I have sent out cards with a one-page letter each year. I try to make the letter genuine, not so braggy, and often included humor when the kids were small and gave me lots of material. Now I fill in on new jobs, engagements, weddings. I include a separate page with a couple of pics with brief captions. This year we got our first grandchild and son is getting married in 2016. I do have our adult progeny and their spouses approve our letter and pics page. Sometimes the news is not all bright (health or career issues on occasion) and I share that as well.
I have a stash of cards I like and found on sale post-holiday – love all kinds of card shopping, so shop in advance and put aside for eventual use. But sometimes I create our card on Snapfish, typically using a photo I took during the past year of a winter scene on our property – an outdoor lit tree in snow, the decorated post light in snow, etc.
This involves time but I enjoy it and work on it before Thanksgiving. I still have friends and family not on Facebook, and there are numerous people with whom I would totally have lost touch were it not for the annual cards. Some people have expressed their enjoyment/appreciation, and for those who don’t appreciate them – well, that is what the recycling container is for.
Count me in with those that love to get and send Christmas cards. For the local friends and family that we see regularly, we send a photo card of the kids - even though they are all “adults” now. For the farther away friends and family, I also make a letter with more photos and update. I am not one of those who can write a super witty letter, so more photos, less writing. I love getting letters from friends around the county (and even a couple overseas).
I also have a mail merge database of the addresses so I can just print the envelopes. This to me was the tedious part - addressing over 100 envelopes!! Printing the envelopes makes it easier.
I send a regular card to a few folks and generally buy UNICEF cards, usually at Pier One. A little more pricey than getting the post-Christmas sale cards, but I only buy a few.
I make a collage of the photo cards on my coat closet door and keep the rest in a festive basket.
Tractor Supply- inexpensive and nice. I send out a letter in a card to many folks, but do an e-letter for people I’m in touch with on facebook regularly.
Yup, me too. I have my H and kids all read it and let me know if there is anything they object to (or if I forgot an important moment!)
Yes!!! I print address labels…I would find writing all those addresses tedious…As it is, stuffing, labeling and sealing the envelopes is tedious enough.
@alwaysamom , I love Caspari Christmas cards too. I don’t really send cards anymore but when I did , I usually sent out ones by Caspari (usually their small ones).
I love them too, but very few of my family and friends send Xmas cards anymore. I usually buy (but in recent years procrastination has prevented me from sending them out, LOL) in October or early November at discount prices from the better ‘dollar stores’ in our area. Don’t laugh, I am particular about my greeting cards (holidays, birthdays, etc.) and you would be surprised at the very nice cards that can be had at the better dollar stores.
The people I know who don’t send greeting cards complain about the price and they have a point. Saw a card at local gift shop for 7 bucks last year. What on earth?
I write an awesome letter that people want to read. This year’s is about our Zombie Apocalypse Compound. I order cards from Tinyprints because they’re great quality and not cheap-looking. I checked the ‘designer review’ option this year because I wanted to try to correct color on the photo and a really nice woman called me about two hours after I place the online order! Great service. I almost didn’t do cards this year-- I’ve been getting more virtual card and newsletters and don’t mind them at all, and was contemplating doing that (or doing nothing). But in the end I took the few minutes and designed and ordered cards (I do not agonize over them; I’m quick at choosing and designing). I also mitigate the ‘chore’ by only sending to friends out of town. Again, I still love getting them from local friends; I just made an executive decision long ago lol.
FB and social media has changed the way we all keep in touch with friends, and the evolution is interesting and I’m fine rolling with it. But for now, cards are still fun to send and receive.
There are people that are not on social media that I only hear from at Christmas and I truly don’t know if they are still alive until that Christmas card/note rolls in.
The expense is why I always make them myself. I usually do a drawing or design that has something to do with what we did that year or where we were living. (A wreath around the Chrysler Building, Santa under a palm tree, Santa on a Japanese shinkansen train…) We include very brief news, usually funny stuff, though some years there was bad news too.
I like sending them and receiving them, but have been lazy the last couple of years. I like photo cards, some friends send regular cards and enclose a photo or two. That’s nice too. Emailed newsletters are okay, but really not the same.
Most of my Hanukkah and Xmas cards already out. I have about 6 left, because for these people I will write a personal note. Some years ago I began sending cards to patients, with a few personal lines. I cannot a tell you how many thanks I received for those cards. So, I look for the prettiest cards I can find and use them. This was my project last Friday night and during the weekend, but the positive feedback keeps me going.
PS. I’m very guarded about revealing any personal info about my son, maybe only to 3 people. He’s the one who asked me to never post about him on FB etc.
I’m in the throes of the busiest time of the semester which is hindering my ability to do anything holiday related. My poor tree has been up without lights or decorations for over a week.
Hopefully we can do cards this weekend and still get them out. We might just do the us+dog or a wedding picture after all.
