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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nothing says “maladjusted ex-pat” like the bitterness in the OP over something that is supposed to be nice. Some people weren’t meant to live outside of their country of origin.

This. Some people revel in being joyless and I will never understand it.

x10000

They want everyone to be as miserable as them - they need professional help!

As opposed to the joy you take in being nasty to someone asking a cultural question.

This is not a “cultural question.” Many Europeans (myself included) have chimed in to say this is not uniquely American, and we like the custom. I agree OP seems bitter about others’ joy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think only people with kids send photo cards. It would be weird if a couple or single did it. I keep some on the refrig because I don't see them except at weddings/funerals.

With facebook and Instagram photo cards are redundant, but not everyone is social media.

Then the question becomes, why do people need to see other people’s kids?

Or are families only considered valid if children are involved?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think only people with kids send photo cards. It would be weird if a couple or single did it. I keep some on the refrig because I don't see them except at weddings/funerals.

With facebook and Instagram photo cards are redundant, but not everyone is social media.

Then the question becomes, why do people need to see other people’s kids?

Christmas cards, like most other aspects of the Christmas celebration, and a million other things that people post about on DCUM, are not filling a need. I don't need to see your children, any more than I need my shoes to coordinate with my outfit (a common question on DCUM). But I like seeing the children of people I care about.

[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?

Yes, you are the only one who finds this weird. I am also European and I love receiving family photos as a Christmas card. No one is asking you to display them, you can discard them immediately after reading your greetings. I do care about my friend's family and I am happy to see their children growing up, places they visited last year, and other updates. In Europe, I grew up in a smaller town where several family generations live. We see each others several times per year at birthdays, weddings, funerals, anniversaries. In US families and friends are more spread-out and more mobile, that is why it is more common to send those type of cards. And no one in France or England thinks it is awkward to receive these cards. I hope your friends recognize who you are and drop you as soon as they can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think only people with kids send photo cards. It would be weird if a couple or single did it. I keep some on the refrig because I don't see them except at weddings/funerals.

With facebook and Instagram photo cards are redundant, but not everyone is social media.

Then the question becomes, why do people need to see other people’s kids?

Or are families only considered valid if children are involved?

No. But you’re not changing much and you’re likely not improving with age, so what’s the point? Kids change a lot every year.

[Anonymous]

We have a door in our house that we display all of the Christmas cards on. It makes me happy seeing everyone’s joyous moments throughout the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do people display them? Huh, didn't know that. I'm American but didn't grow up with this tradition (Jewish - some Jews send cards now but when I was a kid no one did that, that was for Christmas). I get them, look at them, admire the kids for about 30 seconds, then toss in the trash. I don't mind getting them but I don't really care either way to be honest. For friends and family I'm close with, I already know what their kids are up to. For those I'm not close with, there's a significant overlap between frequent Facebook posters and card senders, so I've probably seen the kids on Facebook anyway.

+1
I too trash the Christmas cards immediately nowadays.

Growing up, we got cards during christsmas from many of our friends and family and they got displayed on the mantle. Family also sent postcards to us from their fancy vacations and it was so fun to get them. My parents would start sending their Christmas cards before Thanksgiving, so that people would display them once they started decorating for Christmas, right after TG. Now, we get so few cards that we have stopped displaying them.

My mom would send multiple copies of family pictures to my grandparents. One for the album, one became an ornament to be hung on the christmas tree etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so funny because I was just looking at a “Christmas Cards from Royal Families Throughout the World” listicle. We had:

Monaco
The United Kingdom
The Netherlands (Christmas cards are extremely popular there)
Spain
Belgium
Luxembourg
Norway

All family photos. So maybe you’re just the weird one, OP?

This. How can the OP have grown up in France and UK and think sending family photo cards was only an American thing? You never once saw the British Royal Family Christmas cards or the Monegasque Royal Family Christmas cards? How can you think this is solely an American tradition?

Yea these weird Americans:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have a door in our house that we display all of the Christmas cards on. It makes me happy seeing everyone’s joyous moments throughout the year.

Oh, that is a good idea!!

[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?

Common sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not American and also find it a bit weird, mainly because I receive dozens of photo cards from people I barely know. My impression is that people buy some special online deal that gives them 100-200 cards and then they have to come up with a long list of people to send them to.

I’m happy to get photo cards from close friends who live far away but a card from someone I barely know or people who I see all the time just goes straight in the trash. There’s not even a personal message. I’d much rather get a card where someone has made the effort to write something.

They made the effort to include you in their list and mail you a card. You were thought of. Maybe recognize that you are too demanding.

My point is they didn’t make any effort. In many cases, I’m just added to the list as they want to use up their package. It’s the equivalent of posting a family pic and message on FB. By all means send a photo card to people you are close to but not everyone who moves within your broader orbit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is so funny because I was just looking at a “Christmas Cards from Royal Families Throughout the World” listicle. We had:

Monaco
The United Kingdom
The Netherlands (Christmas cards are extremely popular there)
Spain
Belgium
Luxembourg
Norway

All family photos. So maybe you’re just the weird one, OP?

This. How can the OP have grown up in France and UK and think sending family photo cards was only an American thing? You never once saw the British Royal Family Christmas cards or the Monegasque Royal Family Christmas cards? How can you think this is solely an American tradition?

Yea these weird Americans:

I’m assuming this is a sarcastic response as surely nobody would point to royal families as behaving like the typical ‘European’.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The whole “people in Europe don’t do it so I judge it!” Thing is so ethnocentric and offensive. Why do Europeans do it over and over on DCUM? Is it just one troll?

If you bothered to read previous posts, actual Europeans have posted and said they did family photos.

So please blame the appropriate person, ie, the OP. Don't be ethnocentric and offensive yourself by generalizing that idiot's opinions to all of Europe!

Goodness. Irony. Your head. Woosh.

NP. There is at least one poster who identifies as ‘European’ or ‘French’ and constantly posts to put down Americans. I get where PP is coming from.

I like receiving photo cards. I love seeing how families grow and change over the years, and I feel honored that I’m on their list. What exactly is there to be baffled about?

The one that likes to mention that their family owns a chalet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not American and also find it a bit weird, mainly because I receive dozens of photo cards from people I barely know. My impression is that people buy some special online deal that gives them 100-200 cards and then they have to come up with a long list of people to send them to.

I’m happy to get photo cards from close friends who live far away but a card from someone I barely know or people who I see all the time just goes straight in the trash. There’s not even a personal message. I’d much rather get a card where someone has made the effort to write something.

They made the effort to include you in their list and mail you a card. You were thought of. Maybe recognize that you are too demanding.

My point is they didn’t make any effort. In many cases, I’m just added to the list as they want to use up their package. It’s the equivalent of posting a family pic and message on FB. By all means send a photo card to people you are close to but not everyone who moves within your broader orbit.

So throw the card away. We are collectively sorry that you have been burdened.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m not American and also find it a bit weird, mainly because I receive dozens of photo cards from people I barely know. My impression is that people buy some special online deal that gives them 100-200 cards and then they have to come up with a long list of people to send them to.

I’m happy to get photo cards from close friends who live far away but a card from someone I barely know or people who I see all the time just goes straight in the trash. There’s not even a personal message. I’d much rather get a card where someone has made the effort to write something.

They made the effort to include you in their list and mail you a card. You were thought of. Maybe recognize that you are too demanding.

My point is they didn’t make any effort. In many cases, I’m just added to the list as they want to use up their package. It’s the equivalent of posting a family pic and message on FB. By all means send a photo card to people you are close to but not everyone who moves within your broader orbit.

So, when Peggy picks up a pack of stamped out Christmas cards, signs “Happy Holidays! See you in the New Year, xPeggy” that is superior? Why exactly? Unless someone sits down and actually writes a lot of detail in a card, the end result is about the same. Personally, I prefer seeing people’s creativity, and having done photo books, I know putting those cards together isn’t always quick. I’m always grateful to be remembered. So much better than the 50th Kohl’s flier in my mailbox.