Today is all about Christmas cards!
I don’t know about you, but every year, the number of Christmas cards I write gets less and less. And the number we receive gets less and less too.
A Christmas tradition that goes all the way back to 1843, I can remember sitting and writing them as a child to take into school and give to all my classmates. These days though, Christmas cards are far and few between. And the tradition of wishing someone a merry Christmas via Royal Mail has been replaced by funny eCards and text messages on Christmas Day.
And if I’m honest, I’m not surprised.
With so much to do to make Christmas happen, I totally understand why people are no longer so keen to send them. I mean, who has time to write out a list of who to send them to, buy the cards, write them, stick on the stamps and take them to a post box, right?! Writing ‘Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year‘ fifty times can be a very slow, boring and somewhat painful exercise! And as for the postage, that can end up costing way much more than the cards themselves!
It’s no wonder people are choosing to do something other than send Christmas cards – or to not send them at all.
To send or not to send Christmas cards…
Like so many of my friends, we’ve tried our fair share of Christmas card alternatives over the years. We’ve sent the animated eCard. We’ve donated to charity. And for the last two years, we’ve bought a pack of the Christmas cards my youngest designed at school and sent them to our closest friends and family.
This year though, I have to admit that I’m thinking of going back to sending Christmas cards the traditional way. Why? Because they’re personal. And there’s nothing quite like seeing a card land on your doormat that’s addressed to you in handwriting you recognise. That hardly ever happens any more – which I think is really sad!
With life being so busy, it’s just easier to type a quick message and hit send. But constantly choosing text over conversation can make us feel disconnected from the ones we love. And I think a personal note – like a Christmas card – can reignite and strengthen that connection.
You’ve got mail…
Last year, I sent hand-written cards to all of my closest friends for Send a Card to a Friend Day. Having moved from Sussex to Essex five years ago, the majority of my friends still live more than 100 miles away on the Sussex coast, and so it was a great excuse to say hey, let them know what they mean to me and tell them I miss them. And do you know what? They LOVED it!
I got so many messages from them all thanking me for the gesture. That it made them smile and that it was nice to know I was thinking of them. Two of them even sent me cards back! It was a lot of fun and even though I don’t get to see them all as often as I’d like, it definitely made me feel closer to them. Especially as I’m absolutely rubbish at replying to text messages – which every single one of them will tell you!
And that’s my main reason for wanting to send Christmas cards this year. To let my loved ones know what they mean to me – no matter how far away they are.
Now it’s your turn…what will you do?
Will you send Christmas cards or won’t you? That’s what today’s challenge is all about! It’s time to decide whether to send Christmas cards this year and if so, to start writing them!
Challenge #14: Decide whether you’ll send Christmas cards…
So, will you send Christmas cards this year?
Guess what? There’s no right or wrong answer to this! What you do is totally up to you. If you want to send Christmas cards, send them. And if you don’t, then don’t! Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing. If you like sending Christmas cards and adding a personal note or two – especially if they’re for friends and family you don’t see very often, then go for it! Equally, if it’s a Christmas task that totally bores you to tears and you simply don’t have time or really can’t be bothered, that’s fine too.
To send Christmas cards…
Want to send Christmas cards this year? Great! Ask yourself how you want to do them. Will you buy a few packs from the store or from a charity that’s close to your heart? Will you use an online site like Moonpig or Funky Pigeon to design your own? Or will you opt for the eCard option for those you know are online?
You could even add a little something extra inside the card to make it even more personal if you want to. Check out this list of unique things to send in Christmas cards from Holidappy…my favourite has to be including a favourite family recipe – how cool is that?!
However you decide to send your Christmas cards this year, make a list and get writing as soon as you can so that you have plenty of time to get them in the post. And don’t forget to tick off each person from your list once you’ve posted the card. This saves you from accidentally sending a card twice – which I may have done once or twice before…ooops!
Want to make and send your own Christmas cards this year?
Be sure to check out my Christmas Planning board on Pinterest. I have a whole section dedicated to handmade Christmas cards. Including this one…how clever and simple is this?!
To not send Christmas cards…
If sending Christmas cards this year isn’t your thing, that’s fine. Simply spend a few minutes deciding what you’ll do instead – if you do anything at all. And if you do decide to do something different, here are a few ideas you could try:
- Send Christmas postcards instead.
- Donate what you would have spent on cards and postage to charity.
- Donate to your local food bank.
- Contribute to a shoebox appeal.
- Donate food and blankets to your local pet shelter.
- Bake a Christmas cake and take it to your local hospice – I’m loving the Christmas cake ideas in this post.
- Bake Christmas cookies and take them to your local fire station – you’ll find some great Christmas cookie recipes in this post.
The Christmas newsletter…
Another great alternative to sending Christmas cards is to send a Christmas newsletter. A friend of ours does this every year but instead of it being from the adults, it’s from the kids!
Written from their point of view, they share the highlights of their year along with a few photos. We look forward to receiving it every year – it’s definitely one our favourite things to receive and it makes us feel like we’re still part of their lives, even though they live some 250 miles away!
So what will you do?
Will you send Christmas cards this year or not? It’s time to take action, decide and get writing if so!
That’s it for today! I’ll be back tomorrow with Challenge #15 of 30 Days to a Stress-Free Christmas challenge. In the meantime, have fun deciding whether you’ll send Christmas cards and if so, how you’ll do it. And don’t forget to check out the rest of the posts for this challenge if you haven’t done so already too!
- Day 1: Let’s Get Your Christmas Planning Started!
- Day 2: What Gifts to Buy?
- Day 3: Get Organised for Christmas.
- Day 4: Write Out Your Christmas Budget.
- Day 5: Take a Break and Have a Well-Earned Rest!
- Day 6: Declutter Your Child’s Bedroom.
- Day 7: Winter Prep Your House and Car.
- Day 8: Start a Packing List.
- Day 9: Do Your Christmas Decorations on a Budget.
- Day 10: Spend Money on Experiences Instead of Things.
- Day 11: Finalise Your Christmas Gift List.
- Day 12: Take a Break and Have a Well-Earned Rest!
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