[krbshappy71]

Does anyone else un-participate in the Christmas card exchange for 'green' reasons?

For years I have refused to do Christmas cards because I see it as super-duper waste of paper, processing, extra hours for mail delivery workers, I just simply cannot participate. Seeing the thousands of cards on display everywhere just makes me ill at the thought of it. Many of the cards have foil, plastic, embellishments that aren't even recycle friendly. Are people going to take the time to remove the non-recycle items and then recycle the card? I have doubts and I doubt that everyone even throws them in the recycle bin. (for those that have curbside pickup, maybe they will. But then there's the cost of recycling it all again.)

I also have a hang-up that if people only think of me once a year, I'm not really interested in that yearly "Christmas letter" updating me on their life. Don't care, reallly don't care and if they cared for me they'd keep in touch more than once a year.

That is my spew. I see it as a waste. Am I green or just a grinch? I suspect a little of both.

 

[Darlene]

I just hate writing them out and was dreading it every year so I decided to stop. Why do something I really don't like doing? So no, it's not a green thing with me just an I don't want to thing.
That said I enjoy receiving them & love recycling the cards into bookmarks, note pads & such.

 

[madhen]

I stubbornly continue to send them out, even though it is a pain to do it, because I know that the people to whom I send them really appreciate them. Because I don't send out letters to anyone on a regular basis, it is also my way of reaching out to some of my family just to let them know I am still alive and kicking.

That said, I didn't send out cards this year, because my December was unexpectedly disrupted when I had to go to Los Angeles for two weeks, and that threw me totally out of sync. So I have a box of cards sitting here, but didn't get around to getting them out. I guess I'm just ultra-prepared for next year!

 

[monkeywrangler71]

I haven't done cards in years, and we only receive one - from an estranged uncle that we have no other contact with. I don't know if everyone else stopped or if we just got wiped off of everyone's lists because we didn't reciprocate.

I wouldn't mind a Christmas letter with an update of what's been going on in someone's family, I think that would be nice. I'm just not interested in getting a piece of cardboard in the mail with someone's name scribbled on it.

 

[photogal06]

We do a photo card, but I limited it to 20 this year. We have a few friends who have kids the same age as our daughter. They all live far away now, and I love to get their photo cards and see how the kids have changed. I'm not such a fan of regular cards with no photo--they're pretty to look at when they come, but I don't save them or anything. I'm also not a fan of Christmas letters in general. If they're short, ok, but if they're a long saga of the entire year, that's too much for me. If I cared that much about someone's yearly activities, I'd be in touch with them throughout the year and know it all already!

 

[imagine]

Having moved around a bunch I do cards, as many friends live far away. Even people that one get one a year from me are well loved and I never understood the "if you only ...once a year" attitude many of my dear friends I only hear from once a year. We are busy they are busy. My card and my letter are my gift to them and are written with love.

Like the first line of my Christmas letter says. Well it is the time of year that I send my loved ones a update letter and hope that it makes up for my lack of writing all year long.

To green things up I use received cards to make decorations and presents etc.

This year I also used the last few cards leftover from years before many different varieties sent out this year. Made Christmas card writing extra fun.

 

[imagine]

I wouldn't mind a Christmas letter with an update of what's been going on in someone's family, I think that would be nice. I'm just not interested in getting a piece of cardboard in the mail with someone's name scribbled on it.

My mom taught me that if you were taking the time to send a Christmas card it should have a hand written letter/note. She told me that is your present to them I recently moved on to a typed letter and they have been received warmly too, as I tend to write a longer letter . Most of the older generation still sends us handwritten letters in their card.

All ten of the cards we have received are treasured gifts. I think that is what Christmas cards were meant to be originally.

 

[August29th]

I enjoy sending and getting Christmas cards very much. I do put a little note on them & something personal. I don't write a letter 'cause it would be very short and boring -- just a note wishing them well, and saying that most things are just the same with me (and that that's a good thing)
Even a card with just a "Merry Christmas" and name makes me a little bit happy -- to be thought of. As for those people I only hear from once a year -- without C cards, I wouldn't hear from them at all.

OTOH, I don't think much of the email greeting cards.

 

[onencgirl]

I quit sending cards years ago and took alot of flak from people. Now I only get one card (from my DB) and that's fine with me. I know people that send so many cards they need to use a cc to mail them. Makes me cringe.

 

[Shelli_wnj]

I also don't participate in cards. For almost anything. It's costly, it's wasteful, and usually they are thrown in the trash with the wrapping. I do, however like the photo cards - I scrapbook them This year, we send out pics of the kids to friends and family, with a handwritten note rather than cards, and whenever possible, handed them out rather than mailing them.
But no, I don't think you a Grinch for not sending cards.

 

[rskmom]

I may be in the minority here, but I love getting and sending cards! My favorites are the letters and pix, but any kind will do.

We send a one page letter, and a photo of our three boys. I mix the good and the bad in the letter 'cuz isn't that what life is? I did not send a letter last year because my father died in late fall and I just didn't feel like it - and I had people ASK me why I didn't send a letter!

 

[krbshappy71]

I enjoy sending and getting Christmas cards very much. I do put a little note on them & something personal. I don't write a letter 'cause it would be very short and boring -- just a note wishing them well, and saying that most things are just the same with me (and that that's a good thing)
Even a card with just a "Merry Christmas" and name makes me a little bit happy -- to be thought of. As for those people I only hear from once a year -- without C cards, I wouldn't hear from them at all.

OTOH, I don't think much of the email greeting cards.

I think this is key. You enjoy receiving them and therefore you are willing to send them and to make it personal.

I think this is where my Grinch and Green side comes out. I truly don't want them for Green reasons, and my Grinch side really doesn't feel pleasure for them. None, they are as uninteresting, touching, as any other advertisement that comes in the mail. I feel like these people don't know me or they would know not to send them. I've expressed that I do not wish to exchange cards and yet I'm not being respected for my wish. I'm on their mailing list and by God I'm getting a card. LOL! Thankfully most people have finally dropped me off their list. My mom actually keeps track of who reciprocates to her and who doesn't, maybe some of those people did as well. YAY! Meanwhile all cards received are dropped promptly into the recycle bin.

 

[Nishu]

I don't do Christmas cards, either. I have only received one this year, so I guess they're on to me. I don't really know if everyone else is sending them out or not.

I've never sent cards out regularly even though I've tried at some point. At first I just attempted it because it was the thing to do, but it was never fun for me. I was always really unorganized and busy and it always added a bunch of stress. There was never a feeling of enthusiasm for it, it was just obligation. The last couple years I kind of took stock and every activity I did around Christmas got weighed, benefit vs work and stress. Sending cards didn't make the cut.

I call family on Christmas and I think that's enough.

 

[ncarr]

I love sending and receiving christmas cards. I have all the horizontal ones tucked into the mini blinds. For the vertical ones I strung a piece of ribbon, hole punched the top corner of the cards, and tied them with bits of ribbon to the long piece so they hang like cards on a clothes line. After the holidays, I sit down with my pinking shears and hole punch and turn the cards into next year's christmas gift tags.

I always write personal hand written notes in mine. About a week ago i received a card from my uncle. He passed away three days ago. it's hanging up with the rest for now but after christmas I will save it as the last letter I received from him. There's something so special about the fact that he took the time to send me a personalized card when he was feeling so sick and that I received it right before he died. This is why I like doing Christmas cards. When there is love put into them they are a wonderful gift

 

[lparker]

I worked in the postal service for 30 years and darned if I wanted to subsidize my pay by buying stamps. We haven't done cards for YEARS except BD cards to the grandkids.
Lee

 

[frugalwarrior2]

I love sending and recieving cards. Last year it brought me great joy particpating in the FV exchange. I save them and make a montage on the wall. The one I don't want to keep I also use pinking sheers to make tags.
Some of the people in my life don't do computers and cards are imp. to them. You could always buy recycled cards too. Oh and my parents even recycle the envelopes as scrap paper.

I believe in recycling and using less but not so much that it steals the joy cards bring.

 

[KeithBC]

We downplay the whole Christmas thing completely. We only do cards to immediate family - 3 for me and 2 for DW. And even that is not so much because they are a joy to send or receive, but because we'd never hear the end of it if we didn't! Being green is one more reason, but not the main one.

 

[pdfc]

I really enjoy getting cards and touching base with people we don't see regularly. You can see and feel their personality through the type card they send...you know, the picture and the saying. Some are tacky and they suit the person to a tee...haha. I always make my own cards out of simple things. This year I used Christmas recipe cards, made up a recipe about friends, good cheer, etc and sent them out as post cards.

 

[Neeley]

Always have and always will send out a boat load of cards. I participate in the FV card swap every year, have a ton of friends I send cards to, as well as lots of family. I send cards to certain friends and family for every holiday there is...New Years, Valentine's, St. Patrick's, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving and of course Christmas. I am also notorious for sending out a "Just wanted you to know someone was thinking of you" cards.

I look at cards as happy mail. It seems to me our mailboxes are often filled with advertisements, bank statements, bills, etc...not exactly things that would make you smile. I find it refreshing to check my mail and find something that puts a genuine smile on my face. In return, I like to bring a smile to the faces of those I love.

A dear elderly gentleman I knew passed away six years ago. I was not particularly close to his wife. I had stopped by to visit her on a few occasions, spoke to her on the phone, said hello in passing, etc...When he passed away, I made it a point to send her a card a week for almost a year, then a card every two to three weeks thereafter. She told me a year or so ago that she looked forward to receiving her cards every week. It helped her to know someone was thinking of her, loved her and she was not alone.

Maybe it isn't the "green" thing to do and that is fine with me. I have never been and never will be all into the "green" thing anyway. I would much rather show someone some love and spread some happiness.

 

[dancemommy]

We send them although ours went out late this year. There are a lot of older people in our family who really enjoy seeing pictures of our kids and getting our update- I try to make it short. We received a 2 page typed letter from one family the other day- I think that is a bit much, but I still appreciate getting it. I like seeing the pictures. I have never considered them from a green standpoint, but that definitely would not stop me.