I am rubbish at Christmas cards.

Peppermint

This is the first year I have sent any at all.

I have just got one from the neighbour two doors down, last minute so to speak. But I have not sent her one.

Tell me what is the etiquette here. Should I quickly send her one back? It?s going to be obvious that I am just responding to her card. If I don?t send one would this be considered worse?

This same neighbour has also called round twice with the red poppy collection, both times I mumbled something and shut the door quickly JW style.

Personally on that score I still wouldn?t take part, but my actions seemed to be remote controlled by an inbuilt Watchtower instinct rather then coming from my own will.

One day I will explain all to my neighbour?and then she will think I?m really mad.

ballistic

One day I will explain all to my neighbour?and then she will think I?m really mad

WRONG!

When you explain it without barriers, to friends, even strangers, you have recovered from the cult. The floodgates opened for me 10 years after leaving.

Should I quickly send her one back?

Yes, they know you just wrote it, but it happens to everyone every year... just smile when you give it to them.

vitty

I bought a pack of 10 cards (just in case) from unicef they cost me about £8.50 ! I think I was done and I havent sent any!

Ill keep them till next year, I might have someone to send them to

talley

YES, YES, YES! You send the neighbor a card right back, maybe even walk over and put it in his/her mail box. Write a brief note on the card thanking them for sending you a card, something like, " Thank You for thinking of me this Holiday Season. Merry Christmas and wishing you and yours good health and happiness in the comming New Year."

Then you start making a Christmas Card List.

name & address of those who sent you cards

" " of those who you know would like to get a card from you, and maybe a special few you 'want to skick it to', hehehehe

I started sending out cards in '02, and for some reason had kept the envelopes from cards recieved in previous years, so I had a begining base.

Peppermine and vittvin, your list can begin with this season for next season.

Neighbor 2 doors down '04 (the '04 meaning you sent one, the underline/or circle around '04 means you got one from them

Widowed Uncle Joe '04 ( again, you sent one, but did not get one. Ok, he's a widower, cards are not a 'guy thing' and you think he would like to be remembered, so you send him a card, year after year.

As the years go by you can refine the list.

vitty

Talley

Didnt realize it was all so complicated

Have you had a nice xmas?

Evesapple

Your neighbor is obviously trying to reach out to you, it would be nice to acknowledge that and reciprocate in some way...maybe even bring over a bottle of wine and wish them a very Merry Christmas!

talley

Yes, vittvin, I have had/am having a wonderful Christmas, especially after being a WT Christmas Grinch for 35 years. So now I am really enjoying the Season, and it seems as if it is no 'chore' at all, but rather exciting fun.

I started sending cards in '02, at that time tacked the cards I got to the wooden mantel over the fireplace, and last year got out my mom's artifical 3 foot tree and put it on the coffee talble in front of the picture window and bought ornaments for it. This year I bought a string of 100 little lights for the tree - looks really good.

Hubby cought right on in '02 when he saw me make that Christmas Card List and then send them out. That year he surprised me with the computer. '03 was with the neat computer station that has a keyboard drawer wide enough to hold the keyboard, mouse pad, AND ashtray! This Christmas he had a BRAND NEW set of Goodyear tires put on my car, and gave me money to specifically buy a good winter jacket. This morning he opened his presents, and got a real kick out of it (mine were already on the car - goody, goody, goody!)

The 21st we went to a small gathering of Hubby's siblings and a few cousins to celebrate the Solstice. And Jan 1 we will gather with his sister again and her kids, grandkids, and one greatgrandchild.

It is really nice that his side of the family always includes us, as we have no children, and I am an only child, and all of my relatives are in Michigan or further away.

I have learned the secret of a Happy Holiday (after exiting the cult) is to approach it with a positive viewpoint and just 'let it happen' and enjoy it.

vittvin, tell me now about your Christmas, please.

talley/Judy

Swan

Oh, thank you so much for doing this thread! I have been dwelling on how badly I still suck at Christmas Cards. I was even thinking about making Christmas Cards part of my over all New Year's to get organized this coming year.

I attempted a few years back, but it didn't seem to work out. I'm not sure even how to do it right, so I don't tend to do it at all. I am never sure about who to send them to, how to get their address, if it is necessary to include some personal inscription, what are the best days of the season to mail them, etc. I wonder if they think I'm a complete moron for sending one when I haven't really kept in touch most of the year, or if maybe they think I'm a complete moron already for not having sent anything.

This year I was so pleasantly surprised how nicely Christmas Eve dinner came together, how well shopping for just the right gifts went, the baking of Christmas cookies, and how many carols I have now remembered the lyrics too. Every year I get better and better at it, but I still absolutely suck at those Christmas cards.

One idea I had was to get cards on the day after Christmas for next year, and then make up cards throughout the year as I interact with people. Then when Xmas season comes, they are all in a stack ready to go out in the mail. When? The day after Thanksgiving? Is that too soon? Or is the whole idea of doing cards through the year just totally absurd?

Tammy

Aude_Sapere

I've been sending cards to my customers at work for 2 years now. This year I sent to only about 3 friends.

Funny, for 12 years that I was a witness, one of my projects was organization the sending of about 3000 cards for my employer. Big project. We always shot to get our cards postmarked on December 1st.

I like Tally's info on 'how to' keep a list. I might try something like that. Just where to keep the list so I can find it next year??!!?!

As far as sending to someone that you have not spoken to all year... I think it's still great to send/receive a card from that distant friend/relative. This week I got a card from the wife of my cousin in upstate NY. I met her once, for about 2minutes, 13 years ago. I was touched. I may just send a reciprocal card this week with a short note of thanks!!

I want to send to family but after 35 years of no cards (and mother and sister are still witnesses) I don't feel comfortable about sending to family who may 'tattle' on me!!!

fairchild

Let me echo the above comments. By all means, send a card back to your neighbor. Even if christmas is over, you can still send a card with 'season's greetings'. Officially, one can send out christmas cards until the end of January. Once February rolls around, don't bother anymore, you would be considered out of your mind.

No, it won't look as if you wrote her a card just because she wrote you a card first. Many people send cards to other people they don't even expect will reply. When they do, it is generally considered a nice gesture rather than an act of obligation.

I am rubbish at Christmas cards.

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