I write all of ours, because my wife refuses to do it !
yes we have cut back, especially this year we had a clear out of those we no longer have contact with.
One couple for example we met on holiday some 15 years ago and have been exchanging cards ever since but if I met them in the street I wouldn't know them.
I don't begrudge the money side of it, although at 50p postage it soon adds up

It's definitely SWMBO's job - except for the dozen I send to old colleagues.

Overheard conversation between 2 young mums in a card shop. "What's Jesus got to do with Christmas?"
Reply, "Dunno! Daft, innit!"

Is it their fault or our generation's?

We still send a lot of cards at Christmas after all it only happens once a year! It is nice to receive a card from friends we have known for a lot of years but also friends we have made on holiday over the years.
What rely riles me is couples who say " oh we do not send each other cards/presents at christmas",do they not feel that they are missing out on the spirit of christmas? If christmas means nothing to them then go into work on 25th december and leave the rest of us to indulge in over eating,drinking etc. and watching repeats on the tv! Merry Christmas to all members,even the ones to mean to send cards

Alan

normally we don't buy each other presents but do send cards to each other.
Nothing to do with meanness and we still enjoy Xmas
we don't buy each other birthday presents either.

del949,i am sure you are not mean just a good Yorkshire Man
Regards Alan

Aye, long pockets and short arms , tha nows!

1

Alan,

long pockets and short arm

its the only reason del949 has socks

I love sending and receiving cards to and from people that I've known for years but don't now see, including some I've met on holiday, but have decided to cut down drastically this year due to the cost of postage. I really don't see the logic of the Royal Mail - they are losing money because people are posting less so they put up their prices so even more people will post even less.

mobile fitter wrote:

We still send a lot of cards at Christmas after all it only happens once a year! It is nice to receive a card from friends we have known for a lot of years but also friends we have made on holiday over the years.
What rely riles me is couples who say " oh we do not send each other cards/presents at christmas",do they not feel that they are missing out on the spirit of christmas? If christmas means nothing to them then go into work on 25th december and leave the rest of us to indulge in over eating,drinking etc. and watching repeats on the tv! Merry Christmas to all members,even the ones to mean to send cards

Alan :cheers

What exactly is the spirit of Christmas?. I thought that for Christians it is a holiday to celebrate the birth of their Christ.
How can a couple not giving each other cards and presents at Christmas mean they are missing out on 'the Christmas Spirit' Maybe Christmas has a deeper meaning to some people than just an opportunity to give presents and cards.

I only send cards to people that I won't be seeing over the holiday - it's a prompt to write a proper letter to them rather than sending a hurried email or txt or even worse not getting in touch with them as frequently as I'd like to if I had more time during the rest of the year. So most of my cards are to people that I rarely see but don't want to lose touch with completely - and in return it's lovely to get the sort of card that I received yesterday from an ex-colleague. We worked together some 30 years ago and haven't actually seen each other for nearly 20years but it's great to receive her annual card and personal letter with all the news about her family. And I hope that she feels the same when she receives mine in the coming week.

As for the Christmas spirit, to me it doesn't mean the commercialism of the modern Christmas one little bit. The adults in my family haven't exchanged anything other than small token presents with each other for years - this year they are all getting handknitted socks from me. Even the wool didn't cost me much because most of it came in a big bag of odds and ends that I was given by someone clearing out their early aunt's stash. Some friends will get their usual home baked fruit cake and others will get small pots of bulbs planted up in early October and sitting in the cool of the shed quietly growing away in readiness. That's the spirit of Christmas to me - taking the time and effort to do something personal for those we are close to, not spending lots of money on presents and cards and food and drink.

SM

Since I've taken early retirement, the Xmas card list has become one of my jobs!
We have reduced the number of cards considerably from the days when the kids were at school -its now just relations and selected friends and neighbours - for those we consider still as close friends ,(even tho' we don't see them from year to year) I compose a short, individual letter to go in the card - I hate these general "circulars" that some people send in their cards!
One of my wife's acquaintances from many years ago still sends us a card with a printed newsletter - updates on their extended family -find it very depressing as they proudly announce the birth of their 17th grandchild or that one of their children is a UN peace envoy, or that their eldest has been elected Pope !!(slight exaggeration,but you get the general idea. )
Many people now seem to send e-cards -we usually get two or three from people I knew thru work -suspect that is all down to cost and lack of time nowadays.
We had the conversation this year about whether we should make this year the last year of card sending -the jury is still out

Since I've taken early retirement, the Xmas card list has become one of my jobs!

Now that I have retired I am FAR too busy with washing, drying, ironing, cleaning the windows, cleaning the floor, vacuuming the carpets, cleaning everything else that I haven't mentioned, cooking, washing, making beds, dusting, cleaning, washing, ironing, wash the car, put the Christmas tree up (take the Christmas tree down), vacuum the floor again thanks Christmas tree, clean the toilet etc etc etc.

As for your Christmas Cards well you know what you can do with them Bah Humbug

To all the housewife's and those that run a house as well as looking after kids and perhaps also working my hat goes off to you all

I think a certain Scottish Moderator should remember that Santa doesn't like people who tell fibs. I can believe he has put the tree up, but my sympathies are with Mrs Kiltman, who will have him getting under her feet all the time now he has retired.

Kiltman, I retired 3 years ago and have the same problem as you. I've been loking for a job for the past 2 Christmases - for the wife!

Here's one with my sympathies.

I think the spirit of Christmas is perfectly summed up in the Dickens novel , A Christmas Carol , I usually leave a copy lying around in the hope my boss will give me a day off , but some people just can't take a hint

I actually prefer New Year , looking back on the good bits and feeling excited about the future .

Kiltman HT Mod wrote:

Since I've taken early retirement, the Xmas card list has become one of my jobs!

Now that I have retired I am FAR too busy with washing, drying, ironing, cleaning the windows, cleaning the floor, vacuuming the carpets, cleaning everything else that I haven't mentioned, cooking, washing, making beds, dusting, cleaning, washing, ironing, wash the car, put the Christmas tree up (take the Christmas tree down), vacuum the floor again thanks Christmas tree, clean the toilet etc etc etc.

As for your Christmas Cards well you know what you can do with them Bah Humbug

To all the housewife's and those that run a house as well as looking after kids and perhaps also working my hat goes off to you all :bow

I believe you Graham I do, I do, I do .......