Do you send cards to family and friends for birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions? It seems many don't bother anymore, except perhaps for Christmas and birthdays. For a while, I'd get a lot of e-cards, but I don't really see many of those anymore. Most people I know don't use cards to acknowledge special occasions these days. I still mail cards to my family out of state, and a few here where I live. I used to buy at least one box of Christmas cards every year, and would receive many, but these days, I receive a few from close family members, and a few from business associates. I just mailed a few Easter cards, and will be buying mother's day cards soon. I still enjoy sending cards to let people know I'm thinking of them, and I enjoy finding cards in with the junk mail I receive from the postal service. Do you send cards? Did you ever?
I have a very bad habit of purchasing cards but never getting the card into the mail. I have good intentions but getting the stamp onto the card and to the post office just does not happen for in a timely manner and when I think about it later it seems too late to send the card.
I usually do send things if it's a special occasion and I'm not able to go and see the person myself. Many of my family and friends live several hours away so sending a card seems like a good idea and something that works well for those occasions if it's important. But generally otherwise I don't tend to because of the cost of postage - sending a card to every "close" member of my family, being from a large family, would cost me around $20 if it was just cards alone.
I do not send cards even for special occasions. I find that it is just easier to put it on social media or call the person to wish them a happy birthday or a happy holiday. I do not think it is worth the cost of the card and people usually just throw away the cards anyway. If I were to send a card, I would just make my own or have my children make it and send it out to the person.
I really miss those times when physical greeting cards were still the thing. I remember going to bookstores every time there was an occasion and I would spend a long time looking out for the best cards I could purchase for the special people in my life. Giving and receiving cards bring out a beautiful feeling of care and gratitude.
I feel the same @gracer. Nowadays, I don't typically purchase the more expensive cards, since my budget is low, but I still spend extra time reading through the cards, so I can find one that applies, rather than grabbing for the first one I see, which is how it seems some people select theirs. @cocolgooh Yes, it can get expensive if you buy for everyone. I've cut back significantly over the years on the number of cards I send, as well as the people I buy gifts for, since money is tight, but Dollar Tree has cute cards for either a dollar apiece or 2/$1, so I still like to buy for a few people. @Pat Does the mail get picked up where you live? Growing up, I lived in the city, and unless I was already going out, mailing cards was a hassle, but thankfully, now I can put them in the outgoing mail in the box and raise the flag, so the carrier knows to pick them up. It saves time and money, for sure.
I rarely send out greeting cards now and I don't send e-cards or social media. I always call and sing the birthday song or see what's happening during the seasonal holidays. If I should send out a card it is usually a thinking of you card or one of sympathy.
I send my immediate family birthday cards and Christmas cards, and send Christmas cards to some of my friends too. But, being honest, I think that cards are sent for such random occasions these days that they're no longer all that special. I don't send very many birthday cards at all because you can just say happy birthday to people on Facebook or something like that - so there's really no need to bother.
@Diane Lane It isn't just the cost of the cards themselves though, it's the cost of the postage for those cards that gets me. It ends up costing probably $20 for the cards and another $20 for the postage. Sometimes though admittedly I'll send one person multiple cards in the same envelope to hand deliver them for me which can cut down the cost a bit. I live several hours away from most of the people I know yet they mostly live in a couple of towns so it's easier to do it that way sometimes for me, especially if I know they'll be seeing each other.
I don't send e-cards and I don't know anyone else who sends them. They seem like something that went away with the old internet. It is much more thoughtful to send a real card. Now people send Facebook happy birthday messages and just post everything on your wall. I think that is just as bad as sending an e-card.
The mail is picked up put I still need to get the stamp on the envelop once I had a letter in the box flag raised and the mail person left it in the box so I still had the problem of getting the letter mailed.
Every year I send the family and friends and close business associates Christmas cards. I get my Mom a Mother's Day card and of course her birthday card. Dad left us in 2008 already. I'd send a thank you card every now and then if need to. I like sending cards and if I had more money I'd send for every occasion too.
I'm on a tight budget as well, which is why I'm glad I found the $1 and 2 for $1 cards at Dollar Tree, and the inexpensive ones (usually around $1) at Kroger. I was at Walmart the other day and noticed they actually have cards for .50c, which is really nice. Of course they're not as nice as the expensive cards, with all of the sparkles and thicker paper, but it's nice to find products in every price range.
My husband and I used to send cards religiously when we lived in England. We both have family dotted around the world, and that's a nice little touch for them to hear from us and know that we're thinking of them. But since we moved to Botswana, life's got in the way and we've scaled it right down to just Christmas cards now. I know it sounds a bit like an excuse, but we're just so inundated with work, we struggle to find the time. But the one thing I want to start doing is send them Botswana postcards at random times of the year, because they've proven quite a hit with some of my customers. It would appear postcards are making quite a comeback!
Thanks for the information and I'll check it out. We got a Walmart, but no dollar stores. Thanks again!
When I was younger I used to buy cards for my family but now I just give them gifts or even just small tokens. From time to time we'll send birthday cards to our relatives living overseas and we'll all sign it but that's about it. These days I think I'd much rather just spend the money on a snack instead. I know it's not a lot of money to buy a few cards but it's just not my thing and I'd prefer to just spend it on food and give them that instead since most my relatives are living close by and if they are far away I'll just cam with them online.
I really don't buy cards anymore. More often I wish friends and family who live a far away a happy birthday by writing on their Facebook wall. It' s cheaper and easier since Facebook will remind you when it's someone's birthday. When going to birthday parties for family and friends I will get my children to make a card rather than buy a card. I have a hard time justifying spending $3-5 on a card when my kids who are quite artistic can make one which is more meaningful to the recipient.
