Card writing for me only begins with Christmas and that being a single fixed date, it is manageable, especially since my list has shrunk considerably.
Then come the birthdays which are a far greater challenge. Almost everyone I send to was born in the first 4 months of the year.
The dates are carefully recorded, but birthdays are not like Christmas…
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For Christmas a couple of basic card choices suit the needs and they can be mailed as and when they get written.
Birthday cards require more thought and I try to mail them to arrive close to the date.
This means attention must be paid to any weekend or public holiday that may hold up mail delivery. Already this is more demanding!
Long ago, I gave up trying to purchase suitable birthday cards as the right image was inevitably ruined by a sappy sentiment within.
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Through the year, I collect nice blank cards, often thinking: “So and so will like this!” and by January, I am confident of having just the right card to suitably annotate.
Regrettably, when the time comes, I can never find them. How come?
It’s partly that they get buried by the many dozens of “free” cards sent to me each year from some charity or other.
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Mine come mostly from animal or environmental charities. Although they are supposed to be free, it is expected that you will send a donation by return.
Otherwise you get further communication inquiring whether or not you received the cards.
These days, it would not be possible to donate to so many causes and it just encourages them to send more cards, usually the same ones you already have several copies of.
Years ago, I decided I would send a token amount for any cards I actually used but I soon gave that up.
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I tried sending the cards back.
Tried to have myself removed from mailing lists.
Several times, I moved. They still come.
Throw them out? I try, but a nagging voice tells me that I will find a purpose for them, that it is so wasteful to discard them…
They get stuck in a drawer until one day it is full and won’t close, which prompts a frenzy of organising, of sorting…
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In the process I am likely to come upon those nice cards I actually purchased for particular people.
Quite often, if the birthday is near, I address the card and add my message then lay it aside for mailing closer to the day.
Only to forget, again.
I decided not to send any Christmas cards this year, for the first time ever. I sent a few emails to people who might have presumed I had died. I am also very selective with birthday cards, and only send around 5 a year. I used to send more, but at my age some of the recipients are no longer with us.
Like you, I store cards away. I also forget where they are, so end up buying replacements. Then I find the stored cards, usually the day after I have posted the new one I bought.
Best wishes, Pete.
Thank you, Carolyn, about your confession about lost or not sent cards Perhaps, you could send
one of your excellent photographs, with a nice message… In email, no need for the stamps!
Joanna
You should turn your photos into Christmas and birthday cards (and it seems to me I’m not the only one who thinks so). But of course that doesn’t solve your problem of the other ‘donated cards’ … but I’m just saying.