Anonymous wrote:We do New Years cards. Photos of the kids.

Ugh, the New Year’s/Valentine’s Family Ads are the worst. Now you really couldn’t make the effort, AND you had to be super special. You’re Not Like Other Families!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No. Years ago I realized how stressful the holidays had become because of all these types of tasks. I removed everything nonessential to my family enjoying the holiday and it got much better.

Truth be told, I don’t even look at the ones I get. They’re about as interesting as junk mail to me.

Yikes, I would hate if someone actually viewed my family’s Christmas card as interesting as “junk mail.” 😟

NP. If you hand write even “Happy Holidays from the Jacksons,” it’s not junk mail to me. If you don’t and it went straight from Minted to my mailbox, it’s a Family Ad and is meaningless to me.

I love sending them. It’s one of our holiday traditions. The weekend after Thanksgiving, we decorate the tree, put on Christmas music, have some Christmas cookies baking, and the family pitches in to sign, stamp, and address the cards. We bring up memories we have of our friends and family, wonder how everyone is doing… and it gets done in an hour. It’s just the best!

Anonymous wrote:Why do people think others want a photo of them? A bit arrogant, isn’t it?

Some people actually have friends. I smile every time I open a card.

Anonymous wrote:My weird hang up is when the photo is from the beach. I get you were all looking tanned and pretty, but it isn’t Christmas-y. So now your card isn’t a holiday greeting as much as it’s a gratuitous glamor shot.

Ha! This is the first year we're doing this. It's the only good picture I have of all of us.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The only thing I dislike are when people send the yearly letter to everyone. If I get these I don't even read them. They're supposed to make the card more personal but it has the opposite effect--either write something specific to each person or leave it alone. And the letters are always too long and cringeworthy.

I love the letters! Especially when they’re funny.

NP but the letters I get are not funny. Or they may have a small funny part to cushion the previous line like ‘John got a promotion at work this year’. It’s truly unnecessary.

We send, with photos of the entire family, including the dog, and a lengthy letter. We also receive many, and the amount has definitely dwindled over the past few years. And, we're still doing it! And, I love receiving the cards and seeing what people are up to

My weird hang up is when the photo is from the beach. I get you were all looking tanned and pretty, but it isn’t Christmas-y. So now your card isn’t a holiday greeting as much as it’s a gratuitous glamor shot.

It's all about keeping the traditions you actually enjoy. I enjoy sending and receiving them. Unfortunately, the traditions I don't enjoy involve dealing with mean relatives so there has been backlash as we have stepped back, but we prefer peace and joy so there is that.

Anonymous wrote:This is the first holiday season in 19 years that we are not sending out photo cards. I have such mixed emotions! On one hand, it is like this major deadline has been lifted and it really is so freeing, never mind the cost that we are not spending (had been sending out a lot of cards). But then as holiday greetings start coming in, I do feel a little pang ...

That pang goes away after a couple of years. I enjoyed the creative process but some recipients were creating unintended drama (like if I sent one per address but another adult at the same address felt slighted and wanted their own, some distant in law was hurt I didn't do things a certain way) and some made snide remarks. The multitude we got started to dwindle with divorces and not updating addresses. I think most people just threw in the towel and only some strongholds remain.

I am in my mid 30s, live in a NYC suburb and have 2 young children and yes, this is very much a thing here and now. Everyone gets professional family photos taken, and we send out (and receive) ~150 each year: all of our extended family members, old friends (HS + College + Grad school) and friends/neighbors in our area. I love it!

Yes I send them and I LOVE receiving them. DH and I both have large and close extended families and friends we’ve made through the years. That said, I’ve culled my list considerably in recent years. For the most part anyone who doesn’t send now doesn’t receive. I do send a few “unreciprocated” ones to a few people who I know enjoy them but for whatever reason can/do not send their own. All told I limit myself to 100 which is down from 150 a few years ago.

I live across the country from my family and we still exchange cards. We don’t get together for the holidays.

I have trimmed my list from around 96 in 2020 to 26 in 2023.

Anonymous wrote:Why do people think others want a photo of them? A bit arrogant, isn’t it?

It seems to be a tradition among many families here in DMV. It was not as common in other countries where we lived but not sure about other parts of US.

I grew to really appreciate receiving holiday cards with family photos from throughout the year. So we try to reciprocate when I remember in time.

Anonymous wrote:The only thing I dislike are when people send the yearly letter to everyone. If I get these I don't even read them. They're supposed to make the card more personal but it has the opposite effect--either write something specific to each person or leave it alone. And the letters are always too long and cringeworthy.

I love the letters! Especially when they’re funny.