Do people not send Christmas cards as much anymore?

[Aidensmom]

For the last few years we have sent out a lot more than we have received. So this year I did not send any out. We have received 2 so far.

 

[Blondie]

I've noticed a large slack off as well. I'm also finding that I don't get a card from some people until I send them one first. Oh well. I've got a new 2 year card rule in effect! I'll send a card, if I don't get one back I let it go. Maybe their card to me got lost in the mail. It could happen.

But after year 2 goes by and still no card in return, they're off my list! If they're too lazy and cheap to send me a card, then no more cards for them!

 

[Pam]

My hubby and I have been married for 23 years - we've sent photo Christmas cards for 22 of those years.

Everyone loves getting our cards and seeing, first the arrival of our two children, and then their growth over the years.

I also write Merry Christmas on the back and then sign our names. Sometimes I will add a little message.

 

[disneyfanforever]

The photo cards are my favorite. I love seeing how everyone's kids have grown. This year we sent off around 35 (the photo cards with my kids pic) but have only received about 7 so far. I told my DH that my new rule is that if I haven't received a card for 3 years from someone I have been sending one too then they are going to be cut from the list. So his dad but starting cleaning up his act (Just kidding, well sort of kidding).

 

[Jennifer S]

This is the first year we haven't sent them out, I have noticed a definite decline in the past few years. Too much hassle, work, cost of stamps. Forget the whole thing, I'm done with it

Me too. I was tired of sending them. I do feel bad though- esp. to people I don'tr see often.

 

[Galahad]

I seem to remember that the busiest day for sending Christmas cards is the Monday or Tuesday about a week before Christmas.

 

[monarchsfan16]

My mom was just commenting that we haven't gotten nearly as many Christmas cards this year. She's cutting back on the ones she sends out, but she still sends a lot.

 

[can'twait]

I just don't have time. I can barely keep up with our laundry, never mind all the other stuff you are supposed to do at this time of year. Last year we decided to only send cards who sent them to us, and I kept that list to guide us with the cards we will send this year. I hope to send them out next week.

 

[disykat]

Thankfully, I haven't noticed a slack off yet. I've never really exchanged cards locally - most of my cards come from friends and relatives who live far away and like to use Christmas cards as a way of keeping in touch. It bugs me to keep reading posts here about all the people who hate sending cards or getting specific kinds of cards - yet at the same time the obligatory gift list (dog groomer, bus driver,...) seems to keep growing. It seems like maybe people are so busy fulfilling their "tip" obligations that they no longer have time to try to keep in contact with old friends.

 

[vald1977]

I usually send out about 50. Lots of times I hand make them but not this year. This year I did the cards where you slide a 4 X 6 photo in the front. I have gotten a ton of compliments on them.

We haven't gotten nearly as many as we usually do by this time. Maybe people are just sending them late this year .

 

[tinksgirl]

I sent out about 60 photo cards this year which i am proud of seeing my kids are almost 20,16 and 10 years old,the fact that i had the pics done in black and white outside at the shore and actually sent the cards is amazing!.We have gotten about 35 at home and another 20 at my store,i love it when customers take the time to send a card.My youngest DD loves checking the mail opening and hanging them and i love seeing the entryway filled with cards.I guess i know alot of nice people afterall

 

[pooh4evr]

Yes- we usually send the photo type from Sears- of our DDs in their Christmas dresses - this year we did 80- we have a large family!

 

[phisigprincess]

I think they are tapering off - especially with the postage hike coming up, I'm sure they'll just keep getting fewer and fewer.

 

[luvwinnie]

I don't have the time or energy anymore. I do send some, but not as many as I once did.

 

[MUFFYCAT]

I've noticed that it has tampered off over the past few years. I don't send out to as many as I did 5 years ago.

 

[SeeDisney]

Hey, I was wondering that too. I remember about 10 years ago, yes I would get lots. Now I really haven't gotten that much in the past two years.

I do send my out too with pictures of my kids, either JCpenny or our own digital camera.

Glad to hear from others too.

Maybe people were putting money in their gas tanks instead???

 

[pjlla]

I'll briefly share my Christmas Card saga....

I bought a couple of nice packages of cards last year on clearance after Christmas to use this year. But since I am a scrapbooker I kept telling myself that sending out packaged cards wasn't going to cut it. So I took the time last Saturday to sit down and create a digital scrapbook "page" to duplicate and send out as a Christmas greeting. Everything was going great until my printer ran out of yellow ink. I worked M, Tu, and Wed. this week and did NOT have time to get to a store (we live 30+ minutes from the nearest Walmart/Target/Stop N Shop, etc) to get ink.

I finally got the yellow ink yesterday, and had intended to print the page today and take it to the the copy center this evening after DD's swim team practice. Well, Mother Nature played another Fun Friday trick on us and we had a snow day.... it has alternated between ice and snow and rain all day now. So chances are I WON'T be getting out to the copy center today.

Best case scenario....I'll get out tomorrow, get them copied, and into the mail by Monday.... but at this point, why bother.... most of the people I send the cards to are people I will probably see over the course of the Christmas Holiday.... I don't know... guess I will see how much it will cost and then decide. I've already bought the stamps, anyhow.................P

 

[wilderness01]

I'll send out about 60 or so cards this year. Used to be more but my rule is if I don't get one from you for 3 years straight then I don't send one. So some people are just plain off my list now.

As far as having no thought in "just sending out a photo" instead of handwriting a card, come on now! That comment is harsh don't you think? What could be more personal than sending out a picture of the most important people in your life? I don't just take any one picture that I have laying around here and then get cards made up. I spend alot of time choosing what the setting is, what the kids are wearing, etc. and then I shoot close to a roll of film. After receiving the film back, I sit down and choose the best shot. Then I do go to the photo place and pick out the saying on the card, the picture, etc. Just because I don't hand write our names out does not make it any less personal. Frankly if I ONLY get a hand signed card without a picture I am not as excited to get that, especially since e-mail is here. I could get an e-mail with a "Happy Holidays" and get the same feeling. I love seeing how families expand, grow, change, etc. and there is no better way to show that than in a picture. You know the phrase "a picture is worth a thousand words." That phrase really says it all. I also love getting the Christmas letters that go along with the pictures. I don't personally send those as well, but I love receiving them. Maybe someday I will start sending those too, but until then I am happy to send my photo to my closest friends/family and they are all happy to receive it. Happy Holidays to all.

 

[lecach]

I dislike doing cards. We got some photo cards this year but only because our 1 year old is so darn cute. Usually what we do is wait until someone sends us a card and then we send one to them. Its handy because you have their correct address right in front of you. I really couldnt care less about getting cards - I would be happy to not receive any and not send any either.

 

[pearlieq]

As far as having no thought in "just sending out a photo" instead of handwriting a card, come on now! That comment is harsh don't you think? What could be more personal than sending out a picture of the most important people in your life?

What is personal to me about a picture of the most important people in YOUR life? If I'm already close to you, I know what your kid/dog/house looks like, and if I'm not close to you I really don't care that much. I mean, it's nice to look at for a minute, but beyond a glance and thinking "Your kid/dog/house sure is big/cute/expensive-looking", it doesn't have much impact for me and will be forgotten in a few minutes. I'm not offended to get them, I just don't really value them all that much.

I honestly think they're kind of self serving. People talk about the effort of getting their kids dressed up, taking the photos, and picking them out, but I think that effort benefits them more than anyone else. It doesn't have to be done, so there must be something about it that people enjoy. And that's fine, but don't pass it of to me as concern or effort on my behalf. Plus, if we're being honest (or cynical--take your pick ) don't people kind of use them to show off? The message usually seems to be "Admire my kid/dog/house".

Think about the pre-printed and photo holiday cards. If you accidentally put someone else's in my envelope, would it matter? If the answer is no, there's nothing personal about it.

To me, a personal holiday card would include at least a brief note relating specifically to the recipient--maybe recalling good times had over the past year and expressing a wish for good fortune for the next year. I realize that's very time consuming, but it's so much more meaningful that something that comes in a box of 100. I would rather not send cards at all than send something generic.

I realize I'm in the minority here, and that the photo/pre-printed cards are probably here to stay, but I really don't think they're equivalent to an "real" Christmas card.