please empty your brain below
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With the exception of a handful of cards hand-delivered to neighbours, I've stopped sending Christmas cards. I receive fewer too, but every one that arrives causes a pang of guilt.. often followed by an online apology.
Frank F | 17.12.21 - 7:10 a.m. | #
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I’ve had remarkably few this year - just two from friends I’ve not seen in person. I sent a few more, but I get the impression I’m the last of a dying breed and I may stop sending them next year.
But I think it’s nice to say to people “hello, I acknowledge your existence at this time of year”.
Kirk | 17.12.21 - 7:30 a.m. | #
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I remember a letter to The Times, in which the writer said that her father had never posted cards before 4pm on Christmas Eve - mindful of the danger that they might otherwise be delivered later on Christmas Eve, and not on Christmas Day the way they are supposed to be.
MartinG | 17.12.21 - 7:41 a.m. | #
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Buy a couple of books of Christmas stamps now, and use them next year when the rates will inevitably have gone up again.
martin | 17.12.21 - 7:50 a.m. | #
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We actually sent more cards this year than in previous years, mainly due to connecting with family (through funerals :( ) and turning acquaintances into friends through continued online socialising.
54 cards sent yesterday...
Steve | 17.12.21 - 7:59 a.m. | #
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It is a sad fact that one of the better safe investments at the moment is to buy "standard" postage stamps well in advance (potentially a few years supply), in expectation of a price rise.
Similarly supermarket Christmas saver schemes in the weeks before Christmas for discount on seasonal shopping you would do anyway.
MilesT | 17.12.21 - 8:29 a.m. | #
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The drop in card sending could simply be due to the fact that communication with those you know is far easier now, and a card on top seems to be overkill rather than thoughtful.
The older generation maintains card giving simply because 'it was always like that'.
Outside of official documents, how many of us are still sending any kind of hand written document?
Still Anon | 17.12.21 - 8:52 a.m. | #
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I did exactly the same taking photos of the Christmas cards! Felt quite pleased with myself
David | 17.12.21 - 9:05 a.m. | #
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I may be alone amongst readers in having records dating from 1993 of who I have sent cards to and from whom I have received them in return. 46 this year, and probably quite a large total overall.
cau1khead | 17.12.21 - 9:20 a.m. | #
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Receiving cards is a rarity for us youth - no one even bothers with birthday cards these days.
We send Christmas cards designed by my partner and people are delighted to receive them, young and old! I think it’s the novelty of receiving Mail that isn’t a bill or promotional spam.
James Scantlebury | 17.12.21 - 9:30 a.m. | #
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22 real cards sent this year, the cost of stamps always surprises me.
I will send animated WhatsApp Christmas Memes to my grandchildren.
Michael | 17.12.21 - 9:31 a.m. | #
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Having a sideboard or other flat surface full of cards received is a true Christmas tradition. And with so much tradition being lost these days, that's no bad thing.
Stuart R | 17.12.21 - 9:34 a.m. | #
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I received a Christmas card from JP Devin of radio 4 fame last week. Most unexpected.
That was my first card from anyone unrelated to me in about a decade.
David @DTL | Homepage | 17.12.21 - 9:46 a.m. | #
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I would like to understand how Royal Mail organise the delivery process to make 2nd class slower than 1st. It seems rather complicated.
kev | 17.12.21 - 11:07 a.m. | #
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It costs £1.50 to post a christmas card here in Norway (NOK 18.00).
Dubidubno | 17.12.21 - 11:30 a.m. | #
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Kev: Machines recognise the stamps and the second class get moved and sorted the following morning so the first class can get sorted in the evening. If all first class letters get sorted that day, they will move onto the second class letters.
Chris | 17.12.21 - 12:02 p.m. | #
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Re 9am post box collections. Although it says 9am on the box it is unlikely to be at 9am. These boxes are collected by the postman/woman whilst they are delivering so if your post usually arrives about the same time each day that will be when your local box will be emptied. They are timed at 9am so you won't miss the collection & shouldn't be emptied before, although there are ways of cheating the scanner - all post boxes have to be scanned on collection noeadays.
Andy S | 17.12.21 - 12:40 p.m. | #
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Christmas cards are certainly an investment these days at ~£1 a pop.
My parents (mid-60s) still go the whole hog with an armada of incoming and outgoing missives replete with Christmas letters. While my wife and I (mid-30s) will use the cards we bought last year but failed to send after nursery bubbles popped and stacked childcare on top of work in the key weeks.
I think if you send more than you receive then you can consider yourself as supporting the tradition.
The majority of my age cohort consider festive-appropriate social media posts the main route for well wishes. Which have the advantage of all coming through on Christmas Day itself but can be just as self-aggrandising as the worst Christmas letter!
TomH | 17.12.21 - 12:42 p.m. | #
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My card & presents record dates back to 1987 - it's fascinating to look through now.
About 30 cards sent this year down, about 5 from last year - though now postage to the States is £1.70 for a mere 10g (ie the smallest of cards available) it will be the last one for those 2 recipients now!
Does anyone else dislike the QR code attached to this years stamps? I thought it was perforated for removal, but apparently not! Totally spoils them.
Cornish Cockney | 17.12.21 - 1:42 p.m. | #
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CC - the QR codes are only on the sheets supplied to Post Offices, whereas they're not on the stamps books. This blog post has a fair bit of background info.
martin | 17.12.21 - 2:53 p.m. | #
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I stopped most physical cards about eight years ago, instead compiling my own to email out. The remaining cards are for those without a computer or for those whom an e-card isn't the done thing.
The loot 'saved' (doesn't help the Post Office nor Royal Mail) is then rounded up to the next big ten-number of Pounds and donated to a different charity each year. This year, RNLI after 'Farridge' obscenely called it a taxi service...
My e-cards may not be the greatest pieces of creativity but aren't something shop-bought (which I suppose deprives a different charity of some income but can't donate to everything) and I attach a general 'personal' greeting to the email.
Appreciate that isn't everyones' way of doing this seasonal thing, but 'Christmas' is now a catch-all term. It means many things to people, not often religious. So one 'tradition' I'm not the only one to have almost set aside.
Seasonal greetings to DG and all contributors!
Joel | 17.12.21 - 3:29 p.m. | #
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My Christmas book records cards and presents sent and received from 1979. Cards peaked at about 60 both sent and received 25 years ago: only ten have been sent this year, due to having retired and also pruning the numbers a few years ago.
A first this year was an unsigned card - the envelope correctly addressed and a few extra words written inside the card, but no sender's name. Unfortunately I don't recognise the handwriting.
David Cook | 17.12.21 - 4:07 p.m. | #
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I have lists going back to 1969, from which 6 people are still on my 2021 list (excluding family). Since 1996 it's all in a database. But I'm old (74).
Peter | 17.12.21 - 4:15 p.m. | #
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Have a spreadsheet since 1998.
About 50ish usually, but a few less this year as several are handed in person at activities in December, which now aren't taking place and I don't have everyones address.
Only 1 e-card sender on my list.
At 69 I still like the tradition of it all, although my wife does most of the writing!!
We still use an "old school" address book. Easier than photographing envelopes!!
MikeK | 17.12.21 - 4:34 p.m. | #
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I never manage to get stamps or address labels stuck on straight.
Judging by numbers people are mentioning here, we clearly send far too many cards!
I'm not giving up any time soon though, as it's lovely to keep in touch with people via real cards. The saddest part of the process is deleting those who have died during a year from the label database.
About 5 years ago I bought enough 2nd class stamps for the next 10 years. I decided it was a better investment than keeping cash in a savings account. I haven't been disappointed. Some (but not all) of the stamps are losing their stick though, and using a Pritt stick is (a) messy, and (b) risks Royal Mail thinking I am reusing stamps.
Blue Witch | Homepage | 17.12.21 - 4:45 p.m. | #
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Caulkhead you are not alone. I have a book that dates from 2000ish. Trouble is this year i cant find it.
Cornish Monkey | 17.12.21 - 5:20 p.m. | #
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A well-timed topic: so a thank you to DG, plus Cornish Cockney and others. I had spent part of the day editing/updating address labels and signature label sheets for cards for my 98 year old aunt. She can hardly see, nor hold a pen now.
I was bemused by the format of the stamps, and yes, they were bought in a Post Office.
I am part of the generation that does still send Christmas cards, just not had a chance to do mine yet this year.
Christmas wishes to you and all the responders: a thank you for the many interesting topics, the helpful comments and the amusing ones. Much appreciated, even more so this year.
G.
g.chingford | 17.12.21 - 7:36 p.m. | #
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Who’d have thought in the ‘60s that we’d be spending over 13 shillings on a single stamp.
Lorraine | 17.12.21 - 9:06 p.m. | #
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When I moved to Northern Ireland 20 years ago I bought a stock of the rather pretty green fields (1st) and basalt columns (2nd) definitive stamps. With the continued decline of needing to post bill payments and official forms, I think my stock will last me out.
For the first time in some years, I did post two cheques this year. This prompted my bank to send me a new cheque book!
Michael | 18.12.21 - 7:15 a.m. | #
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I am pleased to report that at precisely 13:56pm today, 4% of those cards safely arrived at its destination 311 miles from where it started, thank you.
The postie commented that you have nice writing.
That did not make up for the fact that Royal Mail have managed to add a crease that I know would not have been there when it was entrusted to them.
Blue Witch | Homepage | 21.12.21 - 6:13 p.m. | #
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