing plenty of plugging for posting Christmas cards, if that's the case. Strange to be advertising a branch of the business they've no interest in.

watchclocker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122859957#Comment_122859957

You can send a card and visit people

It's not one or the other

Jim_Hodge

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122863483#Comment_122863483

But, but, but…Christmas cards add to emissions , waste and climate change, while the memes I'll send instead don't in the slightest (if you ignore chip production, batteries, data centres etc.)

Strumms

my folks get about 50 - 60 cards a year still and send about as many. Far more personable.

It’s nice to see the wall in the dining room wallpapered almost with the cards….

They are not going to be firing off 60 emails or e-cards to people. Just not of that generation, also no offence to people who like / prefer getting and sending e-cards but one of the points of proper cards is displaying them and them adding to the decor and ambiance. Can’t do that sitting in someone’s inbox.

Goldengirl

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122859054#Comment_122859054

Anyone else read this and think of a little garden bird on the table :0 ?

I presume you have geese or turkeys in your field , tah?

Anyway ..

I always send cards , to everybody but have noticed a big drop off in people sending them, especially once the older relatives have shuffled off .

Still love it and love to receive them and they adorn the mantlepiece and hall. Throwback to living abroad I suppose before mobile phones texts and emails were a thing .

I think if you have relatives or friends you will not see before Christmas / or at all, it is special .

Can't abide those generic texts or emails ..may as well not bother .

Mind you I love Christmas phone calls and messages too ,as long as they are personal .

It is expensive posting but it is worth it as far as I am concerned .

Greyfox

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122863483#Comment_122863483

That seems silly, in that case would you not just bring the card with you

taxAHcruel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122863595#Comment_122863595

Yeah we keep geese every year for Christmas.

It is interesting that the comparison people are making is often between cards and "generic texts". Cards and messages people write in them can be equally generic. Often bought in multi packs, signed the same way, and posted in bulk.

It seems to be the wrong comparison to be making then. Neither cards nor texts nor emails guarantee the personal touch or the "connection" or the "bit of effort" or the Christmas feelz and so on that people have pined for on the thread. But any one of them can facilitate it too.

Seems not to be the texts or the cards therefore that make a difference. But what one puts in them and how.

For my own self I tend not to engage in Christmas or Birthday messaging. Rather I reach out to people at entirely random times with messages and gifts and ideas that are relevant to them and indicate they have been clearly and individually and specifically in my thoughts naturally and not because the calendar demanded it of me.