Sending Out Christmas/Holiday Cards in 2014 Yes or no??

Yes, it's only the end of July and Christmas is far away, but the stores don't seem to understand that. The Christmas cards from last year that didn't sell are coming out and are on sale so I figured now is a good time to bring this up.

In the past we have always sent out Christmas cards. And they are CHRISTMAS cards ... not pictures of the family with 'happy holidays' on it. Always with a Christmas theme ... Jesus, angels, the Holy Family, ... that kind of thing.

I"m looking at the cost of the cards, plus the cost of the stamps, plus the ecological impact of the waste of the cards and the extra carbon footprint by the post office to deliver them and I"m thinking 'should we cut back on sending them out?'

Folks who are stuck home or in the hospital, and elderly folks, I"m thinking to still send them cards. There is a positive psychological impact that comes from them receiving cards and being reminded that they aren't forgotten about.

But for the rest of the folks ... a phone call or a cyber e-card ... that does the same thing and it doesn't cost anything and it's better for the environment.

Dont' get me wrong ... I"m all 'Norman Rockwell USA' and love the thought of the 1950s style American Christmas with all the cards sitting on the fireplace mantle. But this is now 2014 and between the bank account and the environment, I'm thinking to cut most of it out.

What do you guys think? Do you send Christmas/holiday cards? Why or why not?

originally posted by: FlyersFan
... a cyber e-card ... that does the same thing and it doesn't cost anything and it's better for the environment.

Just to show you're not just being a cheapskate , rather than just being ecologically-sound, you could add ...

The money I would have spent on Christmas cards and postage I have donated to such-and-such good cause.

Something seasonal maybe: www.cairngormreindeer.co.uk...

a reply to: engvbany

EXCELLENT idea. Take the $$ that would have been spent on the cards and stamps and instead donate it to the local food bank. VERY GOOD IDEA. Thank you.

Maybe that will inspire others here to do the same.

We do send out cards, including picture of kids and personal note. Mine are religious in nature as well, as we celebrate Christmas as part of our faith - not as a secular/commercial holiday.

It takes a lot of time and, yes, a lot of money. I, too, was thinking about ending the tradition this year. We've got a lot going on right now and I don't think holiday cards are an appropriate priority. I'm expecting my 3rd child in September (yeeeaaaa!!!) but also just got diagnosed with cancer (boooo!) (it's treatable thyroid cancer - I've already had surgery just last week to remove thyroid and lymph nodes and will do the radiation after baby is born). To say that I am, and will be, drained of energy around the holidays this year is probably an understatement.

I honestly don't know if I'll have the energy to do cards this year. The fact is, most "christmas cards" we get are just a family photo with "Happy Holidays" printed across it. It's nice to see distant families, and how their kids have grown, but these pics are often sent without a single personalized word written. It doesn't really do anything to help us feel connected. We could just as well look up their facebook page. I mean, I guess it's nice that they took the time to print our address label... but, anyway, that seems to be the way most Christmas cards are trending now, if they get sent out at all

I too was thinking about just doing a few personal cards to elderly or to people we know are struggling one way or another. Not just because of the cost, time, and energy (and the fact that I'm lacking in all three areas) but also because it seems that we are upholding a tradition that no one really cares about any more.

Interesting post - I didn't expect to be thinking about Christmas cards in July... but I think I need to suggest to my husband that this might be a good year to end the tradition - or at least scale back.

ETA: Nice idea on donating the money saved to a charity! I love it. Although, I don't think I would say anything about that on the e-cards. My preference would be to keep it private (like all charitable giving).

I've never sent christmas cards and never will. i do not celebrate a holiday (holy day) masked in a lie. Christmas, or rather saturnalia, has nothing to do with Christ except the name that memorializes the many male children slaughtered by Herod in his vain attempt to kill Christ (Christ's Mass)

a reply to: FlyersFan

Have you seen the price of some of these cards? they can cost up to 8 bucks! Surely Hallmark is part of the 1 percent.

originally posted by: Thecakeisalie
Have you seen the price of some of these cards? they can cost up to 8 bucks!

At the end of July - which we are approaching - the stores put out the Christmas cards that didn't sell from the year before. Like 'the Christmas Tree Shops'. Their cards are always at a reduced rate. Even expensive Barnes and Nobels will have them out in a week or two and it'll be clearance priced. That's why I decided to ask the question now ...

Are ya'll going to buy and send cards?

We are at a point that we are going to back off except for the elderly or those who we know need a psychological boost.

I liked what the previous poster said ... keep track of the money not being spent on the cards and stamps ... and give it to charity. The food bank for example. I think that's an excellent idea.

The cards just get trash canned and forgotten by most everyone anyways.
It's hard on the environment. A real waste.

I am trying to end the practice of sending Christmas cards, but there are those few people in my life that still expect it. So, yes, for them I will continue this practice and that includes both paper and digital cards.

Over the past decade, I buy/use the cards from groups where I can also send a donation.

www.mfpacanada.com...

I only send cards to the 2 old-fashioned holdouts in my family that still send me cards. That's 2 people. Then I have about 3 other people that I send cards to whether they send them to me or not. They are the people that I think of, but don't actually have any plans of calling them or speaking to them in person. I guess that's weird.

I don't use religious cards, because I'm not particularly religious. I tend to go with the ones that have snowmen on them, because snowmen are a nice way to say "It's that time of year again, and I'm thinking of you, but I'm not a Christian and I'm not going to tell you God Bless or anything like that". LOL.

a reply to: occrest

Bah Humbug.

E -cards work my friends! ....No stamps, no hallmark prices! ....

Never do them anymore.

When I ran pubs I always did them but after writing a couple of hundred and always forgetting one person and them getting the hump I stopped.
Now I see them as a waste of trees so I a little extra to charity and tell everyone not to send me a card...a pint is better .

I sent them on and off for a few years - but generally, no.
I did a "winter solstice" family newsletter about 20 years ago - but I think it's been a good 15 years since I sent any.

Some of my friends and family send them - but like others have said, a lot are photos of the family with "happy holidays" or whatever.

I still have leftover cards from the years I did send them, which I should probably take over to Goodwill for others who want them. Usually they were humorous secular cards. Maybe I should scan them and upload them! Funny stuff.

But no, I don't do it anymore. And now that the kids are all grown, the family isn't doing "gifts" as much either. We get together and play games and get caught up. It's a lot more fun than stressing out over decorating, shopping, wrapping, card sending, etc.

if i send any, its e cards. they are free and instant. one press of a buttn and all holday greetings are done.