Comments on: Some Thoughts about Holiday Cards

By: Kris

Kris — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 06:12:24 +0000

Adding another vote for family newsletters. I’m disppointed to receive cards that don’t have real news in them – it seems like a waste of paper and postage!

By: AnnJo

AnnJo — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:54:00 +0000

Reading the comments from people who find some of the cards they receive annoying or tacky or inadequate because they lack artwork or handwritten notes, I don’t feel so guilty about not sending any at all.

Although I confess I do enjoy the couple of family newsletters I receive from relatives I rarely hear from otherwise, but for whom I still have fond feelings.

By: Kate

Kate — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 07:20:50 +0000

Am I right in assuming these computer-made cards are without artwork? The one thing I love about holiday cards is the artwork on some of them. If I’m just sending words, I’ll send a letter.

By: PawPrint

PawPrint — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 16:10:35 +0000

Why does the family newsletter have to be considered bragging? I just send out information on what we’ve been up to during the year to relatives and a few friends. Many aren’t on Facebook, and we don’t really post that much about what’s going on because Facebook is too public. I also like receiving newsletters from others. One of our friends sends a card every year with a photo of his family standing in front of a landmark in a place they’ve visited. That’s all. No information on the trip, nothing about what’s been happening during the year, just the photo in a nice card and a printed signature. Frankly, I find that annoying.

By: Gretchen

Gretchen — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 13:28:39 +0000

I also like the newsletter, but we only get one and it’s well written (not braggy).

We do postcards, which cuts down on postage. I do send because I like getting them and it’s not like I know thousands of people. I think it’s like 25 cards total.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 12:52:47 +0000

I like the family newsletter. I know I’m in the minority, but I really do. We’re military so we move around a lot, and I like hearing what my friends are up to. Even with facebook, it’s not like they post everything that happens to them, I like to hear about the things they didn’t share.

By: kristine

kristine — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 12:34:54 +0000

deRuiter- I agree. And the handwritten note is essential. If I get a business holiday card that is not at least hand-signed by my rep, (or amazingly gorgeous to compensate for the impersonal touch), I toss it, and make note of the tackiness. However, socially, I do not send cards. My only experience with it is how people who do send them seem so stressed out and short on time around the holidays. I can’t imagine why they put themselves through that, unless they really like it. I’d rather my friends sit back, eat a cookie, have some nog, and call me around the new year, fat and happy from feasting. Or I will call them! But these days, cards may be the only thing keeping the post office afloat!

By: deRuiter

deRuiter — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 10:42:56 +0000

People notice and they enjoy that others remember or think of them, in this era of the self centered, it is flattering to get a card. Additionally, if you are in business, cards are an invaluable tool for keeping you and your product in the consumer’s mind in a nice, non commercial way. “Oh look, here;s a nice card from that nice man / woman who sold us the ….” I like Christmas cards, and e cards aren’t the same, they mean the person was too busy to send a real card.

By: Availle

Availle — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 09:08:12 +0000

I positively loathe writing Christmas cards. When I was a child, my grandmother made me write to all acquaintances and family and people you just “have to write to”. All during a single Sunday afternoon. Why me? Well, I had such nice handwriting… Most of the people I only knew from hearsay, and I had to use a type of formulaic, archaic language she thought was appropriate. I hated it.

Now that I moved out, she resorts to phonecalls. Quick, easy, no clutter – and I’m not involved!

These days I send Christmas cards only to people who are very close to me, about 15 altogether. Of course all cards are personalized and handwritten, but only one of my friends gets a handmade one every year, as she claims she likes them so much she displays them around her house.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 04:58:42 +0000

Email has deeply cut into Christmas cards. Facebook has made them pretty much a relic.

By: moom

moom — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 04:47:45 +0000

I don’t think a newsletter has to be about bragging, but I’m not surprised that Trent thinks so… But in the Facebook era there is less need.

By: moom

moom — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 04:46:30 +0000

Yes, the only cards I send are to people like my mother on her birthday.

By: Fawn

Fawn — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 04:23:19 +0000

Yeah, well, things change.

I send “Holiday Greeting Cards” only to people who send them to me first, and would be hurt if I did not respond. Now it is about 10/year. I used to send out 250+ hand made (I was an art student) w/personal note…yada, yada, yada.

I find this custom extremely wasteful…though I will humor my 80 year old aunt…the rest of you need to move on.

By: valleycat1

valleycat1 — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 21:48:54 +0000

I moved halfway across the country a number of years ago – so most of my holiday cards go to and come from people from that earlier period of my life. Or to other family members & friends who don’t live nearby. We don’t send cards to many of the people we are in contact with often – as they usually get gifts or more personal greetings (a letter or phone call). Often we end up sending new years greetings, since neither of us are Christian.

Also, comparing notes as to who hasn’t sent me a card but did send one to someone I know – really? Do other people actually check through their friends’ & family members’ greeting cards? Seems petty to me and not in keeping with the spirit of the season.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 21:18:16 +0000

I consider holiday cards to be wasteful, but my wife still sends them out because of the social expectation.

By: chris

chris — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 20:26:48 +0000

Sounds nice, but people sure don’t send out the Christmas cards like they once did. I have noticed that we get fewer and fewer with each passing year (and no one is dying so the same number of people are still out there!). I spoke with a friend who lives half way across the country and she stated the same thing. Where she used to get a flood of cards she now gets just a few. I like the sentiment that it shows others that you care, but from I have seen…and others I know as well… people sure don’t put the effort into it anymore and as a result that leaves us not wanting to go to the trouble either because it feels that our effort isn’t appreciated.