Is the Christmas card tradition dying? Word is, many folks have made their list and checked it twice–paring it down to a minimum. One gal I know chooses personalized Christmas cards for a select number of people as opposed to a massive mailing of boxed cards. Some pare down their lists due to the expense of not only the cards, but the photos (if you include one) and the stamps. Others are too busy and some say they keep in such close contact with family and friends via email, that annual Christmas cards just aren’t really necessary anymore.
I’ll be the first to admit that the number of cards finding their way to my mailbox has certainly declined. Surprisingly enough, though, it isn’t the e-cards that are replacing them. According to Hallmark, e-cards are a more casual way of sending greetings and isn’t ordinarily the way people communicate during the holidays. Christmas is still the largest card-sending holiday in the States, with approximately 2 billion cards sent each year.
As an author, I send my readers a Holiday eNewsletter, but to intimate family members, friends and colleagues, I still send a snail-mail Christmas letter with photo. (No card, though) What about you? Do you still send out holiday cards? Has the way you sent them changed over the years? Are you still receiving them? Do you think the tradition is fading? Do you do anything in this regard for your readers?
I still send cards. I do a Christmas card exchange every year. Now it’s so easy - you can get some cute cards for like $3/box, print up the labels (I do this at work) and scribble a quick note or include a newsletter and you’re set. I love doing it, so to me, the cost of a stamps and buying the cards, as well as writing them out, doesn’t bother me.
I don’t expect to get a card back from every single person I send to - some people just don’t like sending out cards themselves,and that’s fine. Maybe I’m weird but it’s just a tradition I enjoy and don’t get upset if I don’t get a lot of cards in return. Not everyone is into it.
Happy holidays.
by Stacy ~ December 14th, 2007 at 7:48 amI used to send out cards. The last few years I’ve been up to my eyeballs in diapers and deadlines, and cards are one of the tasks that has fallen to the wayside. I think I may actually get some out this year, though! In time for New Year, anyway.
I do love the tradition, both getting cards and sending them.
by Charlene Teglia December 14th, 2007 at 8:23 amI love giving and recieving cards and I’ve already sent and recieved a load for this year. I choose them carefully and I also send e cards to people overseas. Cards bring a smile, make a change from bills and I love to get little notes and newsletters. I recycle all my cards by turning them into gift tags for next years parcels and the scraps go into the recycle box so I keep as green as I can. I try to buy charity cards too so that good causes also get a boost.
by Nell Dixon December 14th, 2007 at 9:38 amAs a business gal,
holiday cards are a networking must
and I’m happy to say that my list expands
with each passing year.
Nothing beats snail mail for that personal touch.
by Kimber Chin December 14th, 2007 at 9:43 am
Not here! Yesterday, I got cards from a Crunchy Critter friend in England and an author whose book I reviewed and threw a cyber-launch party for. It was great! I’ve got snowman cards for most people and Alaska cards for people way far away from me. 
by Kimber An December 14th, 2007 at 10:11 amI’m terrible about cards. Started, I think, when I married & felt I ought to send cards to my husband’s family. (He really wouldn’t bother.) But it’s a rather large family, and we don’t live near them, and my mother-in-law naturally tells him the family news, and he really isn’t bothered, so he doesn’t tell me. The potential for accidental offense is huge - if you send a card that shows you’re not aware of the latest divorce or - I swear, he never tells me - death, it looks worse than not sending at all.
But as well as that, I got a bit sick of cards in general, because my childrens’ primary school had a very kindly meant rule that if you sent a card to anyone, you had to send to the entire class - which meant that the house was coming down with cards every year. All seemed a bit meaningless.
So I tend only to send to my nearest and dearest, and feel horribly guilty about not sending to everyone else.
by Marianne McA December 14th, 2007 at 10:15 amI’m not much of a card person. I’ve never sent holiday cards out, but then neither do my parents. Maybe this is a family tradition kind of thing? We’re more the “host a big party” kind of people.
by Kalen Hughes December 14th, 2007 at 11:38 amNot a big card person. I don’t usually buy birthday cards either for anyone in my family.
by Vivi Anna December 14th, 2007 at 11:52 amI swear, if I were a historical heroine, I’d be terrible with my correspondences. It is such a drag for me to write out all the cards. I know that is a horrible ungrateful thing for me to say, but it is just one more thing that gets piled on my holiday shoulders, because I’m the one that does it all. The decorating, cooking, cleaning, preparing the house for guests, wrapping, cooking, etc. My hubby helps with the shopping because he knows I’d rather gouge my eyes out, but that is it.
I feel like the only reason I’m sending a card out at all is because someone sent one to me. It is like the ultimate holiday guilt trip. And then if those weren’t enough, I’ve got to do the rounds of thank yous for everyone who sent presents right after Christmas.
I’d rather be baking cookies.
by Chessie December 14th, 2007 at 12:03 pmWe do cards. I think there was a year I didn’t but I can’t remember why. I think we were moving. I’ve just finished sending out our photo cards - I might have a few more to go. The last few years, because our kids are so young, we’ve been doing photo cards that show how much the kids have grown and changed. Since most of our list are close friends and family they seem to appreciate being able to see these. I see them up on people’s fridges long after Christmas.
I love getting cards too. Real (snail) mail is always exciting!
by MG Braden December 14th, 2007 at 1:52 pmNot only do I send them — I make my own, sending out between 70 and 80 each year. Years when there has been a lot going on I’ve included a one-page newsletter, but usually I try to write a short personal note to people. I usually receive at least half as many back as I send, and look forward to catching up with family and old friends. I find e-cards to be impersonal. Downloading a card simply can’t compare to opening an envelope.
by Heather December 14th, 2007 at 2:38 pmI’ve spent years trying to pare down my Christmas card list with no success. Part of it is necessity - my husband has a list of people he feels should always get a card. Elderly relatives still do appreciate pix of my kids and even though they don’t send cards themselves, he feels it brightens their holidays. As much as I could do without it, I suppose I’ll always send cards at the holidays.
by Bernadette Gardner December 14th, 2007 at 3:23 pmActually I have my mailout here on my desk to be dropped off this afternoon. I send them to family and close friends, but also to the “business” friends I’ve made over the last few years. Even I don’t talk to them about anything but business, I think it’s still a nice personal touch to do something that isn’t business related. Christmas is a great time to do this. My list has been growing by two or three since every year since I started writing, and even though the postage is a pain, like was mentioned above, there’s just nothing like getting that personal card.
There’s nothing personal in an email card, especially if it’s for the family, and that’s how most of mine are meant. E-cards are nice, but not for me this time of year.
by Diana Castilleja December 14th, 2007 at 3:25 pmMy Christmas card list was up to about 100 the last time I sent cards, which was just family and friends. Some years I sent New Year’s cards when I didn’t have time to get them mailed before Christmas. I don’t do either anymore. I’m just too busy. Instead I try to do a better job of keeping in touch during the year. This way I can preserve my postage budget for book promotion.
Aside from a few readers who’ve become friends, I don’t send holiday greetings to readers. Postage is too much these days; and since (I feel) it’s tacky to put advertising on or in a Christmas card, I’d prefer to put those dollars into postage for promotion.
http://www.bettyegriffin.com
by Bettye Griffin December 14th, 2007 at 4:04 pmhttp://www.chew-the-fat-with-Bettye.blogspot.com
I’m intrigued that you think it is tacky to put “advertising” on or in a Christmas card. Can you be more specific about what you mean?
My eNewsletters to my readers are for promotional reasons, but I really am sincere when I am wishing them a Merry Christmas.
As far as my snail-mail letters/cards go, my family and friends love to hear my writing news, what’s coming up next and what I’m working on. In the past, I’ve included bookmarks in my letters simply because my friends and family seem to get a kick out of them. (Though I forgot to do it this year.)
Do you think this is tacky or self-serving? I hadn’t really thought of it in that light before because everybody on my Christmas list buys my books already, you know? So, it’s not like I was trying to drum up sales. Still, I’d hate to be offensive. That would be terrible! Comments anyone?
by Deeanne Gist December 14th, 2007 at 4:59 pmWe did receive quite a few less Chirstmas cards this year. I guess it’s not just me.
by Susan December 14th, 2007 at 8:06 pmI have a large family and many friends. I’ve already received almost thirty cards this year and many of them only have signatures inside. It seems without purpose and very expensive. I think I many for the first time ever skip them this year. I feel guilty thinking about it. Someone tell me it’s okay to not send them.
by Susan Kelley December 14th, 2007 at 11:45 pmI still send cards but like you I’ve noticed fewer cards arriving and I’ve sent fewer cards this year. Until I read this I thought maybe it was just me.
by Georgie Lee December 15th, 2007 at 2:14 amI do cards every year. Each member of both immediate families gets one, a few extended family, my friends. This year I went one better and sent homemade cookies to a few on my list. I don’t really know if the tradition is dying, but it seems like fewer people are taking a moment for the niceties any more.
by B.E. Sanderson December 15th, 2007 at 9:57 amI always do cards, but I’ve noticed fewer coming in from “casual” friends.
I did get two requests to move toward ecards next year for environmental reasons. I was struck by this, not having thought at all about cards/paper/delivery/gas, blah blah. Not sure how I feel about that.
I’m rather old fashioned, still send thank-you notes through the post office rather than writing emails, etc. Or my Victorian-raised grandmother would spin in her grave.
by Ciar Cullen December 15th, 2007 at 4:08 pmThis year I’ve sent out more than ever. But also this year I included a letter with pics about what was happening in my life.
I have to admit that I only really enjoy the cards that do come with/as photos or have a “newsletter” with them. The others, while nice, are quickly forgotten. I don’t feel “slighted” when a person doesn’t send a card. It can be quite expensive — my sister refrained this year because of the cost. I could see myself ending the card sending to people that I see quite frequently and still reserving the card to use as a reminder to those farhter away that they are in my thoughts.
by Shelly @ Bewitched December 15th, 2007 at 6:05 pmFunny. I was actually taking a break from working on my Christmas card list when I stumbled across your site. I enjoy sending and receiving cards. When they arrive with pictures and/or notes, hey, that’s even better. What I’m not particularly fond of is the traditional “Christmas letter.”
The one card I look forward to every year is from an eldery, slightly “screwy” uncle. For about the past nine to ten years, he’s sent me the exact same card for Christmas. I think he may possibly be working his way to the end of the box (LOL).
by Lori December 15th, 2007 at 6:57 pmI am one of those people who can’t get things together before Christmas. I am one of those people who show on Christmas Eve.
Thus, I have given up on Christmas cards and instead send the annual “Dunaway Happy New Year” letter. That way I have time to get it done over the holiday break.
Michele
by Michele Dunaway December 15th, 2007 at 9:08 pmUgh, I can’t type in December either. I meant shop, not show!
by Michele Dunaway December 15th, 2007 at 9:09 pmI still send cards…although I’ve noticed that they go out later and later every year!
by Ericka Scott December 17th, 2007 at 1:53 am[...] Romancing the Blog is also wondering if Christmas cards are a dying traditional, while Unclutterer suggests you can recycle Christmas cards by using some creativity. If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed! [...]
by Four (or Five!) Reasons Why » ….Christmas/Holiday Cards Makes No Sense December 19th, 2007 at 8:01 am