Thursday, 14 November 2013

Writing Christmas cards

I've been meaning to write this blog post for weeks but I kept putting it off (I see a new years resolution coming).  It's not that I don't want to write it, I've just been busy… I think!

Anyway anyway anyway.  This is a blog post about Christmas (that's Christmas by the way and not Xmas or Chrimbo.  It's always Christmas) cards, a sort of follow up to the Letter Writing post from last time.  I wrote an article for my local newspaper and I wanted to expand on here.



As December looms and with Halloween firmly behind us, there is only one word coming out of everyone lips, Christmas.  I still think it is a bit soon but needs must.  The cake must be baked, the presents bought and the cards written.   (Before I go on, if you haven't started yet, I want to congratulate you for not thinking about Christmas before December and then I want to say when December does present itself… RELAX! And actually that goes for everyone - just RELAX when it comes to all issues surrounding Christmas, it really doesn't matter)  There is a lot of anguish that surrounds Christmas card writing and I want to put a few things straight.  Firstly and I think most importantly, you don’t actually have to send them to everyone you’ve ever met.  You don't actually have to send them at all (and despite the picture above, it is not the sole responsibility/duty of the women/wife).  

One of my pet hates is getting a Christmas card with only ‘love from so and so’ on it.  No names, no message, not even a Happy Christmas.  No effort has gone in to it.  My other pet hate is Christmas card newsletters.  Nobody wants to hear how amazing you and your children are getting on.  I don’t know who these people are that send them because everyone I know cries when they receive them, and then burn them.

I want people to re-think the whole Christmas card debacle.  We need to go back to writing them like writing letters to friends we don’t often see.  We don’t need to send a Christmas card to someone we met once on holiday and haven’t spoken to since.  I also don't understand why people don't automatically buy charity Christmas cards rather than commercial ones from WHSmiths.  WHSmiths don't need your money they really don't.  Charities need your money.  It doesn't matter which charity, it can be a charity that rehouses curtains for all I care as long as it means something to you (if you have an argument as to why I should go to WHSmiths instead then please let me know).  Another option is to make them, especially so if you cut down list and don't have to make hundreds.


And finally... please, please don’t send cards just for the sake of it.  The whole of England, let alone the world is stuck in a Christmas card loop and it needs to stop.  Let’s all send cards because we want too, and because we want to spread the Christmas joy with those we love.  

Basically, you probably won't be getting a Christmas card from me!

Katie :)


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