Do you send Christmas (or other) holiday greeting cards via snail mail? It seems to be a dying tradition.

What kind of cards do you send? Store bought or hand-crafted?

Do you include family photos? handwritten letters? form letters? Speaking of which, what do you think of holiday newsletters?

cj/

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I haven't sent them in a long time. That being said, it still doesn't stop me from buying them at 90% off and putting them away for "next year" LOL

I am in a card exchange on another board, so this year I will actually be sending some out.

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We always send cards and letters out through the mail. This year though we did a photo card so we are not sending a letter. Some people will just get a reg. card. I send out about 30 total.

Strangely enough, I think it depends on where you are with the ages/stages of your kids.

If you still have little kids (we do), then everyone and their neighbor sends you photocards of their kids by the tree, or the fireplace, or by Santa at the mall. So we feel the need to reciprocate.

I initially 'only' sent out 100 cards last year, thinking that was enough for family and friends, but at least 10 new families sent us cards (never had sent to us before), so I had to get more. Virtually every card we get is a photo card of the kids (or of the kids with the parents, or, from childless families, of the dogs).

On the other hand, I assume that once everyone's kids in our circles stop cooperating, and decide they don' t want to sit on Santa's lap for the annual picture at 15 years old, then the list will certainly dwindle. I figure we'll have cut the list by more than half in another 7 or 8 years...

Regarding newsletters (not personalized ones - the ones that a family composes, and makes 50 copies of...) - I actually enjoy reading them, but I have never send one, since it seems that most people ridicule the newsletter-senders. I think many of the newsletters take on an air of bragging about each member's accomplishments that year. Perhaps that's why they have gotten the reputation they have...but I truly enjoy reading them. Some letters are well done and even funny!

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Nope, haven't sent Christmas cards for over 20 years.

At my office, I got everyone to agree to not exchange cards and we made a very, very nice donation every year to the Salvation Army instead.

While I understand that people are free to do whatever they want with their money, I can't help but imagine how many people could be helped if everybody stopped sending cards and used all that money to help others.

I seriously have never understood why people send cards in the first place. I know some people say it's to keep in touch. But how does opening a card from your Aunt Tillie in Florida help you "keep in touch"? You open the card, read who it's from and -- then what? Do you stand there and think about Aunt Tillie for 20 minutes? How is that "keeping in touch":? Wouldn't a phone to Aunt Tillie mean a whole lot more to her?

I guess this is such a big deal to me because I know people who will spend $2 - $3 EACH for Christmas cards (plus the $.42 stamp!) but "can't afford" to give to Toys for Tots. I think that is just awful

We do the photo cards too- almost every year for 16 years. The past five years or so, as the kids get older, instead of taking the traditional Christmas picture in front of the tree or the mantel, we have been using a picture of the kids taken in the past year on vacation. One year we sent out the kids standing in front of the wintery Narnia exhibit in Disney. Last year we sent out a picture of the kids in Wash DC. Another year of the kids at sunset at our favorite beach. This year we will be using one of the NYC pics. The main advantage is the pic is ready to go, just upload to a site and print. We send 30- 40.

To each their own, I guess. I have personally sorted and distributed Toys for Tots and I'm not convinced that the need is as profound as one might think. I've seen agency employees and volunteers selecting the best toys for themselves, for example.

I view using the US postal service to send packages and letters as keeping a veteran (oftentimes) employed. Not a bad cause in my book. I also look forward to gettting cards and letters from friends and family both near and far as I'm not a phone talker.

That said, I seem to send less and less each year....and didn't get around to it last year, but hey, we had a new design in the lab and were truly busy working long, long hours. I also buy them up at 90% off just like Toonces - more than I could ever send. But I send them to the troops in the fall so that they can "keep in touch" from faraway places.

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

I agree with cjs216 - I've heard too many stories of Toys for Tots volunteers taking toys for themselves, so I don't do that anymore. I give to the animal shelters where I got my cats instead.

If I send a card, I include a short letter at least. I think it's a waste to just send a card with a signature.

I have to admit, I love getting the newsletters, but some of them are such brag-rags that I can't help but laugh and ridicule them.

I send out Christmas cards to family and close friends. If you buy them post-holiday, you can get them for very little, even though there is still the price of postage. I don't send out a newsletter since I keep in touch with people throughout the year via email and phone calls, although I don't mind getting them; they are usually short. They do tend to sound like bragging, but I guess if just the highlights of the past year are listed, that will happen. I do like to get a Christmas picture of the kids. We live in a different state than everyone else, so we don't get to see them very often. (Even though we share pics during the year.)

We always have sent Christmas cards. I like sending and receiving them.

I buy my cards , no hand crafting them here. We do receive some very nice hand made ones.
We get some with pictures and I always enjoy them.

I write notes in almost all of the cards that I send.
I always included the updates on our sons health, because everyone wanted to know how he was doing.
Sad to say that is over now. This will be a very hard year for our family without him.

I even like the Christmas letters that we get.
Some are newsy and some just bragging,LOL
The bragging ones are often SO braggy that they are funny.

Shirley

I send out photo cards every year. We used to send out about 50 and now it's down to 25. I do it mostly for the far away extended family we never see anymore but who want to see pics of my kids. Plus, I like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas I don't do a newsletter. I don't care for them. Anyone I care enough to send a card too should know what's going on in my life and if they don't, they don't need to know. I feel summing up your year in a letter for a card is tacky. It says "I didn't care to call and/or write to you during the year so here it goes...." A few handwritten words inside are nice as well as a signature. I hate computer printed names on the card only. Ours have our names but then we handwrite them underneath.

I think the tradition of cards is dying though. We used to get maybe 20 or so sent to us 10 years ago but now, we get about 10 and most of those are from relatives over 60. I don't send to receive so it doesn't bother me although I miss seeing cards in the mailbox almost daily up until Christmas. It's such a nice change from bills and junk

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Yes CJ I LOVE to send out cards at Holiday time. I love everything from selecting the cards (Borders, great prices and a large variety of wonderful cards I think B2G1F) I need religious as well as general Holiday and Winter greetings.
I love to write something different and personal in each card. I love to put that Christmas confetti in all kinds of festive shapes into the card and I love to pick each stamp for the recipient.
For me it is a connection of love and nostalgia sending a personal message and wishes for joy and happiness to someone I may have not seen and talked for a while.

And I am like GrannyShirl I totally enjoy reading the newsletters and other updates from other people no matter how comical, self serving, or utterly ridiculous some of them may be.

Tis the season!

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I send out photo cards every year. We used to send out about 50 and now it's down to 25. I do it mostly for the far away extended family we never see anymore but who want to see pics of my kids. Plus, I like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas I don't do a newsletter. I don't care for them. Anyone I care enough to send a card too should know what's going on in my life and if they don't, they don't need to know. I feel summing up your year in a letter for a card is tacky. It says "I didn't care to call and/or write to you during the year so here it goes...." A few handwritten words inside are nice as well as a signature. I hate computer printed names on the card only. Ours have our names but then we handwrite them underneath.

I think the tradition of cards is dying though. We used to get maybe 20 or so sent to us 10 years ago but now, we get about 10 and most of those are from relatives over 60. I don't send to receive so it doesn't bother me although I miss seeing cards in the mailbox almost daily up until Christmas. It's such a nice change from bills and junk

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Maybe we need a separate Toys for Tots thread. Call me Scrooge, but I don't give to Toys for Tots or any Angel Trees anymore. I have worked for both WIC and Head Start and have seen so much abuse that I could write a book. Instead of giving blindly, I choose who/what I contribute to. I give a lot to the local abuse shelter, and families that I personally know. One year, I helped a coworker pick up her Toys for Tots gifts. She had 2 huge garbage bags stuffed full for each child. One bag full was more than I could afford for my own kids, and she was still picking things up from the Salvation Army and a church or two. Ugh. Really discouraging.

Anyway...about the cards. I send out 65-70 every year. I usually make my own. Sometimes it's a really, really short newsy type letter. The last couple of years I've made fun crosswords/word searches on puzzlemaker. Like annadrose, I love all the confetti! The last few years, I've also made some cute seed packets and included pretty flower seeds that I've gathered from my yard.

we do always have and always will. I have been sending out pictures of my kids and our shelties since they were infants and will continue to do.I love getting cards back to see how grown other family members of friends familes have changes from one year to the next. We now have 3 shelties and over the years all the dear shelties we have had are always included in the picture. Every now and then we send a full family christmas card, so people can see how much me and my dh have changed. This year I am sending the family portrait of all of us from my dd;s Caitlin;s sweet 16 party picture. We have done the pictures from cvs all these years and also we do a mix of color and then black and white which i love the most. Black and white look so beautiful and classy. Since my dh has a family business and knows alot of people. We sent out about 150 cards on a average..We also on christmas day give out special cards to each other and to our close family members.. Peace.. Catherine

I also send out photo cards each year. I just took the picture on Thanksgiving and my kids who are now 11, 13, and 21 gave me a very, very hard time. The oldest had not been in the picture for 3 or 4 years but I got him this time. I send out about 50 cards or more if one of my boards do an exchange. I love getting Christmas cards, and my favorite are the photo cards. I love seeing the kids change, and the last few years my elderly relatives have started sending them too. I think I like theirs the best. I also really like getting the newsletters. I usually do one but don't know if I will this year.

What do you do with the photo cards you receive after Christmas? I feel so guilty tossing them but I really don't have a need to hold on to them either. I still send out cards to family and friends, I am sure I will always do it, just part of the whole Christmas tradition for my family.

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I send out about 70 cards/pictures. We live far away from family so it's a nice way for them to see how much the boys have changed. I love getting cards in the mail. It's such a nice change from junk mail. I don't mind the newsletters, but don't care if I don't get any.
I keep the pictures on my fridge until I get the new ones. This year I'm making a board for my laundry room to keep them on. My fridge is getting to small for all the pictures.
Judy

If they have photos with them, I keep the photos (or cut them off the card). If they are just cards, I don't keep them beyond the holiday season. I hate clutter

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ROFL! No but I do think about her when I sit down and I appreciate that she took the time to get dressed and go to the post office to mail her Christmas card to me. She's elderly and a trip to the post office is a full fledged event for her. I also know that she *chose* this card to send this year (another *event*) and that she chose it because thought the image was lovely. I like the note she wrote on the card, I like everything about the process because I know the tradition is important to her. She also gets a phone call but I like receiving the beautiful Christmas card and the written declaration of how much she loves me. Phone calls are nice but I treasure my relatives letters and cards because it's easy to pick up a phone; letters and cards are more personal and the person spent money and effort sending them. I appreciate it and I'm glad that my family are fans of the 'art' of letter writing.

Why? Do you think that if people stop sending Christmas cards that Toys For Tots will see a huge donation bonanza? My Christmas cards don't affect my charitable donations and couldn't the same be said for anything we buy? If people stopped buying chewing gum, couldn't they too give more money to Toys For Tots? And what about people giving up cigarettes and alchohol? Just think of all the millions that Toys R Tots could rake in if all that money went into their coffers instead!

Charity is what people want to give and Toys For Tots won't be the lucky recipient either way. Even if people stop buying these things, they won't give the money to Toys For Tots. They'll just spend it on something else or pick another charity. I can afford to donate to charity and I do but not to Toys For Tots. I know the abuse that goes on (I've seen it firsthand} and I also know that many of their 'underpriviledged' recipients aren't underpriviledged at all.

So whether I send 0 cards or 500 cards, it won't affect Toys For Tots.

I love sending out cards. I also send a few letters to the ones I dont see and update them. I love getting cards and the letters. I too look forward to seeing them in the mail. I will always send out cards as long as I can address them. I like people to know I am thinking of them. I also like to donate to the animal rescue leage. nancy

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Kellyjef. i think it is kinda sad on your part, that you feel its awful that people whom choose to spend money on special cards for relatives plus the postage to mail to certain family members.If people want to spend "their money" that way, its their business, and to claim they are awful is not very nice at all. I also take personal pride in picking out special cards for special members of my family. Now as far as saving cards, I save alot of them, not all, however I do save the special ones. In my china cabinet in my dining room. I have 3 special pictures, one is my wedding, one is my parents wedding picture and the other is my in laws wedding picture. In back of those pictures are the the card my parents and in laws gave to us on our wedding day, on either side of my wedding picture is the cards that me and my dh exchanged the day we got married. I also have besides those cards and pictures the cards that came from my brothers and from my husbands family. I know this is off topic, but to some people cards are truly very special. Now I do donate some toys in school, however with all the donations I personally have made to my local aids hospice homes, I have nothing to feel "awful" about when I am mailing out my christmas cards. Its a personal choice and people should not be made to feel bad about doing so or wasting money on it either...Peace.. Catherine

I don't understand exchanging cards with family or friends that I see regularly. I can say Merry Christmas to these people in person. I do send cards to out of town friends and family and to those people that I don't see very often. My church has members that do a Christmas card hand out in church. I really don't understand that because I see these people 2-3 times a week.

Most holiday cards that are folded can be recycled by cutting off the front picture part of the card and putting away till next Christmas. Just tack down on presents as name tags for boxes that will fit them!

We still send out holiday cards, but just put pics of the kids inside them for the people who we don't get to see often. We receive probably 4 newsletters each year....and they are always pretentious, bragging, ANNOYING beyond belief. Hate, Hate, Hate them and would never ever send one myself. If I have news to share, I would do it in a more personal manner, and not just regurgitate it out there at the end of the year in such a braggodocio way

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I truly enjoy sending out my Christmas cards, and look forward to recieiving them. I think it's nice that people that I haven't actually seen for years still takes the time out to remember me, and send my family a card.

I have always made the photo cards, now I just do them of the children. I don't care what type people choose to send me, I just enjoy getting them and knowing they had thought about me.

I have being charitable down to an art, and sending cards is another part of a giving nature, I think.

I really look forwrad to opening up my mailbox everyday and hoping to see a card!! I guess I should also add that I send out Easter, birthday, Halloween and Thanksgiving cards out also. I love traditions!!

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For about 10 years we did a Christmas card and a letter. We did a letter because we lived away from most of our relatives so it keep them up to date when computers and long distance calls were expensive. Then for a couple of years we did not send out cards. Now we send a picture cards even though we don't have young children.

Don't you dare twist my words!!!

I NEVER said people were awful for sending cards. What I said was that I thought it was awful that people claim that they "can't afford" to give to Toys for Tots YET they "can afford" to spend $2-$3 EACH for Christmas cards. They would be more honest if they just said "I prefer to buy Christmas cards instead of giving to Toys for Tots". But don't say that you 'can't afford" to give to Toys for Tots. Can I make myself any clearer??

And I also said that I understand that people can spend their money however they choose -- did you also miss that part of my post. Geez.

And I also understand that some people don't like Toys for Tots -- I simply chose that as an example. Giving (especially to children) is the very essence of Christmas.

Obviously, most people send Christmas cards AND give generously to help others. My issue is only with those people who are more interested in impressing their friends/family with their expensive Christmas cards than helping others.

We purchased picture cards of us on our honeymoon from Vista Print. We will be sending them to all who came to the wedding and those who did not get a chance to come.

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I cut the cover off and will crop and use the photos on cards that I make. Say there is a snowman on the front of the card. I will cut it out and use it on a card I will make.

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Also kellyjeft you again stated that people are spending money are expensive cards to impress their family members, how do you know this, again its there choice to spend whatever anyone chooses to spend on special christmas cards... Catherine

Kellyjef, I am not twisting your words around at all. You know exactly what you said you think its awful that people can spend 2-3-per card then the postage but yet cannot afford the money to send to a donation for toys for tots, and you found these awful, those were your words. How can you state its awful and then tell me you do not care what people spend. Whatever you know what you were saying when you made that post..Catherine

Seems we send more and more each year! I love sending them. This year we sent out 68.

We don't do the Christmas letters, just a nice simple sentiment to each person we send to.

Wow, breggae - not only do you send alot but your post implies that you're already done!! I am impressed (and jealous)!

cj/

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Yeap CJ! I sent them all out Wednesday!

You can't possibly actually be so dense

I give up trying to decipher your writing: it's way too tiresome to try to follow your thought process. People try to explain things to you over and over and over and you just don't get it.

I LOVE to get cards and letters. I look forward to photo cards. I send out photo cards that we get at Sam's. Last year was the first year I ever wrote a letter. I will do that again this year. I save all of my cards and letters and each year I like to look at them. Some years it is sad since people have died or divorced but it is great to see throughout the years how children grow. Our pastor saves all the photo cards and has them in his office and chooses one each day, places it on his computers and prays over it all day.

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Kellyjef, do not try to get out of this, you said what you said, You think is awful for people to spend 2-3- per card then postage rather then give money for toys for tots. Kellyjef, its none of your business what people choose to do with their money. For the record your that dense to make a comment like that, perhaps you choose not to send your family members cards and thats your business.To me I simply love sending christmas cards to family and friends. On a final note what part of this message can you not understand, and before you go further, do not even mention grammar, its sooooo over played and out dated...Catherine

We send out Cards and I include a family letter that touches on the years accomplishments or drama LOL. To family I have a newsletter to update on how the Genealogy Research is going and include interesting tidbits I have found and ask for stories and help with documents and costs with the research. I always include a School Photo if DS but this year I did not buy school pictures because they were too expensive so am sending a photo from our trip in June to Va Beach of him that I just love plus a photo of us with my Mom in August to family members and close friends who know my mom. I will probably work on it all tomorrow since its the only semi-free day I have between now and Christmas. If DS had it his way we would send photos of the new kitties to everyone but I don't plan on doing that, I think this year will only be about 30-40 cards in past years I have sent out over 100 cards I figured if you dont get one back from someone for several years I am not going to spend the money anymore.

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Shhhhhhhhhhh...........

I'm honestly avoiding bringing it up in this house. LOL. My husband is ALWAYS more into the season then I am. He's the one who got the tree up and he is usually the one who forces the issue with cards and then I get stuck doing it. Shhhh... I'm being very quiet so that he doesn't remember that we (meaning *I*) haven't done cards yet.

I'm feeling Scroogey...

Good grammar never goes out of style. Good language, grammar, and writing skills have been prized thoughout history in every civilized country and culture. Not possessing those skills close many doors for those unable or unwilling to learn them. There are many things that come and go but good grammar isn't a fad and doesn't become "outdated".

cougarskies, we are in the Christmas Season, right now, did you know, also to mention my grammar once again, its so petty and so trival at this time and for the future. Give it a rest, truly if it bothers you that much, do not read my posts. Concentrate on more important things in life and realize how fortunate you are..Catherine

Catherine -

C'mon now. You don't and can't make the rules for the board; you can't bring up things (like the grammar subject brought up by *you*) and then not expect or allow people to respond. It just doesn't work that way.

cj/

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I was walking home one night and a guy hammering on a roof called me a paranoid little weirdo. In morse code. -Emo Phillips

c/ I never said I can make up any rules of the boards.However its a plain fact I am sick and tired of hearing or reading posts about my grammar.If my grammar is so horrible and some say it is, then why not skip over it , rather then keep harping and commenting on it..Thats all.Catherine

I am considering doing a XMAS letter this year, and possibly adding a few pictures to it. I like receiving them to catch up with people that I don't chat with often.

This year we are doing the family picture cards.

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When my kids were little I sent a Christmas "family information" letter every year with either a picture or a drawing made by one of the kids. It was fun and I love having those letters now to reread. But my kids are grown and so for the past 10 years or so I have not sent out any notes or cards.

BUT --- everyone please keep sending out those cards! My dh works for the Post Office and you keep him in business! lol!

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Good grammar never goes out of style. Good language, grammar, and writing skills have been prized thoughout history in every civilized country and culture. Not possessing those skills close many doors for those unable or unwilling to learn them. There are many things that come and go but good grammar isn't a fad and doesn't become "outdated".

I didn't comment on your grammar. I only commented on your statement that good grammar is "over played and out dated". You can post any illiterate hogwash you want to but don't delude yourself into thinking that good grammar is trivial and outdated. You might have convinced yourself that illiteracy is 'modern' and cool but nobody else will believe it. They won't believe it because it isn't so.

Cougarskies, hogwash, what type of grammar is that. Enough said, if you like the way I write or you do not. I am fine with it. End of story

Your sentence makes no sense but then, I never know what you're talking about. Just because you have an extremely limited vocabulary, it doesn't mean that the rest of us are guilty of bad grammar when we use the words you don't know.

In addition to the word 'unethical', it now appears that you are also unfamilar with the word 'hogwash'. I hope you get a dictionary for Christmas!

Dictionary: hogwash (hôg'wôsh', -wŏsh, hŏg'-)

(1) Worthless, false, or ridiculous speech or writing; nonsense.

(2) Garbage fed to hogs; swill.

cougarskies I know what the word "hogwash" stands for, what I should have said was you could have used a better word to describe what you were trying to say. Also I find it very offensive to say I have limited vocabulary , that is rude. But I do not have to prove myself to you or anyone else on these boards.I still cannot believe that some of your posters still after all these posts, still feel the need to comment on my grammar.It ends here. Like it or leave it..... A guess your another person who lives in a glass house..... Catherine

You know what I do with old Christmas cards? I save them until the next year I cut the front off (save them first so you don't "give them back" to the same person you got them from) then tape them to plain paper shopping bags (of course better with handles you can make out of ribbon) and voila you have gift bags or for big ones you can put a lot of gifts in to deliver to a child or a whole family.
I love the fun of doing this and I love people oohing and aahhing over them it's a great idea!

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