Non American here - I do not understand the family photo Christmas cards

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in uk and France and this is one American thing that just baffles me.. people sending photos of their family as a Christmas card. Am I the only one who finds this weird? Like - why do you think i want to display a photo of YOUR family? It feels like people have wildly misjudged how much other people care about their stuff. If a French or British person did this I think everyone would find it so awkward. Enlighten me Americans - what am I missing here?

the British royal family does it. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/royal-family/royal-family-christmas-card-2023-b2467989.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in uk and France and this is one American thing that just baffles me.. people sending photos of their family as a Christmas card. Am I the only one who finds this weird? Like - why do you think i want to display a photo of YOUR family? It feels like people have wildly misjudged how much other people care about their stuff. If a French or British person did this I think everyone would find it so awkward. Enlighten me Americans - what am I missing here?

the British royal family does it. https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/royal-family/royal-family-christmas-card-2023-b2467989.html

The French don't have a royal family. Apparently, something happened to them involving a medical device.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in uk and France and this is one American thing that just baffles me.. people sending photos of their family as a Christmas card. Am I the only one who finds this weird? Like - why do you think i want to display a photo of YOUR family? It feels like people have wildly misjudged how much other people care about their stuff. If a French or British person did this I think everyone would find it so awkward. Enlighten me Americans - what am I missing here?

Well, you aren't in Kansas anymore, are you. (You probably don't understand this either.). We have friends in this country as well as family--cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents-- that we don't see often. We love them and they love us and we believe they like displaying photos of their families and friends.

The British Royal family send Christmas photos every year so maybe you should ask them about their strange custom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I love displaying all the photos from friends and family! I have a special display holder for them. Everyone who visits during December stops to see the photos. I haven’t seen many of those people in years so the photos show babies I have yet to meet, teenagers with their braces, new pets and new spouses. I love all of it.

+1

I also save all the cards I get in bags with each year on them. My mom did the same and I used to love looking back at the old cards, as my kids do now. (I'm 44, for reference, so old Gen X).

[Anonymous]

I love receiving photo cards, only get a few every year, because most of my friends don't bother. They go up on the fridge, and next year get replaced, with the old ones going into a shoe box to be saved as a keepsake.

[Anonymous]

The US is large. We often don’t see friends and family for a year or even longer. It’s nice to see a picture or two of what the kids look like imo!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I was born and raised here and I agree that it is weird for people to do this.

The only explanation that I can come up with is that most Americans are so separated from their families, though they may even live in the same state, that they need to exchange photos to remind everyone what they and their family look like.

Couple that with capitalism and excessive holiday spending and you get cringeworthy Christmas Cards with photos.

Yes, it is under a sometimes misguided assumption that the reciever actually cares. Most end up in the trash.

That's the only explanation you can come up with? That people are separated from their families because they choose to be estranged? What about if they're on duty in another state? Moved somewhere for a job? What a small world you live in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I grew up in uk and France and this is one American thing that just baffles me.. people sending photos of their family as a Christmas card. Am I the only one who finds this weird? Like - why do you think i want to display a photo of YOUR family? It feels like people have wildly misjudged how much other people care about their stuff. If a French or British person did this I think everyone would find it so awkward. Enlighten me Americans - what am I missing here?

Having lived in France it baffles me why the French believe they are the arbiters of all that is proper and superior. Why don't you enlighten us!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The US is large. We often don’t see friends and family for a year or even longer. It’s nice to see a picture or two of what the kids look like imo!

France is big, too! I understand they have enough space for a Disney-themed park. Kind of like Florida.

[Anonymous]

I love photo cards. I tape them up in a wall in the kitchen and they stay up until the end of February. The funny thing is that my first memory of a photo holiday card growing up came from extended relatives in England. I loved seeing how much their kids grew each year. I do like to see what family and friends look like and what they have been doing all year. It’s nice that someone thought of me at the holidays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The US is large. We often don’t see friends and family for a year or even longer. It’s nice to see a picture or two of what the kids look like imo!

Are there many cards that show updates you can't get from social media?

[Anonymous]

I like a card that has a Christmas theme on the front and then has the photo of the family inside. Then you aren't showing off other people's families but you do get to see them growing up and changing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I wish I knew you. I’d create ten versions of a photo card and send them all to you just to watch you get your knickers in a knot.

LOL same

OP posted this a year ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The US is large. We often don’t see friends and family for a year or even longer. It’s nice to see a picture or two of what the kids look like imo!

Are there many cards that show updates you can't get from social media?

Many sane people never splash their kids on SM. These pics are the only ones our family sees in between visits.

[Anonymous]

American here. No, you are not the only one to find it weird. I find it weird, too. And a little look-at-me distasteful.