I feel so special

[mirthmaiden]

Seriously, if this is all you have to be upset about I think you ought to be really really happy that your life is so easy and pleasant.

Perhaps you should peruse the recent threads about the rise of self-absorption and entitlement.

If you define your Holiday Cheer over a lable rather than the thought that went behind the lable, you need to go pour yourself another eggnog.

Hey, at least they SENT you a card.

It's comments like this that make people put tons of pressure on themselves to create a beautiful holiday for their families and friends. No wonder why people are stressed over this time of year! Whatever happened to "its the thought that counts" ?

Shall I send you my Charlie Brown Christmas video? Linus has the right message to deliver...

Looks like Christmas spirit is alive and well here

So, help out this old person...would it be okay if I sent them a reciprocal card by email? Or could I just txt them the link?

I'd say "sure." Typing (or c/p'ing) their e-mail address requires movement and dexterity of the hands, and it does involve thought on your part.

That would bother me, too. Well, maybe not actually bother me, but I'd think of it as very impersonal. If someone can't take the time to even write my name and their name on the inside of the card, the card has no meaning for me. It's just one of a bunch of mass-produced, exactly alike cards. The address label on the outside of the envelope is no biggie, though, as the computer is just a modern day address book.

ITA.

I'm on my third eggnog and I'm coming around to this whole label thing now. You want me I should send you some eggnogs too?

Yes, but please make sure you include a hand-written note inside the package.

BTW: I need your mailing address to send you a card.

ditto

 

[ducklite]

Maybe one day I too will have so many friends I'll have to keep a database and do a mail merge at Christmas.

Maybe if you were more grateful that your friends even take the time to think of you during the busy holidays you'd have more friends?

 

[SwedishMeatball]

Ok, that's it. OP, time to demand that this thread get locked. It's just gotten way out of hand.

 

[undecided]

I'm not beating this horse carcass anymore, but I do want to clarify that I in no way meant to demean or criticize those with disabilities that prevent them from writing. I'm sorry I wasn't clear enough to prevent that misunderstanding. The sender of the card, which now holds a special place in my heart, doesn't have any disabilities.

 

[Dr.Snark]

No, I'm not sharing...unless you bow down and agree with my point of view! As for snarky, I try to refrain from sarcasm in all my communications.


Oh, and yes, there's haitian rum in mine.

Ohh, the good kind.

In that case....

 

[jenwolgey]

No, you shouldn't feel (even sarcastically) "special." Just condescending and judgmental. Jeesh.

We do this. We send over 100 cards each year. It's important to us to send them and, realistically, this is the only way that's going to happen.

Whatever happened to "it's the thought that counts"? These people thought of you. They sent you a card. You're criticizing the way they did that? Wow. Just wow.

What they said.

As a matter of fact, most of the cards we receive are the same way!

 

[mirthmaiden]

The sender of the card, which now holds a special place in my heart, doesn't have any disabilities.

That you know of. They might have texture issues.

 

[Crankyshank]

I do labels for 3 reasons

1) Between my full time job and my full time school, I am gone 4 nights a week from 7:45am until 11pm. I don't have flipping time to hand address over 60 cards.

2) It is a lot more USPS friendly to type out labels on Christmas cards;therefore it is less likely to get sent to the wrong location.

3) Because it makes my life easier. If someone doesn't like it, then one less card and stamp to buy would be great.

 

[Aisling]

Maybe if you were more grateful that your friends even take the time to think of you during the busy holidays you'd have more friends?

Print out 100 address stickers.
Stick them on envelopes.
Put in a card with a pre-printed signature.
Drop in mailbox.

Yes, the OP should be more grateful.

 

[ducklite]

Print out 100 address stickers.
Stick them on envelopes.
Put in a card with a pre-printed signature.
Drop in mailbox.

Yes, the OP should be more grateful.

If she doesn't like the senders card, maybe a call or note to them telling them to take her off their list would be more appropriate than complaining about it on the DIS.

 

[SwedishMeatball]

The DIS was invented for complainers.

 

[ducklite]

The DIS was invented for complainers.

Thanks to Al Gore we have the DIS!

 

[undecided]

If she doesn't like the senders card, maybe a call or note to them telling them to take her off their list would be more appropriate than complaining about it on the DIS.

But if I did that, I wouldn't have time to post 32,814 times.

 

[Bob Slydell]

If she doesn't like the senders card, maybe a call or note to them telling them to take her off their list would be more appropriate than complaining about it on the DIS.

I wish I got a couple of these phone calls -- it would cut back on the number of cards we have to send out each year.

For the record, we handwrite out addresses (ok, technically I did them all this year, not "we" ), but aside from folks we don't typically talk to during the year, the cards themselves are not personalized, they're photo cards. We do write some notes on a few of them. Everyone else talk to us enough that it doesn't seem necessary to write much on the cards.

 

[Cantw8]

But if I did that, I wouldn't have time to post 32,814 times.

 

[ducklite]

But if I did that, I wouldn't have time to post 32,814 times.

Work on it for a couple of years, you'll get there.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

I never send out Christmas cards. Anyone who deserves a greeting gets one in person or over the phone.

I personally love receiving Christmas cards. For most of my relationships, it has replaced gifts. This way no one goes broke at Christmas time but the thought is still there. I do a good job of keeping in touch with people and do phone people and send them e-mails throughout the year, but I like to do something a little more special at Christmas time. Plus, many cards are so beautiful and I just want to share the images and messages. Also, while I love phone calls, especially at Christmas, it's simply not feasible to call everyone I might be thinking of at that time of year.

When I was a young, many years ago, it was common (and considered "upscale") to have the cards embossed with the senders name rather than personally signing them. Many card shops offered the personalized embossing for free.

I wouldn't complain about labels and embossing. I'm not that judgmental of people that send cards, I prefer to remember the fact that they thought enough of me to send a card, which isn't cheap these days.

Thanks for the explanation. I just wasn't understanding a card without a signature but I get it now. I certainly wouldn't complain about embossing; I think it's neat.

So, help out this old person...would it be okay if I sent them a reciprocal card by email? Or could I just txt them the link?

I'm not sure why you would want to do that seeing as you opened a whole thread just to complain about an impersonal greeting that you received. But I have received e-greetings from people and I am glad that they thought enough of me to send one. I would prefer a physical card but an e-greeting is better than nothing.

I use stickers too. But I do it for the post offices sake. With the increase in mail at that time of year, anything that can be processed by automation of reading clearly printed address vs handwritting is a bonus to them.

I have heard this suggestions from postal workers as well. I dropped off a parcel just the other day and the postal worker thought my 1 was a 7 in a postal code, even though I have fairly good penmanship. So I can see how the printed labels would help.

On the flip side, I'm ok with photo cards, generally, but the yearly photo card from the ex-girlfriend of DH generally gets mocked. She cheated on him, so I don't have to like her, despite her best efforts to show off how the bf she cheated on DH with and then married makes pretty babies. DH and this woman broke up in high school, so I'm not quite understanding why she feels she needs to share.

I still keep in contact with several of my exes and that includes exchanging Christmas cards to a couple of them. I am married. I don't see it as sending cards to my ex but as sending a card to my friend. This might not be your DH's situation at all but it's not always such a horrible thing for exes to stay in touch.

 

[SleepyatDVC]

For the record, we handwrite out addresses (ok, technically I did them all this year, not "we" ), but aside from folks we don't typically talk to during the year, the cards themselves are not personalized, they're photo cards.

Same here.

I designed our photo cards myself this year too. I did handwrite out all the addresses. But that was only because I was too lazy to every enter all the names and addresses into the computer to print on labels.

I have a handwritten list of people that I send out cards to and I check them off as they get addressed and sent. I do update the list by adding new names to it ocassionally. Then the list gets put in a box with the left over photocards to be taken out next year.

I actually think it would be more personal to send a card with a personal note than with just a handwritten address like I do it. But then I would never send ANY cards out then! LOl.

The kids help by sealing the envelopes and putting on the stamps.

Since I designed the photocard this year, I ALSO e-mailed the card to a bunch of people that I didn't have current addresses for!!!!!! I also sent it some really close friends just I was so proud of the card before sending out the "real" card.

And to be honest, some people e-mailed back after I sent the e-mailed cards and we had a more personal "contact" with e-mails back and forth afterwards then just the card in the mail.

OP, I understand what you mean. But in this day and age, I would just be happy to get on any one's card list! At least they thought enough to spend at least 50 cents on a card and 41 cents on a stamp!

 

[froglady]

I stopped sending Christmas cards because of reactions similar to the OP's. Either cards weren't personal enough, or they were too personal. The message was too short, or too long. I was only talking about the good things that happened (bragging) or cast a pall on what should be a joyous time by mentioning something bad that happened. Sorry, if the way I send my greetings are not good enough for you, I won't bother at all.


I have a party and invite all of our friends and neighbors, and send gifts to all our close relatives, and also write notes to a few out of town friends who I know will appreciate whatever(good news and bad), and however (hand-written or typed, personal or copies) I write it.

 

[jobhunter]

If she doesn't like the senders card, maybe a call or note to them telling them to take her off their list would be more appropriate than complaining about it on the DIS.

This is a great idea! OP, instead of letting off some steam anonymously over here regarding one of life's little annoyances (I think we've all been there, don't you agree? All of us? I hope I'm not going to have to go looking through old threads...), you should call the sender and hurt and offend them!
I can't think of anything more "appropriate" than to handle it this way.