Tuesday 8 December 2009

The whole card thing....

I wanna talk about Christmas - of course...every other blogger is, and I'm nothing if not a follower! Specifically though - the cards.....I enjoy the card making - of course I do. I still enjoy writing the cards and sending them, but each year I send less, for sure. There are without doubt, cards that will be received in this household from people that Miss Dunnit hasn't met in her sweet sixteen years. And there are cards that will read to 'Julia and Barry and family' as if we have so many children that they can't be named individually for fear of running out of room in the card. I'm thinking that really, it's probably time that these people stop sending us cards..if we haven't seen them for sixteen years, or they don't know the name of our only child, perhaps we aren't the friends we all think we are. Sounds really humbuggy doesn't it. Hold on though - it's going to get worse: I also think that at my age, it's OK for me now to whinge about the cards that come addressed to me as Julie. I'm not usually sensitive about people calling me Julie - it's a perfectly nice name and when people get it wrong I don't generally correct them unless it's important that my name should be used correctly - for my investiture or when I win a Pulitzer for example, I shall want 'Julia' on the paperwork. I just think if I know people well enough for them to know my postal address, they probably should know my name, huh! And worse again: Nor do I want to get cards with the bragging round-robin letter in it. A quick round-up if we haven't seen you for a while is very welcome, but I don't want a printed sheet of A4 listing the accomplishments of each child and the promotions of the parents. I figure if we're friends, we'll already know - and probably (hopefully)have celebrated with you. So. Perversley though, as if to counter all that - I love getting season's greetings through the post; I'm not a handmade snob, as long as the intention is genuine, there's nothing better than a posted card, and they certainly add a really nice touch to the christmassy decor of my home.
So if you get a card from me, it will have a couple of lines written in it, that's all. And if you don't get a card..it may be because I've forgotten the names of your children. But there's the other thing see...if I know you but not your family, I will only address the card to you, and I'll sign it from me. Not me and him and her. All this reveals lots about me I know: grumpy for a start, and - I may not have an OCD about tidy desks, but I have some strange issues, I do know. But this is therapy. I guess now you've read this far, you don't need me to say 'you don't have to read it'!!
I seem to have a thing for this snowman too - by Inkadinkado - just love him.

18 comments:

Jenny said...

Haha, I love it Julia, I'n with you all the way. Unfortunately I feel obliged to send an xmas card to everyone on our wedding guest list, hoping with years these will taper off a little but for the minute it's too fresh to get away with! x x

Ann said...

Just couldn't help laughing, JuliA, at the ever-cheerful snowman image next to your 'grumpy' ramblings!
Lovely cards as always. Both show that a lot of time and effort has gone into making each one.
I have one other grumble to add to yours - Does the size of the Christmas card sent reflect how much the sender thinks of you? If so, perhaps they should stop sending me cards 'cos I won't see the envelope slip through the letterbox if they get any smaller!!

Unknown said...

Oh Julie ... you do make me smile :0) I am the same about the name thing though ... what is the point of sending a card from John ... if they have never met him ... and why would I send to their hubbies or wifeys if I have n't met them either ... as for ... and family ... John's sister names the entire family ... including boyfriends etc., ... she is up to 8 names in each card ... that one always tempts me to add the dog too ... we have five children between us ... with girlfiends boyfriends etc., ... I would be there forever!!! So Bah humbug from me too :0)

Annie said...

Hehehe you do make me giggle Julia. My theory is I will only send cards to those who sent to me last year and maybe to the new friends I have made during the last year. So we all have our own little peculiar ways dn't we ?
A x

Twiglet said...

Don't encourage Wipso to discuss her own peculiar ways!!!! Glad you like our mice and yes it is a bit weird to have a box of mice parts isn't it.

Charlie said...

Thanks for visiting - consider me a member of the grumpy ladies club. I can totally relate to what you write. I get some of these "OH we met mr. so and so when we where "here and there" playing "this and that" because we are SOOO smart" A4 pages too - and can't be bothered reading them unless I actually know some of the people mentioned. Lovely card - using one of my favourite xmas papers.

Paige said...

each year my card list get smaller and smaller although i'm sure I meet and make plenty of friends through the year. I feel daft handing a card to someone I see everyday. "just give em a hug! and wish em a happy Chrimbo!!!" my cards go to those i love and don't see on a regular basis.

furrypig said...

I had to comment as your post made me smile! I have my own funny ideas about cards and I actually send a couple of cards to people I have never met as my hubby leaves ALL the cards to me! If I have not heard from someone for 2 Christmas's they get crossed off! I think you are great as I really long to cross some people off my list just because I never ever hear from them except at Christmas and think what's the point but then I like to know how they are!

Pam said...

Julia I'm a bit like Wipso if you didn't send me a card last year you're not on this years list (and no its not cause I'm a scot!). I also hate when people who know pefectly well what my childrens names are write "and family" and on the point of anmes one aunt always calls my daugher Hanna with no H on the end which really annoys her! The other thing that annoys me is the family members who send everyones cards in one envelope to the MIL - they know my address! The person that does this also doesn't bother to put the cards in individal envelopes; the card was no bigger than a postage stamp so what are they going to do with the extra envelopes they now have! Oh no I sound worse than you, I'm off to find some christmas cheer it must be hiding somewhere! Hugs Pam x

Pam said...

PS after that rant forgot to say love your snowman!!!

Sam said...

I remember that snowman!! As for my Christmas card list - I have a very select group of people and I don't think that my list has changed much in a few years!!

Kaz said...

Oh I'm as grumpy as over Christmas this year! I've made the cards and it's taken forever to write them because I HATE it!! It's the only contact I have with some people, so this year I have crossed some off the list and I don't care. Ha. Bah. Humbug.
See you tomorrow x

ally fiddy said...

I can sympathise with some of that. I get a card every year from someone I was friends with at school. Now I have been out of school longer than I was in it, and in all those years I've seen her once. I dont have her address anymore cos I know she's moved, and she never thinks to include her address so I could send a card back (if I was so inclined). Weird!
I do like the annual letter though, so long as its not too braggy :-)

Smudgemakes said...

I am with you all the way on this, Julia!You made me giggle! I too, do not like round robin letter! I figure if you can't be bothered to hand write the letter you are sending to me, but only hand writing my name in a space on a computer generated text, I would sooner not hear from you! Love the snowman, too!!

Unknown said...

Julia you are a tonic, I agree with your completely, I sent xmas cards to all my aunts and uncles, who have never seen my kids, and my youngest is 16 too, so I decided the other year that I would send Xmas cards only to people I see in the year......what a difference it made, I did feel guilty the 1st year, but now I am fine with it....love your card by the way. Hugs Avril xxxx

Liverpool Lou (Anne) said...

Hehehehehehehe I've never thought about it much, but I think I'm in agreement with you there Julia. I got a card from a forum 'friend' addressed to Annie yesterday - just saying you know ;) Lovely cards :)
Anne xx

Chrissie said...

Just dropping in to say 'Hi' to my telepathic friend. I was thinking along these lines last week while I was addressing my Christmas cards.
So, are you ready for my fiendish plan? OK! I've kept my Christmas card list and I shall cross off the names of people I receive a card from as they arrive. Any that don't send to me will be removed from the list never to be sent to again. There are just too many now, and you know how I hate making Christmas cards!
Unfortunately, today I've received a card from someone I haven't sent to (how does this always happen when I send hundreds?)
I'm not bothered about 'and family' or hubby being included, I suppose that's something then!

Fiona said...

JULIA - I'm with you on those Round Robin things - I hate them and actually bin them - my family and kids have also done things through the year but I don't think we need to brag about them! Maybe we should start a campaign for Christmas - BRR! Ban Round Robins! lol!