Christmas Cards

[Sam Plusnet]

Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.

Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.

Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?

The cost of stamps goes up every year. The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.

And on that cheerful note...

[Jenny M Benson]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year.  The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

I have to confess that I (not "young folk" by any means!) even though my
beloved niece has a business selling Greetings Cards, Advent Calendars,
etc.(orchardcards.co.uk - I think there is an Umra who would recommend
her) I send e-cards almost exclusively. I do recommend
jacquielawson.com and the Advent Calendars are worth every penny of the
minimal sum charged.

[Serena Blanchflower]

Post by Jenny M Benson

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been
writing Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship
I ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone,
social media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year.  The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

I have to confess that I (not "young folk" by any means!) even though my
beloved niece has a business selling Greetings Cards, Advent Calendars,
etc.(orchardcards.co.uk - I think there is an Umra who would recommend
her) I send e-cards almost exclusively.  I do recommend
jacquielawson.com and the Advent Calendars are worth every penny of the
minimal sum charged.

Yes, I'd very much recommend them to anyone who, like me, still prefers
to send hard copy cards.

[Clive Arthur]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.

Till. HTH.

[Serena Blanchflower]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been
writing Christmas cards to friends & family.

Till.  HTH.

Surely, in this case it was an contraction of until and, therefore, 'til
was correct.

[Clive Arthur]

Post by Serena Blanchflower

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been
writing Christmas cards to friends & family.

Till.  HTH.

Surely, in this case it was an contraction of until and, therefore, 'til
was correct.

'hat's 'll 'ight 'hen.

Why contract /until/ instead of using /till/? Makes my blood boil.
Death is too good for them.

It does seem to be creeping in everywhere though.

[Sam Plusnet]

Why contract /until/ instead of using /till/?  Makes my blood boil.
Death is too good for them.

The Black Pudding's on Clive.

[BrritSki]

IN Clive ITYM

--

[Clive Arthur]

Post by BrritSki
IN Clive ITYM

Although the Grimms version I saw live (gawd knows where) ended with 'up
Margaret Thatcher'.

[BrritSki]

Post by Clive Arthur

Post by BrritSki
IN Clive ITYM

http://youtu.be/Ec-aRGp82Wo
Although the Grimms version I saw live (gawd knows where) ended with 'up
Margaret Thatcher'.

Ah, not the sense I was think of surprisingly, just that if your blood
was boiling, the black pudding was being made inside you...

[Kosmo]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year.  The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

The good lady wife sends a small number of cards each year. I
personally discontinued most of the cards when I retired. We still get
a small number from people to whom I used to send (two or three) but no
longer do.

[Kate B]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been
writing Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship
I ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone,
social media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year.  The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

The good lady wife sends a small number of cards each year.  I
personally discontinued most of the cards when I retired.  We still get
a small number from people to whom I used to send (two or three) but no
longer do.

I still send a lot of cards, most posted, some via email, a few via
Messenger or WhatsApp. Most of the friends I've made through the years
live a long way away from where I am now, and there are still quite a
few of Ralph's friends with whom I exchange news and greetings at
Christmas as well. Yes, it's a major expense, and yes I think it's worth
it. I've designed my own cards since I was about ten and I'm not going
to stop now! As for the writing, heaven knows whether it's legible - it
was ok last week when I began, this morning's cards - written in haste
to catch the last second-class post - may be a bit of a scribble...

[Chris]

Post by Kate B

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been
writing Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship
I ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone,
social media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year.  The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

The good lady wife sends a small number of cards each year.  I
personally discontinued most of the cards when I retired.  We still get
a small number from people to whom I used to send (two or three) but no
longer do.

I still send a lot of cards, most posted, some via email, a few via
Messenger or WhatsApp. Most of the friends I've made through the years
live a long way away from where I am now, and there are still quite a
few of Ralph's friends with whom I exchange news and greetings at
Christmas as well. Yes, it's a major expense, and yes I think it's worth
it. I've designed my own cards since I was about ten and I'm not going
to stop now! As for the writing, heaven knows whether it's legible - it
was ok last week when I began, this morning's cards - written in haste
to catch the last second-class post - may be a bit of a scribble...

:)

[v***@gmail.com]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?

I got a card from grandson, aged 8. They were told he is dyslexic and
this year's form teacher is apparently too, which is supposed to help.
I'm not sure he is. I used to diagnose and help dyslexics . I think he
prefers active things :) But the card is nice and he wrote it. I have
a card written to send back but we haven't been to a postbox since I
got stamps. Maybe today or tomorrow.

Post by Sam Plusnet
The cost of stamps goes up every year. The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by v***@gmail.com

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?

I got a card from grandson, aged 8. They were told he is dyslexic and
this year's form teacher is apparently too, which is supposed to help.
I'm not sure he is. I used to diagnose and help dyslexics . I think he
prefers active things :) But the card is nice and he wrote it. I have
a card written to send back but we haven't been to a postbox since I
got stamps. Maybe today or tomorrow.

Isn't/wasn't today the last (guaranteed) posting day for 2nd class post?

There have been years when all our cards were sent a few days after the
cut off, but if they arrived too late people were too polite to mention it.

[Jenny M Benson]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Isn't/wasn't today the last (guaranteed) posting day for 2nd class post?

I have to give full marks to the Post Office for delivering to-day
(Christmas Eve) an item that was purchased on eBay just 3 days ago.

In fact, I have dished out a lot of good marks in the past few days: a
dear little boy aged about 4 said "Excuse me! Can I pat your dog?" and
after he'd done so and we'd exchanged a few words his mother thanked me.
Then on Sunday I found a piece missing from a Swedish Christmas
ornament; e-mailed them immediately (in English!) and got a reply with
instructions the next day (including "Merry Christmas!") and
replacements (note the s) will be dispatched, postage free, for a total
cost of a little over £2. Then to-day there was a Christmas e-card from
jacquielawson.com - I sent thanks and asked that we have lots more
teddies in knickers - anyrat who had the JL Advent calendar this year
will know what I mean.

This morning I loaded a random selection of Christmas music and seconds
later Noddy Holder yelled "It's Chrismas!" so now my Christmas has truly
begun. (I never feel it's started until Noddy tells me so.)

[Joe Kerr]

Post by Jenny M Benson
This morning I loaded a random selection of Christmas music and seconds
later Noddy Holder yelled "It's Chrismas!" so now my Christmas has truly
begun.  (I never feel it's started until Noddy tells me so.)

Me too. That's what I missed when abroad. That, pork pies and black
puddings. Whatever the weather was like it didn't feel like Christmas
without Noddy.

[Nick Odell]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year. The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

It's tricky, I feel.

Despite the extortionate cost of postage (I'd swear the regular round
of increases weren't about service but about softening up the public
for the recently-announced takeover) I send physical cards. At a point
in time I sat down, filled my fountain pen and, however long or short
the message, for a few minutes I was thinking exclusively of the
recipient. If other people no longer send cards it can make it more
tricky sometimes to know whether they've died, moved away or moved on
from our relationship but absence of a card from them isn't in itself
a reason why I wouldn't want to send one.

The card might be the one time in the year I make contact. For
example, I no longer really have anything in common with the parents
of the child to whom my late wife was godmother but they are the
parents of the child to whom my late wife was godmother and I haven't
forgotten that. Sometimes I've had more interaction with a person over
the past year and I might send them a card out of the blue in
recognition and appreciation of that.

Each year there have been one or two crossed out names where I know a
person has fallen off their perch and gone to sing in the choir
invisible but what about someone I think _might_ have? Or are they
just sleeping? There was only one card I sent this year with an "if
undelivered, please return to.." message but - handwritten on the
back, doesn't that scream out the subtext "are you dead yet?" I really
don't know how to tackle those issues decently but as Sam said,
natural attrition reduces the number of such decisions to be made.

Nick

[Kate B]

Post by Nick Odell

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year. The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

It's tricky, I feel.
Despite the extortionate cost of postage (I'd swear the regular round
of increases weren't about service but about softening up the public
for the recently-announced takeover) I send physical cards. At a point
in time I sat down, filled my fountain pen and, however long or short
the message, for a few minutes I was thinking exclusively of the
recipient. If other people no longer send cards it can make it more
tricky sometimes to know whether they've died, moved away or moved on
from our relationship but absence of a card from them isn't in itself
a reason why I wouldn't want to send one.
The card might be the one time in the year I make contact. For
example, I no longer really have anything in common with the parents
of the child to whom my late wife was godmother but they are the
parents of the child to whom my late wife was godmother and I haven't
forgotten that. Sometimes I've had more interaction with a person over
the past year and I might send them a card out of the blue in
recognition and appreciation of that.
Each year there have been one or two crossed out names where I know a
person has fallen off their perch and gone to sing in the choir
invisible but what about someone I think _might_ have? Or are they
just sleeping? There was only one card I sent this year with an "if
undelivered, please return to.." message but - handwritten on the
back, doesn't that scream out the subtext "are you dead yet?" I really
don't know how to tackle those issues decently but as Sam said,
natural attrition reduces the number of such decisions to be made.

There are a few - especially among my late husband's old friends - whose
perch status I may be a bit doubtful about. I put my address on the back
of the envelope so that it can be returned if necessary. I don't think
that looks too obvious. Not really.

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by Kate B

Post by Nick Odell

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year.  The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

It's tricky, I feel.
Despite the extortionate cost of postage (I'd swear the regular round
of increases weren't about service but about softening up the public
for the recently-announced takeover) I send physical cards. At a point
in time I sat down, filled my fountain pen and, however long or short
the message, for a few minutes I was thinking exclusively of the
recipient. If other people no longer send cards it can make it more
tricky sometimes to know whether they've died, moved away or moved on
from our relationship but absence of a card from them isn't in itself
a reason why I wouldn't want to send one.
The card might be the one time in the year I make contact. For
example, I no longer really have anything in common with the parents
of the child to whom my late wife was godmother but they are the
parents of the child to whom my late wife was godmother and I haven't
forgotten that. Sometimes I've had more interaction with a person over
the past year and I might send them a card out of the blue in
recognition and appreciation of that.
Each year there have been one or two crossed out names where I know a
person has fallen off their perch and gone to sing in the choir
invisible but what about someone I think _might_ have? Or are they
just sleeping? There was only one card I sent this year with an "if
undelivered, please return to.." message but - handwritten on the
back, doesn't that scream out the subtext "are you dead yet?" I really
don't know how to tackle those issues decently but as Sam said,
natural attrition reduces the number of such decisions to be made.

There are a few - especially among my late husband's old friends - whose
perch status I may be a bit doubtful about. I put my address on the back
of the envelope so that it can be returned if necessary. I don't think
that looks too obvious. Not really.

We have one in particular falls into that category, the widow of an very
old friend who moved to Canada[1] many years ago.
This year brings the added problem that the Post Office refused to
accept the card for her.
This is due to the on going strike there. There are, apparently,
warehouses full of post destined for Canada which cannot be sent.

[1] To resolve the ambiguity, they both moved to Canada, and she wasn't
a widow then.

[Chris]

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by Kate B

Post by Nick Odell

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year.  The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

It's tricky, I feel.
Despite the extortionate cost of postage (I'd swear the regular round
of increases weren't about service but about softening up the public
for the recently-announced takeover) I send physical cards. At a point
in time I sat down, filled my fountain pen and, however long or short
the message, for a few minutes I was thinking exclusively of the
recipient. If other people no longer send cards it can make it more
tricky sometimes to know whether they've died, moved away or moved on
from our relationship but absence of a card from them isn't in itself
a reason why I wouldn't want to send one.
The card might be the one time in the year I make contact. For
example, I no longer really have anything in common with the parents
of the child to whom my late wife was godmother but they are the
parents of the child to whom my late wife was godmother and I haven't
forgotten that. Sometimes I've had more interaction with a person over
the past year and I might send them a card out of the blue in
recognition and appreciation of that.
Each year there have been one or two crossed out names where I know a
person has fallen off their perch and gone to sing in the choir
invisible but what about someone I think _might_ have? Or are they
just sleeping? There was only one card I sent this year with an "if
undelivered, please return to.." message but - handwritten on the
back, doesn't that scream out the subtext "are you dead yet?" I really
don't know how to tackle those issues decently but as Sam said,
natural attrition reduces the number of such decisions to be made.

There are a few - especially among my late husband's old friends - whose
perch status I may be a bit doubtful about. I put my address on the back
of the envelope so that it can be returned if necessary. I don't think
that looks too obvious. Not really.

We have one in particular falls into that category, the widow of an very
old friend who moved to Canada[1] many years ago.
This year brings the added problem that the Post Office refused to
accept the card for her.
This is due to the on going strike there. There are, apparently,
warehouses full of post destined for Canada which cannot be sent.
[1] To resolve the ambiguity, they both moved to Canada, and she wasn't
a widow then.

Then I’m glad I stopped sending one to Mike’s bro on account of cost!

Mrs McT

[Serena Blanchflower]

Post by Kate B
There are a few - especially among my late husband's old friends - whose
perch status I may be a bit doubtful about. I put my address on the back
of the envelope so that it can be returned if necessary. I don't think
that looks too obvious. Not really.

I do much the same. Some years I put my address on all the cards but
sometimes, for no particular reason, I only bother with those people who
I feel may have either fallen off their perch or flapped off to a new one.

A quarter century ago, when my mother came off her perch, my brothers
and I were particularly careful about making sure all her friends and
family heard the news, as we hated the idea of having to deal with a
pile of Christmas cards, it was approaching that time of year, from
people who hadn't heard the news. When we arrived at her house, a few
days after Christmas, there were three cards there. Two were from close
neighbours who had managed to avoid hearing the news. The third was
from a couple we had never heard of (my best guess is that they were
people Mum had met on holiday and kept in touch with) and I was very
grateful that they had included a return address, so I could write to
them to tell them the news.

[Sam Plusnet]

Post by Nick Odell

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year. The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

It's tricky, I feel.
Despite the extortionate cost of postage (I'd swear the regular round
of increases weren't about service but about softening up the public
for the recently-announced takeover) I send physical cards. At a point
in time I sat down, filled my fountain pen and, however long or short
the message, for a few minutes I was thinking exclusively of the
recipient. If other people no longer send cards it can make it more
tricky sometimes to know whether they've died, moved away or moved on
from our relationship but absence of a card from them isn't in itself
a reason why I wouldn't want to send one.

<reluctant snip>

I find it very hard to write messages in Christmas cards.
In a letter, I can prattle on for a few pages of inconsequential
nonsense about what we have been doing and the like, but the confined
space in a card seems to make the muse dry up.

[Nick Odell]

Post by Sam Plusnet

Post by Nick Odell

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year. The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

It's tricky, I feel.
Despite the extortionate cost of postage (I'd swear the regular round
of increases weren't about service but about softening up the public
for the recently-announced takeover) I send physical cards. At a point
in time I sat down, filled my fountain pen and, however long or short
the message, for a few minutes I was thinking exclusively of the
recipient. If other people no longer send cards it can make it more
tricky sometimes to know whether they've died, moved away or moved on
from our relationship but absence of a card from them isn't in itself
a reason why I wouldn't want to send one.

<reluctant snip>
I find it very hard to write messages in Christmas cards.
In a letter, I can prattle on for a few pages of inconsequential
nonsense about what we have been doing and the like, but the confined
space in a card seems to make the muse dry up.

When I say in a card, I may mean in a card envelope (not a card
envelope). Some - most people - I can precis what I want to say in the
blank space opposite the greeting but for others I will enclose a
letter written on actual sheets of paper.

For example, this year I wanted to enquire about the perchiness or
otherwise of a common friend. I smuggled that enquiry into a two-page
letter about general things. The five-page letter I wrote went to
someone I've known since the sixties and been corresponding with since
the seventies and five pages seemed hardly long enough.

Nick

[Chris]

Post by Nick Odell

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year. The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

It's tricky, I feel.
Despite the extortionate cost of postage (I'd swear the regular round
of increases weren't about service but about softening up the public
for the recently-announced takeover) I send physical cards. At a point
in time I sat down, filled my fountain pen and, however long or short
the message, for a few minutes I was thinking exclusively of the
recipient. If other people no longer send cards it can make it more
tricky sometimes to know whether they've died, moved away or moved on
from our relationship but absence of a card from them isn't in itself
a reason why I wouldn't want to send one.
The card might be the one time in the year I make contact. For
example, I no longer really have anything in common with the parents
of the child to whom my late wife was godmother but they are the
parents of the child to whom my late wife was godmother and I haven't
forgotten that. Sometimes I've had more interaction with a person over
the past year and I might send them a card out of the blue in
recognition and appreciation of that.
Each year there have been one or two crossed out names where I know a
person has fallen off their perch and gone to sing in the choir
invisible but what about someone I think _might_ have? Or are they
just sleeping? There was only one card I sent this year with an "if
undelivered, please return to.." message but - handwritten on the
back, doesn't that scream out the subtext "are you dead yet?" I really
don't know how to tackle those issues decently but as Sam said,
natural attrition reduces the number of such decisions to be made.
Nick

I will write our address on cards of elderly friends where I don’t know
anyone else. If they’re unable to read and a stranger reads it to them, I
hope there’s a discussion - but knowing few professionals have the luxury,
it’s unlikely. Cards do get sent back when people have moved etc still.
Oh, and I also put our surname or shortform of for very elderly people.
Our names are too common.

Mrs McT

[Chris J Dixon]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year. The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

My card list is slowly shrinking, partly due to natural causes,
but I also have a flexible guideline that if I don't have an
incoming card for a couple of years, then I am very likely to
delete that recipient.

These days we divide the task, so BOFE does the legible writing,
and I stick on the address labels and lick (where necessary, it
is not a "thing")) the envelope.

Chris

[Rosie Mitchell]

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year.  The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

The advice I've heard is, if you have 100 or more cards to send, is to
book a discount return flight to Nuremburg, take all your cards with you
to post them from there, and enjoy one of the better Christmas markets¹
while you're there. (I don't know about your local one but those in both
Edinburgh and Glasgow are even more dismal than usual this year)

Rosie

¹ I've heard good things about those in Hannover and Dresden too but my
knowledge is limited. You may be better informed about these things.

[Chris]

Post by Rosie Mitchell

Post by Sam Plusnet
Having put it off 'til the last moment (as usual), we have been writing
Christmas cards to friends & family.
Writing greetings in those cards is the biggest exercise in penmanship I
ever get - and it shows, I now mostly print in block capitals, since
even I struggle to read my handwriting.
Do 'young folk' still send Christmas cards? Or do they do phone, social
media, texts etc. instead?
The cost of stamps goes up every year.  The only reason we aren't
bankrupt by now is that our list of 'cards to be sent' grows shorter.
And on that cheerful note...

The advice I've heard is, if you have 100 or more cards to send, is to
book a discount return flight to Nuremburg, take all your cards with you
to post them from there, and enjoy one of the better Christmas markets¹
while you're there. (I don't know about your local one but those in both
Edinburgh and Glasgow are even more dismal than usual this year)
Rosie
¹ I've heard good things about those in Hannover and Dresden too but my
knowledge is limited. You may be better informed about these things.

On You and yawn the other day on a phone in, we heard someone say they were
visiting India and taking their neighbours’ cards. At 39p a card it would
have been rude not to. Presumably this is airmail price.

Mrs McT