Christmas Cards: Classic Or Dud?

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OK, I searched the archives for this, and there were loads of threads about "who wants some Xmas cards?" and offering to send them to one another, but apart from some basic misanthropy from N, there was no actual debate or argument as to why they even exist!

― HRH Queen Kate (kate), Monday, 15 December 2003 12:43 (twenty-two years ago)

See, I always used to be categorically AGAINST them. Well, apart from hating Xmas, I thought that they were gimmicky and consumerish and just a popularity contest, and what's more, they slowed down the mails. I just didn't understand why people sent them.

But this weekend, HSA was sending out his cards, and initially I laughed at him and told him not to bother. He said "well, it's just a way of showing people that you like them." And then he was all "Oh, I'm sending a card to Cosey, do you want to sign it?" and I said that would be nice, and so I signed a few more cards, and by the end of it, I was going through the pile he had signed while I was sneering demanding "Hey! You sent a card to Barry and didn't let me sign it?" and insisting that he open it so I could write a note.

And then, sure enough, this morning, I got a card in the mail, and I got all excited and was dancing around the flat cause I was so pleased and happy. And now I wish I had been sending mine out all along.

So I guess it started out dud, and now I think classic!

― HRH Queen Kate (kate), Monday, 15 December 2003 12:44 (twenty-two years ago)

Come on, if you send them out, why do you do it?

Do you get happy if you receive Xmas cards?

If you don't send them, do you not send them for any other reason than laziness, i.e. ideological. (Obv, if you're Christian or Western, this doesn't really apply, but still, I assume you'd ignore the thread anyway.)

― HRH Queen Kate (kate), Monday, 15 December 2003 12:51 (twenty-two years ago)

I like the idea of sending Christmas cards as a personal way to wish ppl a good time over the holiday period. The majority of my friends I will see, but there are some ppl that I just wanted to send cards to, i.e. friends in London/US/Durham that I definitely will not see.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 12:53 (twenty-two years ago)

Not against them from frendz. But last year I got about 50 gazillion from my co-workers (none of whom I had ever seen out of office hours) -- that was truly wack. I don't sent to anyone. No time.

― Nu-Enrique (Enrique), Monday, 15 December 2003 12:54 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't send them to everyone at work per se, just the ppl that I interact with on a more personal level.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 12:56 (twenty-two years ago)

I really like Pink's reason for sending them - to wish happiness to people you won't see.

But what about people that you *do* see? I thought HSA was mentalist because he was sending them to people in his family who he WILL SEE over Xmas, in fact, including his mum, who we see every week, and are spending Xmas with! I think that might be going too far.

― HRH Queen Kate (kate), Monday, 15 December 2003 12:56 (twenty-two years ago)

My immediate family never send cards, but I still send them to friends that I will see.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 12:58 (twenty-two years ago)

I want to receive Xmas cards, but sending them is *such* a bother, especially as you know they totally won't be special.

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 15 December 2003 12:58 (twenty-two years ago)

Speak for your own Xmas cards!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 12:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I couldn't give a bauble about Christmas cards *unlesh* you actually take the time to make them yourself, or have spent time and care to track me down the most nasty, poor taste high kitsch gaudy glitter-fest and fluffy santa red nose piece of shit on the planet. Anything else is just dull I'm afraid and mostly I don't bother. I also know that no matter how lethargic and idle I am about the whole cherade, there are a few people out there who will always send me a card (yeah, thanks Mum).

However - this year I will be making my own badgers to send out to a select and merry few. The best bit is that not only do people appreciate the care and thought, but the cards themselves will be worth a few bob in ten years. Everybody wins.

― Alex K (Alex K), Monday, 15 December 2003 12:59 (twenty-two years ago)

My cards were charity cards & in that case I think they're ok.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 13:01 (twenty-two years ago)

I suppose in some ways, cards to family are a way of keeping touch with a big, extended family like HSA has. Though it did provide some comedy moments of him ringing his mum to ask what his cousins' names were, because I had actually remember them through meeting them once, and he had forgotten, despite knowing them all is life.

― HRH Queen Kate (kate), Monday, 15 December 2003 13:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I haven't sent Christmas cards to my friends for a few years, nor have I received them. They're still my friends though. I would rather spend money on phoning them through the year, or on going to the pub with them.

I have spent half of this morning writing cards to various faceless aunts and uncles of my husband, as they seem to send us cards every year despite the fact they would probably walk past me in the street without recognising me. If it were up to me, I wouldn't bother sending cards at all, but it's "the done thing" and I can't be arsed explaining that I think it's a load of old shit and a waste of money as they would probably just think me rude and it's not worth the hassle. The cards are on behalf and me and mr ailsa anyway, and he likes Christmas a lot more than I do, and doesn't think it silly and a waste of money.

My family have never really done presents or cards since my wee brother and I left school.

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 15 December 2003 13:04 (twenty-two years ago)

My cards aren't sent at the cost of visits/phone calls. I just think it's the sentiment that applies here. (well to my reasons for sending cards anyway.) That said, I am just really big on personal cards. I like receiving them & sending them, they are special.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 13:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Hey, cool your jets, I never suggested that your, or anyone else's, cards were sent at the expense of phone calls and visits, just that I have much better things to spend my money on than expressing alreadly-known sentiments to line the pocket of Mr Hallmark or whoever. I don't wish my friends any more happiness at Christmas than I do at any other time of the year, and I certainly don't need to give any big old corporate company any money in case they doubt it.

Bah humbug etc etc

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 15 December 2003 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh sorry, that wasn't meant as a stroppy remark Ailsa, far from it! :-) The whole 'at the expense of mr hallmark' is why i buy charity cards.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 13:24 (twenty-two years ago)

About two years ago I decided not to send any because they were a waste of time and meant nothing.

And i felt like an absolute churl and heel. I write nice little personal messages, and enjoy popping them in the postbox and am doing some now (just bought a couple of presents on a whim for a few I don't see very often on Amazon and hope they enjoy them). So yes, put a little love in your heart.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 15 December 2003 13:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Charity cards in rip-off shockah!

If I were nice, I would give my card money directly to charity rather than to a telecommunications company or my local publican or whoever. But I'm not (well, I am, but I'm no saint).

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 15 December 2003 13:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Ha ha, I also didn't mention the other half of why I was laughing at HSA sending Xmas cards - because HSA is an atheist and a committed anti-Christian organised-religion-hatah, sending CHRISTMAS CARDS that he bought FROM A CHURCH!!!

OK, granted, they were secular Xmas cards with pictures of Father Christmas and A CAT (the main reason he got them was for the cat, he said) - though that in itself would make my mother's hair curl, she hates secular Christmas Cards like she hates secular Christmas anythin, I mean, she's not exactly a "Jesus is the reason for the season" nazi, but I can see her point.

Anyway, where we were? Ah yes. Random notes of love and goodwill from your friends are classic! I guess I kinda wish that you could/should do it all year round, rather than just at one festival already loaded with other connotations.

― HRH Queen Kate (kate), Monday, 15 December 2003 13:39 (twenty-two years ago)

i did a few this year-- mostly to aunts/uncles/cousins/grandparents that i saw on the road trip that i don't normally see. i included pics where i could. i also feel HSA's pain, because i couldn't remember my new baby cousin's name. ended up putting 'and kids' on the envelope, which kinda sucks.

i love getting them. but it's really expensive to send them to my friends in the states, and i see all my friends here regularly.

― colette (a2lette), Monday, 15 December 2003 13:43 (twenty-two years ago)

I would rather some of the money go to the charity than none at all. With this particular charity I donate to them every month anyway.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 13:47 (twenty-two years ago)

It smuch better getting scummy cheap cards from Superdrug and then donating the £400 you would have spent if you had bought them from Paperchase to charity.

For special people I make my own. Crayola a go go.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 15 December 2003 14:03 (twenty-two years ago)

Well if I'm gonna get some anyway then surely it's better to get the charity ones?!! Anyway, i really don't think this thread is about me choosing to buy charity cards.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 14:08 (twenty-two years ago)

This is the biggest difference marriage has made to me so far - I have never sent them and never cared about getting them, Isabel was horrified by this so yesterday I got to work on them for the first time in about 15 years.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Monday, 15 December 2003 14:11 (twenty-two years ago)

From my experience, it is definitely a more 'female' thing to do.

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 14:12 (twenty-two years ago)

So I guess HSA is the girl in our relationship. ;-)

― HRH Queen Kate (kate), Monday, 15 December 2003 14:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Undoubtedly!! ;-)

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 14:14 (twenty-two years ago)

I find this relentless gender stereotyping offensive.

Not that I wouldn't like to be a girl.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 15 December 2003 14:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I wasn't, I was just saying that in my experience that was the case. It wasn't a general observation! Jeez! I hate this thread!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 14:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Aww, you hate my thread? I'm going to cry.

Don't hate this thread. It was your beautiful card that made me start this thread!

― HRH Queen Kate (kate), Monday, 15 December 2003 14:32 (twenty-two years ago)

I did like it, but well you know! ;-)

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 14:33 (twenty-two years ago)

dud man, just dud. Still in my drawer here are unopened cards from last year.

― chris (chris), Monday, 15 December 2003 14:35 (twenty-two years ago)

It goes without saying that mr ailsa is the girl in our relationship as he knows nothing about football and believes Christmas cards are a good thing. We turn stereotypes on their head in our house. Hurrah for us! (er, not really, before people get their pants in a pickle about it).

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Ha ha Tom -- me too: ie. first time of living with someone and christmas cards are now compulsory!

― alext (alext), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Perhaps it's a "Couple" thing. One of those weird, inexorable things you find yourself compelled to do when you mate, regardless of your gender. You know, like strolling through Islington on a Sunday afternoon and being generally condescending to single people. ;-)

― HRH Queen Kate (kate), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:06 (twenty-two years ago)

COMPLETELY DUD as we have to write about 200 hundred (without counting the gazillion of Xmas cards for Japanese bizniz relatives) for our shop. A.R.G.H.

― nathalie (nathalie), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:07 (twenty-two years ago)

I half-heartedly tried to argue the point but no, no debate allowed, and certainly no sneaking off to the playstation allowed either. The occasional splutter of "WHO???!!!" as yet another relative is unearthed is all the independence I get.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:09 (twenty-two years ago)

My boy is very lucky & never has to buy cards of any description (unless they are for me) he even gets his name written if he's lucky. Him playing on the playstation is compulsory when I am writing Xmas cards!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:10 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't think Vicky's done any yet either, cool.

― chris (chris), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:20 (twenty-two years ago)

I think I was supposed to finish mine today, but I am still revising my fuXoring CV.

― alext (alext), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Perhaps this goes to show how as a singleton I am self sufficient.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:24 (twenty-two years ago)

humbug. dud dud dud.

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:25 (twenty-two years ago)

*takes teeny's card out of the pile*

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:26 (twenty-two years ago)

aw! Pink you have changed my mind!

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

haha! ;-)

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:27 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.shannonsartroom.com/images/christmas%20card.jpg

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:28 (twenty-two years ago)

There are actually ppl on ilx that I'd like to send a card to, but I don't know their addresses or even their real names in some cases!! It seems pretty dud to email someone to ask for it.

x-post

Hooray!

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:29 (twenty-two years ago)

that's actually the most disturbing baby jesus ever I think.

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:30 (twenty-two years ago)

and I'm already pretty disturbed by baby jesus.

― teeny (teeny), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:30 (twenty-two years ago)

*nods*

― Pinkpanther (Pinkpanther), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:30 (twenty-two years ago)

That's a very unanatomical baby Jesus. Or maybe he's a diety, he needs those enourmous arms to fly or something.

― HRH Queen Kate (kate), Monday, 15 December 2003 16:34 (twenty-two years ago)

Maybe his legs were bit off by the donkey.

― Pete (Pete), Monday, 15 December 2003 17:07 (twenty-two years ago)

More evidence for the Christmas cards are for couples theory: only two Christmas cards from folk at work so far, and they're from two of the three departmental couples (ie both partners have or do worked in the dept).

― alext (alext), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 11:42 (twenty-two years ago)

We haven't actually received a single card yet! Probably because nobody knows our address, still I feel I am being suckered somehow in sending 60 and getting zero.

― Tico Tico (Tico Tico), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 11:47 (twenty-two years ago)

I try to send out at least a handful of Christmas cards every year. I tend to send them to people that I really should be writing letters to anyway. I never just sign my name. I always write them a note inside catching them up on my own life and inquiring into theirs. I tend to only send them to family when they aren't all converging on Virgina for Christmas anyway. Also, sometimes I like to include an up to date photo for folks I haven't seen in years.

I REALLY love getting Christmas cards, as I do any sort of personal correspondance. So far I've only gotten one from my boss. :-(

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 14:17 (twenty-two years ago)

I haven't sent mine out yet, a lot of stressful events have come up. It seems like doing every little thing, like even writing out cards, is requiring a lot of effort this year.

― El Diablo Robotico (Nicole), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 15:18 (twenty-two years ago)

i was going to do this, but monies are a bit tight, and its almost too late.

i feel sad.

― anthony easton (anthony), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 15:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I am a sucker for commercial christmas cards, but they must have a cat on them somewhere.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Tuesday, 16 December 2003 15:32 (twenty-two years ago)

six years pass...

In the US, do you have boxes of Christmas cards you can buy with some of the cost going to charity? I've seen tons of cards for sale but no charity ones. In the UK I used to just go into Oxfam and they'd have loads, but even the commercial card shops had them (although the Guardian's just done an article about how low the %age is that goes to the charities). I got some from Paperchase one year so maybe they have them?

― Not the real Village People, Tuesday, 16 November 2010 00:19 (fifteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

anyone?

― Not the real Village People, Tuesday, 30 November 2010 01:32 (fifteen years ago)

try googling for xmas cards by unicef. i am pretty certain these exist.

― Aimless, Tuesday, 30 November 2010 01:38 (fifteen years ago)

Cheers. It seems I can get Unicef ones in Pier 1 (not the first place I would've looked for xmas cards...)
Still haven't noticed any charity cards in any normal card shops.

― Not the real Village People, Tuesday, 30 November 2010 01:44 (fifteen years ago)

obviously, Americans are scum who only pay lip service to the "Christmas spirit"... did you think anything different?

― Ignore Me! (Viceroy), Tuesday, 30 November 2010 02:03 (fifteen years ago)

waste of time/paper/etc

― rouxymuzak (nakhchivan), Tuesday, 30 November 2010 02:18 (fifteen years ago)

six years pass...

Am strangely ambivalent about most of Christmas but love writing Christmas cards.

None of that "Merry Xmas from djh" but a letter in each one (and an alcohol ratio of bottle of red per card).

Anyway, any recommendations?

I'm fond of these Edwyn Collins ones (though they aren't new for this year):

http://www.aedrecords.com/collections/art

― djh, Monday, 25 September 2017 23:12 (eight years ago)

one year passes...

It's time of year to ponder the above again.

― djh, Saturday, 13 October 2018 11:10 (seven years ago)

https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/creepy-victorian-vintage-christmas-cards-6-584aa9c7482cb__700.jpg

https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/creepy-victorian-vintage-christmas-cards-29-584ab65010e48__700.jpg

It's the Victorian era cards that capture the true spirit of Christmas.

― calzino, Saturday, 13 October 2018 11:50 (seven years ago)

https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/creepy-victorian-vintage-christmas-cards-5-584aa6eb99cd2__700.jpg

― calzino, Saturday, 13 October 2018 11:52 (seven years ago)

https://www.digitiser2000.com/uploads/4/0/6/6/40667199/4569282_orig.jpg

https://www.digitiser2000.com/uploads/4/0/6/6/40667199/6500085_orig.jpg

https://www.digitiser2000.com/uploads/4/0/6/6/40667199/773641_orig.jpg

― calzino, Saturday, 13 October 2018 12:06 (seven years ago)

I'd buy them!

Where are they archived?

― djh, Saturday, 13 October 2018 18:47 (seven years ago)

just GIS Victorian Christmas Cards, it's mainly all the same ones on lots of different lists. An auntie of mine who is an artist of sorts used to tippex over the writing on xmas cards sent to her and send them back to you with similarly glib greetings. Many years ago I used to think that was quite odd, but I later learned that it was very good!

― calzino, Saturday, 13 October 2018 20:33 (seven years ago)

Fucking hell my life is useless

― Herb Achelors (NickB), Saturday, 13 October 2018 22:02 (seven years ago)

I knew I had seen this stuff before - I just couldn't remember where.

― calzino, Saturday, 13 October 2018 22:11 (seven years ago)

three years pass...

So ... seen any good cards for this year?

― djh, Wednesday, 12 October 2022 20:50 (three years ago)

two years pass...

Oh dear. I just appeared on this thread to ask the same question ...

― djh, Monday, 4 November 2024 22:38 (one year ago)

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