No response from baby announcement-- odd or normal now?

[Anonymous]

Nobody sends cards anymore. Don't blame them for the fact that you are a Luddite. Also, three is a lot of kids. It is no longer a matter of entering you into parenthood. At this point you are just making decisions some would call selfish.

[Anonymous]

I've never thought to send a card or gift from a birth announcement. If I am very close to the person then I knew about the birth long before the mailed announcement and already gave a present. I like the FB pics for everyone else.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]OP here- just to clarify- it wasn't "mass mailing" or 100 cards. It was like 40 and I said it was basically just closest circle of family and friends from xmas list. Clearly no one sends gifts from xmas card, so I don't think sending mail suggests a gift.
As stated, I don't Facebook, Twitter or Instagram-- so no one sent me notes that way.
I absolutely expected acknowledgement from a handful of those folks- like three of my bridesmaids and close friends, my husbands best friend and his brother and sister. I think that would have been thoughtful and appropriate. A text or call or nothing from more distant friends was fine. Although I send a gift for any announcement... Baby, high school graduation.. Even take housewarming gifts when friends invite us to their new home. Guess I think it's polite and I like doing it.
And it's not about getting attention- or needing something. It's just what I think would have been the right gesture I guess. I'm not losing sleep, but making observation.[/quote]
What people are saying is that a comment on your husband's social media, or a text or call to you IS acknowledgment. I think you are using the word acknowledgment to mean card or gift.

[Anonymous]

OP, what people are saying is that a comment on your husband's social media, or a text or call to you IS acknowledgment. You are using the word acknowledgment to mean card or gift, and that is not a given.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nobody sends cards anymore. Don't blame them for the fact that you are a Luddite. Also, three is a lot of kids. It is no longer a matter of entering you into parenthood. At this point you are just making decisions some would call selfish.

Err, there's not NOT selfish reason for having any children. It's a 100% selfish thing no matter the number...

[Anonymous]

People did acknowledge it. Just not the way you wanted them too (with a gift).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're just kind of over it. "oh look dear, Jim and Susan had another baby." "Oh, really, that's nice." "Can you start the pot roast?" "Sure, no problem."

this. i think once people get beyond two, you just kind of feel like having more kids is their thing - not really that noteworthy anymore.

but still, sorry it was disappointing how people reacted. and congrats on the new one!

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]OP here- just to clarify- it wasn't "mass mailing" or 100 cards. It was like 40 and I said it was basically just closest circle of family and friends from xmas list. Clearly no one sends gifts from xmas card, so I don't think sending mail suggests a gift.
As stated, I don't Facebook, Twitter or Instagram-- so no one sent me notes that way.
I absolutely expected acknowledgement from a handful of those folks- like three of my bridesmaids and close friends, my husbands best friend and his brother and sister. I think that would have been thoughtful and appropriate. A text or call or nothing from more distant friends was fine. Although I send a gift for any announcement... Baby, high school graduation.. Even take housewarming gifts when friends invite us to their new home. Guess I think it's polite and I like doing it.
And it's not about getting attention- or needing something. It's just what I think would have been the right gesture I guess. I'm not losing sleep, but making observation.[/quote]

That does seem weird. Why do you think none of them responded?

Is it possible that they reached out to your husband on Facebook and you just didn't see it?

[Anonymous]

Very few people send announcements by mail. I can only think of one we've gotten this way. If you had sent a quick email with a photo, you would have gotten some congratulations replies. Of course, it's great if you want to send them, but if you want acknowledgement, consider email/Facebook in the future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never thought to send a card or gift from a birth announcement. If I am very close to the person then I knew about the birth long before the mailed announcement and already gave a present. I like the FB pics for everyone else.

Exactly. If it's a close friend, then I already knew about the baby and have spoken to you or texted you. Then I get a card which I do love to see, but I do not follow up with anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never thought to send a card or gift from a birth announcement. If I am very close to the person then I knew about the birth long before the mailed announcement and already gave a present. I like the FB pics for everyone else.

Same here. Until this post it has never occurred to me to respond to a birth announcement. I look at it and put it on my fridge for a few months. I thought that was all that was expected of me.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous]OP here- just to clarify- it wasn't "mass mailing" or 100 cards. It was like 40 and I said it was basically just closest circle of family and friends from xmas list. Clearly no one sends gifts from xmas card, so I don't think sending mail suggests a gift.
As stated, I don't Facebook, Twitter or Instagram-- so no one sent me notes that way.
I absolutely expected acknowledgement from a handful of those folks- like three of my bridesmaids and close friends, my husbands best friend and his brother and sister. I think that would have been thoughtful and appropriate. A text or call or nothing from more distant friends was fine. Although I send a gift for any announcement... Baby, high school graduation.. Even take housewarming gifts when friends invite us to their new home. Guess I think it's polite and I like doing it.
And it's not about getting attention- or needing something. It's just what I think would have been the right gesture I guess. I'm not losing sleep, but making observation.[/quote]

If you don't facebook, we assume that your husband will pass on a message on his facebook. You are the one behind the times, not us.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP here- just to clarify- it wasn't "mass mailing" or 100 cards. It was like 40 and I said it was basically just closest circle of family and friends from xmas list. Clearly no one sends gifts from xmas card, so I don't think sending mail suggests a gift.
As stated, I don't Facebook, Twitter or Instagram-- so no one sent me notes that way.
I absolutely expected acknowledgement from a handful of those folks- like three of my bridesmaids and close friends, my husbands best friend and his brother and sister. I think that would have been thoughtful and appropriate. A text or call or nothing from more distant friends was fine. Although I send a gift for any announcement... Baby, high school graduation.. Even take housewarming gifts when friends invite us to their new home. Guess I think it's polite and I like doing it.
And it's not about getting attention- or needing something. It's just what I think would have been the right gesture I guess. I'm not losing sleep, but making observation.[/quote]
What people are saying is that a comment on your husband's social media, or a text or call to you IS acknowledgment. I think you are using the word acknowledgment to mean card or gift.[/quote]

Wouldn't you email friends and family a quick note after the birth so they would know before you'd send an announcement? Wouldn't your husband send a quick note to those really close to you that your baby was born? Seriously - you're trying to say that by the time announcement was sent your "closest" circle of family and friends truly didn't know you'd had the baby?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Your husband got acknowledgments on FB- did you get any texts or calls? I wouldn't have expected a card.

I don't Facebook- but Yes, I got some calls and texts. My best friend sent flowers. That's about it long distance wise.
To all of you---thanks all for the nice congrats on here--- I'll print and post in his baby book! Haha. Here these strangers took more time to welcome you than our good friends and family! And I think you're right that no one sends cards anymore..

Not trying to sound snarky, but FB posts, calls and texts seem like proper acknowledgment from long-distance friends and relatives to me. What else could they have done that wouldn't have left you feeling slighted OP?

Yes, that sounds to me like people responded.

Congratulations OP!

[Anonymous]

I have never thought of birth announcements as gift grabs. This is really surprising to me. OP you should change your title to "Only % of people sent gifts in response to birth announcement" because it sounds like people DID acknowledge the birth!