Christmas cards - what do you think?

Every year I get half a ton of Christmas cards, that are simply plucked off the shelf, a quick "Love, Uncle Joe and Aunt Tina" scribbled on the bottom and sent out.

I appreciate that everyone has thought to add me to their send list, and this year decided to send out cards of my own. The first one to my parents, so I scribbled my "Love, Sarah and Luke" at the bottom, but, I just don't feel like I can send it out so impersonally. I know so many people who, soon as boxing day rolls around, just toss all their cards they recieved. And, I mean, why not? Its just a mass produced piece of paper with a signature inside.

Do you send out cards? Do you like the ones you recieve?

Also, since I'm certainly going to add something, if you are a person who writes stuff more than a signature in a card: what type of things do you write?

Appreciate your input!

I always make my own cards for my parents (and 1 friend who appreciates that sort of thing..) Even if they are crappy looking, my parents love them just because *I* did it! Get some plain or colored paper, fold in 4 (or cut it down to whatever size you want) and think of something nice to say that you actually MEAN concerning the occasion. Write it in nice marker or whatever. Usually I like to decorate the card with simple drawings and/or designs, but if you aren't artistically inclined you can still cut out pictures from magazines or some place to paste on there. I think my cards are the only ones they actually "keep".

And for myself; unless the card has a long message or something, they get thrown away. The effort is nice but I think a phone call could have said exactly the same thing and been more enjoyable for both giver and reciever.. 

I don't personally send out cards just because it has never really been something that my family did a lot of and honestly I just don't have the time to do it. But I do love getting them because even if they just have names scribbled at the bottom, it makes me feel like they at least made the time to do that much just to let me know that they were thinking about me! I really like the ones that you can get from the photo center at target, walgreens, etc. that have a picture of the people who are sending it because you get to see them even if they live far away - I still have one on my fridge that my brother and sister-in-law sent last year with a picture of them and their dogs (a.k.a. my nieces).

Hi Sarah.  I don't send out many cards but I always try to include something special in each card.   Last year, I inserted a copy of "Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus".  In past years, I have put copies of a favourite recipe - the year my mother died, everyone got a copy of her famous Christmas Pudding recipe.  I haven't quite decided what will go in the cards this year but I'm thinking about it.  A nice poem, quote, short story - anything that you think the person would appreciate - can be enclosed with the card. 

as an idea of what to do with the cards, send out ones with smaller graphics or ones you can cut into smaller graphics. then tell them to save the cards for next year. they can cut it out, punch a hole and use the blank side for gift tags to tie onto presents instead of buying them.

I don't send out cards for Christmas or the holidays, but rather the season, and buying cards that aren't holiday-related what-so-ever is not an easy task.

So I make 'em.  I whip out my construction paper, pretty scissors, and my mighty glue stick and I make cards.  And because I'm really anal about them and a perfectionist to the core, I have to start in October to ensure the majority of them are done by December.

I could send the darned things blank and people wouldn't care.  They see the effort that goes into the cards.

Something I did when I lived with my parents and we'd all send out Christmas cards was type out a little letter to include in the cards about what happened throughout the year, along with letters-to-Santa from the younger buggers of the family. 

And after the holidays ended I kept the cards that people didn't write on the back of the graphics side, cut off the other side, and kept them for post cards the next year.  Some of my family got a kick getting their Christmas card back as a post card a year later.

I also feel that way that it seems impersonal. I start with Happy Holiday cards.  Then if I know that persons specific holiday I can personalize with it before signing.  Also I like to include an inside note - usually just a line - that recognizes this is not a comment I could hand stamp inside each card. 

EXAMPLE: Happy Hanukkah - hope Sarah can be home to share it with you.

Something that identifies them as a personal note.

BTW Cellulite Ive heard of after holidays cutting the card in half, using the front as a holiday postcard. 

Ive a few of those free standing lucite frames that I like to insert the most favorite fronts of cards in.