How long do you keep greeting cards?

[Beth76]

Just out of curiosity, how long do you keep birthday, thank you, anniversary cards, etc? Is there etiquette as to how long you should keep these or is it OK to throw them away after you've read them. I remember a Seinfeld episode where he got in trouble for throwing away a Thank You card the day he got it.

I usually just keep them a few days and then throw them away. But, I don't really know why I hang onto them for so long. An exception is x-mas cards that I keep on my mantle until after x-mas. Is it OK to throw cards away after I'm done reading them, it's not like I'm going to read them again. What do you all do?

 

[monkeyboy]

Open card

Shake to see if money or check is in it

Read

Call and thank


Toss

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Open them, read them, smile, toss 'em...

 

[Jolie C]

I keep them for a few days, but I do feel kind of guilty when I throw them out.

 

[mum4jenn]

Some I throw out within a few days and special ones I try to keep (like from my dd or a special anniversary,etc) All the rest I throw away pretty quick because I just don't have room for clutter like that.

 

[~*Belle 2003*~]

I keep any special ones and the rest get recycled.

 

[Pooh67_68]

I will keep them for a few days, than toss.

 

[powellrj]

I will keep them until they drive me crazy picking them up and then I toss them

 

[cgcw]

Okay, I'm definately in the minority here......I keep them all.

I toss them in a box with all the other clutter I keep around. No wonder we have no storage space left in the attic.

 

[disneysteve]

If the card is from DW or DD, I'll keep it indefinitely. For general cards - birthdays, thank-you's, etc., I'll toss them right away. For holiday cards (Chanukah, New Year), we'll display them until after the holiday then toss them.

Actually, we don't toss the religious themed cards. There is a group at our temple that collects them and uses them in craft projects that they then sell as a fund raiser.

 

[Micca]

Open, read, quick smile,....when no one is looking..see ya! DW says don't even buy a card for her, it's a waste of money.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I keep them forever if the person who gave it to me still matters to me.

Ie. I keep old cards from family, friends whom are still part of my life.

I do not keep cards from ex-boyfriends, people who were my pen pals in the 7th grade etc.

 

[N.Bailey]

I read em, then I toss em.

Edited to add: My DH is a sentimental fool and he really hates that I don't save them.

 

[mrsstats]

I will be married 35 years in November. I have every birthday card, christmas & anniversary card my husband has given me. Other cards I keep if the have something special written on them. Since my Dad died 9 years ago, I am sorry I didnt keep all his cards.

 

[liznboys]

If it's a really cute one, I'll hang it up somewhere and enjoy it for awhile. Otherwise, it gets tossed right away. (Would never tell the person who sent it that though! )

 

[Blondie]

Lately I read them, display them for a few days, then I toss them unless I think one is pretty or the words are sentimental do I keep them anymore.

I cleaned a closet out a few weeks ago and I had a bag full of them that went way back into the late 80's!!! I didn't save each and every card I've received since then, just a few that I took a special liking to.

Well, it was time to go through them, and I'm glad I did. Some of them were from my DH's grandparents who passed away in the early 90's and they always had something sweet to write inside. It was nice seeing their handwriting again. Those I saved. I also save a few from my parents, because I know they won't be around for ever. Also the special cards from when my boys were little, the handmade cards from school, etc.

 

[NMAmy]

I save them if they're from family or close friends. I like to go back and look at them and remember people I haven't seen in a long time or who have passed away. I have cards from my childhood from my great grandmother, and from my grandparents. I also love to look at DD's as she's grown through the years (I really love the handmade ones). And DH always writes something sweet and picks them out very carefully so I like to save them because he puts so much thought into getting the perfect card. (He's the only man I've ever known who buys all his own cards and spends a lot of time getting the right one!)

I think it's a nice way to remember people.

 

[stinkerbelle]

I saved all of the cards we were given at our wedding.
I save the particularly sweet cards DH gives me. (We got into a big snit once (before we were married) and I came home to find a dozen roses and the sweetest card in the world. That was probably 3 years ago...the card is still hanging up in my cube at work.)

Thank you cards...I generally read, make sure DH reads them, then toss them.

 

[Trish Bessette]

Open, read and toss.

However, Christmas time I do hang all my cards up as quite a few of them are pictures of the senders family. But let me tell you, December 26th they are torn down and in the garbage.

 

[HollyJoy]

Anything from my kids, I keep forever. Other than that, I throw them out maybe a week or two after getting them. Well, I do have a huge pile of cards that were sent to us from when my Father passed away, and from when my MIL passed away, oh, and the girl's bday cards from past bdays... LOL More than I thought!