I appreciate cards when a personal, meaningful message is hand written.
When SIL (DH’s brother wife) sends a business type card addressed to my husband, I store it as an evidence of malevolence and continue with my life.

We have received one, and are just getting ready to send out 15.

I had skipped cards for the past few years but resurrected the tradition this year because our kids are getting older and I thought I should capture these years too. I also felt badly when I kept getting cards from family and friends even though we ourselves were not sending any.

I’m hoping people are addressing their cards this weekend and mailing them Monday…so we see a flurry of cards towards the end of next week. Fingers crossed!

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if this is regional. I live in Atlanta and mailed over 200 this week. We have already received about 40 (and it's still pretty early). The tradition seems to be alive and well here!

My friends who live in the south send gorgeous Christmas cards (typically not from mainstream/mass market vendors but smaller boutique vendors that use heavier card stock and don’t advertise a brand), and they tend to receive/display upwards of 100+ in their homes. I love seeing them! They are preserving a tradition and they do it so well.

Three years ago we had a terrible year and I skipped sending them. It was a relief not to put on a happy face and since then I haven't felt compelled to do it again, it's too hard. I used to send about 75 and get up to about 50 a year, but it's dwindling. This year I've received about 10. We keep pack them away with with our Christmas ornaments and it's nice to flip through them when we're decorating each season. I still love receiving them, even if it's a posed photo shoot I've already seen on social media. Time is fleeting.

I sent 150 and have received about half so far. Young-ish kids so most of our friends send them.

Received 5. Sent 3 - to elderly relatives not on SM.

I wonder if this is regional. I live in Atlanta and mailed over 200 this week. We have already received about 40 (and it's still pretty early). The tradition seems to be alive and well here!

Anonymous wrote:I send virtual cards.

Don’t even bother.

We sent about 60 and usually receive about half of that. We are in our 30s and our list consists of other young families with kids (they all send cards), some older family members (a few of them send cards), and then some single or childless couple friends (only one or two of them send cards).

I really love giving and receiving Christmas cards and I know quite a few people who feel the same. We display them on the mantle until the Christmas decor comes down.

I send just about 100 which is down from when my kids were smaller and more friends sent cards. I'd say it's an even split of family and friends. I get cards back from about 75% of them. I tweak the list every year so I'm only sending to people who reciprocate or express interest in the card we send them. It's expensive, but sending greetings is a big part of Christmas happiness for me.

All our cards get hung up for the season, and then ino a decorative box packed with the ornaments. When we decorate our tree, we flip through last year's cards. I save some in a memory box (close friends, particularly special ones, etc) but the rest get recycled that second year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to love sending and receiving them. Now I silently view them primarily as theatre. I open them and read them, and display them, but secretly find them cheesy as heck. Tiss the season!

Nothing wrong with theatre. It's an art form.

All social relationships and all culture is theater. That's what makes us humans and not animals. Embrace the theaters of our lives!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Received 1 from family sent 0. Not counting the one from my insurance agent.

Money's tough.
Times are hard.
Here's your F'ing Christmas card.

lol!😂

Anonymous wrote:Received 1 from family sent 0. Not counting the one from my insurance agent.

Same.