Why do some folks send Xmas cards so late?

[Anonymous]

We have too many friends celebrating different holidays so we switched to New Year's cards. So much easier than trying to remember who does what.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Working until Xmas Eve? Ordered personalized cards and delivery delayed? Spending weekends visiting Auntie in assisted living and shopping for her whims? I can think of so many reasons. But perhaps they shouldn't send you one at all if you are so particular.

OP I get all of that. I am talking 30 years in a row one person and another 25 years in a row. We actually only mailed our two weeks ago. We literally went on CVS Website on a Sunday, ordered on line and picked up two hours later and mailed. I had years with issues and went out later. But these folks every year. Single, newlyweds, with kids. Empty nesters.

I like the cards. But I literally am taking down Xmas tree when they come. Why not just send Happy New Years cards?

[Anonymous]

Lol to the idea that someone sending you a late holiday card is being passive aggressive. Lord, this one cracked me up! Thanks, OP.

[Anonymous]

They probably think it’s weird and passive aggressive you send yours early, OP. After all, Christmas doesn’t start until December 25th. You should probably call yours Advent cards since they always arrive so ling before actual Christmas.

In my case: sometimes I send later cards because I’m tired and busy. I also celebrate all twelve days of Christmas. Nothing should be coming down before Jan 6th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lol to the idea that someone sending you a late holiday card is being passive aggressive. Lord, this one cracked me up! Thanks, OP.

Well I send mine the first week of December. I also like to hang up ones received to look at leading to Christmas and they come down after with the tree. My SIL constantly criticizes me for decorating too early and sending cards too early. She makes it a point of honor to send hers late if at all because she is just so busy and doesn’t believe in doing decor and cards right after thanksgiving. Well I am busy too but make it a priority and I enjoy it. She sends hers late on purpose to be passive aggressive. No this is not Op.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Working until Xmas Eve? Ordered personalized cards and delivery delayed? Spending weekends visiting Auntie in assisted living and shopping for her whims? I can think of so many reasons. But perhaps they shouldn't send you one at all if you are so particular.

OP I get all of that. I am talking 30 years in a row one person and another 25 years in a row. We actually only mailed our two weeks ago. We literally went on CVS Website on a Sunday, ordered on line and picked up two hours later and mailed. I had years with issues and went out later. But these folks every year. Single, newlyweds, with kids. Empty nesters.

I like the cards. But I literally am taking down Xmas tree when they come. Why not just send Happy New Years cards?

Some people believe in the traditional 12 days of Christmas, which only begins on Dec. 25th and run through the Feast of the Epiphany on Jan. 6th. Christmas Day is the observed day that celebrates Jesus’ birth. The Epiphany is the day the Three Kings/Wise Men arrived at the stable in Bethlehem, bringing their gifts for the new baby. In some cultures, gifts are only given on the Feast of the Epiphany. And Russian Orthodox Christmas is even later, celebrated on January 7th every year.

Commercial Christmas begins earlier and earlier every year because retailers want people feeling festive and doing their Christmas shopping as soon as possible. It used to start the day after Thanksgiving back when I was a kid, but nowadays the Christmas decorations go up and sales start as soon as September, right after Labor Day. July, if you’re in a Hallmark store.

[Anonymous]

Also, the post office used to encourage people to mail their cards early for the holidays so they wouldn’t be crushed by an avalanche of mail in the few days just before Christmas. So people got in the habit of mailing their cards early.

Advent, the four weeks before Christmas, is supposed to be a time of spiritual preparation for Christmas — the arrival of Jesus. You have the whole month to get ready.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol to the idea that someone sending you a late holiday card is being passive aggressive. Lord, this one cracked me up! Thanks, OP.

Well I send mine the first week of December. I also like to hang up ones received to look at leading to Christmas and they come down after with the tree. My SIL constantly criticizes me for decorating too early and sending cards too early. She makes it a point of honor to send hers late if at all because she is just so busy and doesn’t believe in doing decor and cards right after thanksgiving. Well I am busy too but make it a priority and I enjoy it. She sends hers late on purpose to be passive aggressive. No this is not Op.

Actually, she is sending hers on time. You are sending yours too early. The Christmas season starts on December 25th, not the first week of December. Your SIL is doing her cards and decor at exactly the right time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is it a passive aggressive thing? Control thing? Just Laziness?

I ask as a few folks year after year mail it so late.

I also go to NY to see family most years and some cousins will be at Xmas with us and when I get back home to the DMV the card is there. Why mail it so late that you see me in person at Xmas before I get the card? I get folks are busy we all been there. But I had one person mail literally a card that is a Christmas card I get it after Xmas every year the last 30 years!! I usually have taken down cards by then so awkward.

One year my wife and I had a lot of things going on Illness, death of my mother and paired down list and did not mail the late people as we assumed only sending us a card since we sent one to them. Guess what they still came. Usually day after Xmas.

Why do they do it? Two are now literally empty nesters and retired. So they have time.

For us Christmas Day is the first day of the Christmas season, which runs into the first week or two of January. Old school would be February 2 like the Vatican still does or did until relatively recently.

[Anonymous]

Da fuq?

LOL

[Anonymous]

Lol! People get busy or procrastinate. I never get my cards out in enough time, even though I always vow to.

[Anonymous]

Are you checking the dates they were posted or are you just presuming people sent after the holiday? It’s not an issue worth writing here about in my opinion, but as an anecdote, last year the Postal Service was so overwhelmed people were receiving our Christmas cards into February and March. I had mailed them December 1.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Working until Xmas Eve? Ordered personalized cards and delivery delayed? Spending weekends visiting Auntie in assisted living and shopping for her whims? I can think of so many reasons. But perhaps they shouldn't send you one at all if you are so particular.

OP I get all of that. I am talking 30 years in a row one person and another 25 years in a row. We actually only mailed our two weeks ago. We literally went on CVS Website on a Sunday, ordered on line and picked up two hours later and mailed. I had years with issues and went out later. But these folks every year. Single, newlyweds, with kids. Empty nesters.

I like the cards. But I literally am taking down Xmas tree when they come. Why not just send Happy New Years cards?

For 20 years, my habit has been to leisurely do my holiday cards during the week between Christmas and new year's, when I am off of work and have time to sit and do them. Maybe im just busier than you are. Maybe my extended family is 3 times bigger than yours and it takes a lot longer for me to do them. Maybe I write long notes in many of them so i need more time. Maybe I'm a procrastinator. Maybe i think of the Christmas season as lasting longer than you do. Maybe all these things are true.

I do often send a "new year's" instead if a "Christmas" card, but why does it matter to you if you get a belated Christmas wish instead of a new year's one? You aren't going to treat them any differently. If you've already taken down your Holiday display, you'll open it, look at it, and drop it into the trash, either way. So why do you care? Why not accept my good wishes and get on with your day?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lol to the idea that someone sending you a late holiday card is being passive aggressive. Lord, this one cracked me up! Thanks, OP.

Well I send mine the first week of December. I also like to hang up ones received to look at leading to Christmas and they come down after with the tree. My SIL constantly criticizes me for decorating too early and sending cards too early. She makes it a point of honor to send hers late if at all because she is just so busy and doesn’t believe in doing decor and cards right after thanksgiving. Well I am busy too but make it a priority and I enjoy it. She sends hers late on purpose to be passive aggressive. No this is not Op.

Your SIL is openly criticizing you. She's not passive-aggressive, she's aggressive. IOW, she's a b*tch.

[Anonymous]

I didn't know there was a deadline for a nice gesture. And I didn't know I was responsible for your display decorations.