Greeting cards

[frugalnacho]

I think the whole industry is an unnecessary expense.  I've always hated the the entire idea.  Every time i've ever gotten a store bought greeting card all I can think is "You actually wasted money on this? Why didn't you just give me the $4 instead?".  I've been against the purchase of greeting cards for almost any occasion my entire life.  I often get over ridden by my wife when she decides we just have to waste money on a card because other people like it and it's "just what you do". 

The last get together we had was father's day, and there were about 15 cards exchanged in total.  The average cost was about $4/card, so in total our family spent $60 to pass father's day cards around our backyard.   That is fucking nuts!!!!  We all made plans to get together in one location, and spend the day together, and all contribute food so we could all hang out together.  WTF did we need the cards for?  Everyone already appreciates everyone else as evident by us spending the day together in the first place. 

I told my wife I want out.  I am done with the greeting card industry in it's entirety.  Never again will I waste my money by giving it to the bloated greeting card industry. 

I just felt like ranting about greeting cards since I hate the whole system so much.  Anyone else feel like me?

 

[Frugal Father]

For my wife and I, we've found a bit of a middle ground. We buy a package of blank cards and use those whenever we want to send a card to someone. Much cheaper, but others still feel appreciated.

[Frankies Girl]

I loathe them, and put a stop to them in my life as far as I could over a decade ago. My husband and I will still send them to our mothers on special occasions (they're both old school), but we don't exchange them at all for each other.

I find them lazy and a stupid waste of money. I'd rather have a 10 minute phone call than a sappy/generic "sentiment" some stranger wrote for the masses.

[frugalnacho]

I printed a free generic card for my father and grandfather on the wifes side.  They seemed to appreciate them, but who knows for sure.  All I know is I saved $8 and a trip to the store by just printing them myself.

[Fonzico]

I am very much with you! I have been anti-greeting card for many a year, and generally do not bother with them. I simple "that one is from us" solves any birthday party confusion, and who wants to actually deal with what to do with them after? Either you feel bad throwing them away, have to waste space displaying them (yes, I know people who actually do this) or store them somewhere. All terrible options.

I do have a couple exceptions though. Both my mother and my MIL receive them for their birthdays and mother's day, because they actually really like receiving cards. I don't know anyone else who does. I also usually buy one for weddings - I often give cash, and rarely attend gift openings, so it actually serves a purpose. That's it though.

[CommonCents]

Make your own.  That's what my mom has started doing and it's fun to see the cards she creates (she likes scrapbooking).  She lives 2 hrs away and likes to send holiday (e.g. Halloween, Thanksgiving etc) /birthday cards to let us know she's thinking of us.

And negotiate with her to cut back on the instances you give.  I only give for showers (it apparently is obligatory to ooh and awe over, and identify the giver) and weddings, depending (if giving the gift actually at the wedding it's pretty much a necessity to identify the gift).

Either you feel bad throwing them away, have to waste space displaying them (yes, I know people who actually do this) or store them somewhere. All terrible options.

I display for a time period on the mantle then toss.  Not sure why that's such a bad thing - it's a revolving art/sentiments, never more than ~3 on there at a time.

[tanguera]

I recently discovered that a local dollar store has perfectly nice cards for $.5 - $1 each. Also, TJ Maxx and Marshalls usually have 10 packs of thank you cards and blank cards for a couple of bucks each. I don't send that many cards, but there are people in my life who value receiving them.

I'm not at all crafty but if I ever get far more organized than I am currently I've thought that a cheap way to make really nice cards would be to print a whole bunch of nature photographs at $.10 or less a piece and glue them to some card stock.

[lexie2000]

Dollar Tree has greeting cards for $.50/ea. all the time.  There is a decent variety for every occasion.  Last week I attended a double baby shower.  I paid $3 for (2) baby greeting cards and (2) baby gift bags.  They weren't Hallmark or American Greetings, but every bit as nice and for a small fraction of the cost.

I also have a 99 Cent Store in my town and greeting cards there are $1/ea., but I never buy them there.   

[Fonzico]

I display for a time period on the mantle then toss.  Not sure why that's such a bad thing - it's a revolving art/sentiments, never more than ~3 on there at a time.

It's not, really, especially if it's just a couple at a time. I've been known to put particularly cute ones up on my fridge. I've seen them create a great deal of clutter for some people though, which I guess was what I was thinking of when I wrote that. But you're still left with the dilemma of what to do with them once they're out of rotation - not that it matters in the slightest, but I'm curious - do you toss, or store?

[frugalnacho]

I recently discovered that a local dollar store has perfectly nice cards for $.5 - $1 each. Also, TJ Maxx and Marshalls usually have 10 packs of thank you cards and blank cards for a couple of bucks each. I don't send that many cards, but there are people in my life who value receiving them.

I'm not at all crafty but if I ever get far more organized than I am currently I've thought that a cheap way to make really nice cards would be to print a whole bunch of nature photographs at $.10 or less a piece and glue them to some card stock.

I wonder how my family would react to getting the same generic card from a multipack every time...

I think we should just do away with the practice altogether.  Cut the whole greeting card industry out and put that money towards something useful.

[CommonCents]

I display for a time period on the mantle then toss.  Not sure why that's such a bad thing - it's a revolving art/sentiments, never more than ~3 on there at a time.

It's not, really, especially if it's just a couple at a time. I've been known to put particularly cute ones up on my fridge. I've seen them create a great deal of clutter for some people though, which I guess was what I was thinking of when I wrote that. But you're still left with the dilemma of what to do with them once they're out of rotation - not that it matters in the slightest, but I'm curious - do you toss, or store?

I toss the vast majority and save only a few special ones.  Off the top of my head: I saved all of the wedding cards and first anniversary cards we received.  I saved the birthday card the post office delivered from my sister two years late (yes really! Sent my 1999, delived 2001).  I saved a particularly sentimental card from my sister a bit ago.  Saved some from my deceased grandparents.  I try to go through it every once in a while (aka every move).  Recently did that and came across two 1999 wedding invitations from my sister, I presume because I had asked for an extra one.  She was thrilled to get one back for scrapbooking.

All of the Christmas cards from friends get tossed about two months after the holiday when I realize they are still up there.  I only save the ones from my immediate family (brother doesn't send any, so I save my mom's annual letter in a special notebook for it, and my sister's annual letter & photo card w/my nephew).

[Worsted Skeins]

Frankly I don't require someone else to write my sentiments.  But I do like writing notes and letters the old fashioned way via snail mail.

I have note cards, stationery, vintage post cards purchased at yard sales.  When an occasion comes along, I pull out a card and send best wishes or whatever. 

And I really don't like some of the electronic cards I receive.  Sign name here.  There is no original sentiment given.

The worst are sympathy cards.  After my Mom died, we had a mailbox full of generic cards.  I wish that people would have told me in a note of their favorite memory of my Mom or just wished us peace. 

[tanhanivar]

Every so often I fold half a dozen pieces of A5 art paper and paint cheerful birds in gold paint on the front, for diverse occasions. They look fancy and cost very little. But I always run out.

I need to have another card-and-calendar painting evening soon - I think I'm only up to August.

[starbuck]

I have note cards, stationery, vintage post cards purchased at yard sales.  When an occasion comes along, I pull out a card and send best wishes or whatever. 

Amen! This is what I do. Handwritten notes are the best, and mean the most. My MIL is VERY VERY into giving Hallmark cards, but never actually writes anything personal in them. And OMG some of those things cost + $6!

It's important to her to receive cards too, but she's always enjoyed the handmade ones from me and my husband. I think 'cards' serve a purpose when giving cash gifts too, like for my niece's graduation gift. I included a personal note along with a check for her. Just handing her a check would have felt weird and impersonal... :) Hopefully she appreciated the words that went along with the dose of college money!

[ThriftyD]

I put greeting cards in the same category I put all other Hallmark holiday or "special occasion" junk that they tell us we NEED to buy in order to wish anyone a happy/merry/congrats/sorry about/thank you/whatever!  It's all just extra crap that people feel they need to buy along with the other crap they feel they need to buy to show their affection and appreciation.

Oh...throw wrapping paper and decorative gift bags in this heap of frilly waste too! haha

[Mrs. Frugalwoods]

So glad to rant about this too! Hate greeting cards! Though I do love celebrating with family, so I usually write or type up a message and print it out. My mom and mom-in-law both love cards (they save them and re-read them, it's very sweet), so I do as others here have mentioned and get blank cheap cards. Also, my Aunt recently started painting and sent me a huge packet of blank cards that she had printed up with her paintings. They are mostly fairly, um, bad still life paintings, but they get the job done. Sent my father-in-law a still life of bananas for father's day. My dad got a view of a lake (might have been the ocean?). Moms got strawberries and grapes for mother's day :).

ThriftyD, I agree on wrapping paper & gift bags! I salvaged three perfectly good rolls of wrapping paper from the side of the road the other day. I'm always amazed at what people throw out! This does mean we'll be having a "happy birthday"-wrapped Christmas this year :)

[Emilyngh]

We make our own.

I get packages of 8-10 cards from the dollar store, dollar section of target, or dollar section of Michael's and stamps and stickers from the same places that I pickup whenever I see ones I like.   Every time an occasion arises, we can choose a card from the drawer and appropriate stamp/sticker ("Happy Birthday," etc), add glitter if feeling very fancy, and we're ready to go for definitely less than .25 ea. 
 
There's also the extra bonus that I don't have to think to go out and pickup a card when needed, just have to think of it in time to pull from the drawer, stamp/write on, and mail (or give in person).   Triple extra bonus that helping to decorate cards is an entertaining activity to occupy our three year old and adds to the cards' cute factor (or so I'll continue telling myself).

I too ultimately, would prefer to go completely no card.   But, we're transitioning from presents to our siblings and parents on bdays to just cards, so at least we're using them to move away from so many presents.   As much as I think a phone call should work, some of our family would be very bothered by not "at least" getting something tangible on their birthday.

[Mr. Frugalwoods]

ThriftyD, I agree on wrapping paper & gift bags! I salvaged three perfectly good rolls of wrapping paper from the side of the road the other day. I'm always amazed at what people throw out! This does mean we'll be having a "happy birthday"-wrapped Christmas this year :)

That's my wife!

Seriously, she's the master of investigating piles of stuff next to the road.  It's really nice wrapping paper too!

[ThriftyD]

ThriftyD, I agree on wrapping paper & gift bags! I salvaged three perfectly good rolls of wrapping paper from the side of the road the other day. I'm always amazed at what people throw out! This does mean we'll be having a "happy birthday"-wrapped Christmas this year :)

Ha Mrs. Frugalwoods.  Absolutely!  I can't believe people throw perfectly good stuff out.  I salvaged a window box fan from the dumpster just the other day and it works like a gem! 

Anyway, yes, I use and re-use gift bags that family insists on giving me.  And when I do buy someone a gift and give them the reused gift bags, I'll quietly look to see if they're planning on throwing that bag out.  If so, I'll just take it back and re-use it at some point again in the future.  I'm sure the same Happy Birthday bag has been passed around to various members of the family for the past 5 years or so! 

[iris lily]

My banker sent me a card that retailed for $7.99 and it played Musak, this was for my 60th birthday. I've got a lot of money with that banker.  :) 

Me OTOH, I never send cards for birthdays. I do send many thank you cards, but I like to write those and not purchase a Hallmark commercial sentiment.

DH was trained by his mother to send birthday, anniversary, Xmas, Easter, and some other cards. But he's pretty frugal so he looks for the $.99 cards.

[surfhb]

There's a Yiddish term called Mensch.   It means being human, respectable and of noble character.  Granted the price of cards can be ridiculous, but you might want to think twice before being the asshole who doesn't give out cards just because you'd like to FIRE a month or two earlier.   

People can take this MMM thing a little too far sometimes.   Birthday cards, bridesmaid dresses, bachelor parties you'd rather not attend....its all bullshit but it's called being a part of the human race.   Cmon....don't give happy bday wrapping paper on a Xmas gift!   Tacky :) 

I mean who's not happy to receive a nice card in the mail on occasions?!  :)

[boyerbt]

I agree! When visiting my parents' home this weekend there were probably 7-10 cards for father's day ranging from $3.89-$5.99 each. All but ours had nothing unique written inside. What is the point of giving a card if you don't even have anything special to say?

"here yo go, here is a card with someone else's feelings written in"

This is why I buy a 50 pay of blank cards for $3.99 to send for all occasions.

[frugalnacho]

There's a Yiddish term called Mensch.   It means being human, respectable and of noble character.  Granted the price of cards can be ridiculous, but you might want to think twice before being the asshole who doesn't give out cards just because you'd like to FIRE a month or two earlier.   

People can take this MMM thing a little too far sometimes.   Birthday cards, bridesmaid dresses, bachelor parties you'd rather not attend....its all bullshit but it's called being a part of the human race.   Cmon....don't give happy bday wrapping paper on a Xmas gift!   Tacky :) 

I mean who's not happy to receive a nice card in the mail on occasions?!  :)

I was anti-greeting card before I discovered MMM.  It has nothing to do with my FIRE date.  I would make a lot more progress towards FIRE by not inviting the family over and providing food if that was the case.  But it's not, it's the wastefulness of greeting cards and the whole parasitic industry. 

Who's not happy to receive a card? Me.  Why not just give me a call, or a handwritten letter?  You know, something with real genuine content, not a synthetic sentiment.  Or even just a cheap hand made card with a small note, since I am throwing it straight into the garbage after I read it.  Seems like we could collectively stop funneling billions of dollars into the industry, and still be able to express gratitude and appreciation for one another.

[CommonCents]

There's a Yiddish term called Mensch.   It means being human, respectable and of noble character.  Granted the price of cards can be ridiculous, but you might want to think twice before being the asshole who doesn't give out cards just because you'd like to FIRE a month or two earlier.   

People can take this MMM thing a little too far sometimes.   Birthday cards, bridesmaid dresses, bachelor parties you'd rather not attend....its all bullshit but it's called being a part of the human race.   Cmon....don't give happy bday wrapping paper on a Xmas gift!   Tacky :) 

I mean who's not happy to receive a nice card in the mail on occasions?!  :)

I agree on taking MMM too far.  I think the issue is how often the "occasion" is expected.  In my family, it's not so frequent, but I gather from others on this thread that it's anytime there is an excuse: birthday, wedding, baby or bridal shower, retirement, sympathy, mother & father's day, anniversarys, holidays, graduation, etc.  It's also less meaningful when it becomes expected.  I always tell my husband to surprise me with flowers during the year rather than buy me flowers on valentine's day for that very reason.

That said - seeing as I'm the person that started the "rise of the expensive bachelor party" thread - I can't help but pounce on you equating a $4 card (that can be $1 if handmade) with a $1500 on a bachelor party (particularly when it's not just once but x4 in 2 years, so for those who hate math - that's $6,000.  It requires a stash of $75000 to pay for 2 a year!).  The issue there is 1) magnitude and 2) lack of choice/substitution (you can choose to save ore than 75% by making it yourself - achieving the same or better sentiment, but you can't "choose" a cheaper bachelor party/bridesmaid dress (I've heard of $500+ dresses) if the bride/groom is stuck on it and won't change).

BTW - for those talking about writing something personal and unique, for my parent's 24th or 25th anniversary when I was in high school, I wrote them a letter (in quite tiny print) of all of the ways I thought that they were great parents and I appreciated them.  I discovered about 10 years later they not only kept that particular card - they keep it in their safe deposit box!  I was astonished, admittedly a little horrified because I could barely remember what I wrote at the time, and tried to snag it back from them to see, and it was if I had suggested taking a match to their wedding certificate.  So, yes a meaningful note most definitely is appreciated.

[pachnik]

I buy blank cards for $1/each at the dollar store and write my own things in them.  I use these quite a bit.  I tried making my own but was not successful...  :)  terrible at crafty things.

I have kept a small packet of the cards I've received through the years - especially ones from people who have died.  i.e. cards from my best friend and my grandparents who have passed away. 

[golden1]

Yep - greeting cards suck.  In fact, all the cards suck.  Thank you cards, paper invitations, Christmas cards.  In this day and age, completely not necessary. 

My MIL LOVES cards.  She is always buying and sending them and considers us rude if we don't reciprocate.  When my kids were really little, I had them make cards for their friends for birthdays.  One day, a holiday was coming up, and I decided, why not make my own card too?  So I did.  It caught on and now our family makes all the cards.  It is way cheaper, more thoughtful, fun and you can personalize to your hearts content. 

[OSUBearCub]

...Why not just give me a call, or a handwritten letter?  You know, something with real genuine content, not a synthetic sentiment.  Or even just a cheap hand made card with a small note, since I am throwing it straight into the garbage after I read it.  Seems like we could collectively stop funneling billions of dollars into the industry, and still be able to express gratitude and appreciation for one another.

Just as I was about to call you out as a monster until you suggested a hand-written note.  :-)

I agree that the canned sentiment of a mass-market card is lame.  Having a stable of nieces and nephews too young to notice (and not yet world-wise enough to pick up on the significance of a hand-written note) I hit the dollar store for the $.50-1.00 option.  I need something to put the Game Stop gift card in, after all. Ha ha.

For my siblings and my oldest niece, I write a note.  This is also a great way to explain the alternative gifts I like to give them - books, bizarre groupons, inside jokes, etc.  They consider my notes horribly old-fashioned but I have been pulled aside and thanked for them.

[Icecreamarsenal]

My wife makes them.
Most of the time I don't like greeting cards; they get thrown in the garbage. When it's compulsory or just polite, you can tell. It's formulaic, and a waste of the resources used to make and ship the card.
Sometimes it not those things, and it's nice.

[OSUBearCub]

Has anyone seen the move "Her"?  The protagonist lives in a future where we don't even bother hand-writing intensely personal notes.  Theodore's career is to write the notes based on a short request and some family photos.  Hows that for a dystopian future? 

[Worsted Skeins]

My wife makes them.
Most of the time I don't like greeting cards; they get thrown in the garbage. When it's compulsory or just polite, you can tell. It's formulaic, and a waste of the resources used to make and ship the card.
Sometimes it not those things, and it's nice.

Love the Banksy-like stuff on the website.  Nice work!

[surfhb]

There's a Yiddish term called Mensch.   It means being human, respectable and of noble character.  Granted the price of cards can be ridiculous, but you might want to think twice before being the asshole who doesn't give out cards just because you'd like to FIRE a month or two earlier.   

People can take this MMM thing a little too far sometimes.   Birthday cards, bridesmaid dresses, bachelor parties you'd rather not attend....its all bullshit but it's called being a part of the human race.   Cmon....don't give happy bday wrapping paper on a Xmas gift!   Tacky :) 

I mean who's not happy to receive a nice card in the mail on occasions?!  :)

I agree on taking MMM too far.  I think the issue is how often the "occasion" is expected.  In my family, it's not so frequent, but I gather from others on this thread that it's anytime there is an excuse: birthday, wedding, baby or bridal shower, retirement, sympathy, mother & father's day, anniversarys, holidays, graduation, etc.  It's also less meaningful when it becomes expected.  I always tell my husband to surprise me with flowers during the year rather than buy me flowers on valentine's day for that very reason.

That said - seeing as I'm the person that started the "rise of the expensive bachelor party" thread - I can't help but pounce on you equating a $4 card (that can be $1 if handmade) with a $1500 on a bachelor party (particularly when it's not just once but x4 in 2 years, so for those who hate math - that's $6,000.  It requires a stash of $75000 to pay for 2 a year!).  The issue there is 1) magnitude and 2) lack of choice/substitution (you can choose to save ore than 75% by making it yourself - achieving the same or better sentiment, but you can't "choose" a cheaper bachelor party/bridesmaid dress (I've heard of $500+ dresses) if the bride/groom is stuck on it and won't change).

BTW - for those talking about writing something personal and unique, for my parent's 24th or 25th anniversary when I was in high school, I wrote them a letter (in quite tiny print) of all of the ways I thought that they were great parents and I appreciated them.  I discovered about 10 years later they not only kept that particular card - they keep it in their safe deposit box!  I was astonished, admittedly a little horrified because I could barely remember what I wrote at the time, and tried to snag it back from them to see, and it was if I had suggested taking a match to their wedding certificate.  So, yes a meaningful note most definitely is appreciated.

Well obviously a $1500 bachelor party is a out of reach for most folks.    I'm just saying there are many things in life we come across we don't agree with and wish not to spend money on.    We may think it's stupid and silly but it's just a part of being friends and family members

My cousin was recently married.    I was asked to rent a tux and attend his BP 100 miles away.    Did I really want to go?   Hell no, but I did it because he loved me enough to ask me to be a part of his wedding.   When it was all said I had spent close to $500.    My brother was married in Mexico this requiring everyone going to shell out $1200 for room and food/drinks for 4 days.   I bit my lip hard on that one.    Yeah it's stupid but in the end I'm happy I didn't miss it.   Life isn't all MMM is what I'm saying :)

Maybe I'm wrong but I was sensing some people in this thread / forum hated card and gift giving just because they think it's a waste of money....it's not.   If I have to put off FIRE for a year or 2 later I'm fine with that

[iris lily]

There's a Yiddish term called Mensch.   It means being human, respectable and of noble character.  Granted the price of cards can be ridiculous, but you might want to think twice before being the asshole who doesn't give out cards just because you'd like to FIRE a month or two earlier.   

People can take this MMM thing a little too far sometimes.   Birthday cards, bridesmaid dresses, bachelor parties you'd rather not attend....its all bullshit but it's called being a part of the human race.   Cmon....don't give happy bday wrapping paper on a Xmas gift!   Tacky :) 

I mean who's not happy to receive a nice card in the mail on occasions?!  :)

Frankly, me. Iusually am bored by Hallmark cards on which someone has simply scribbled their name. Now if they actually write a phrase or two--good! And then, my sister in law hand makes elaborate cards and they are very pretty and I look forward to getting them. I still regret  throwing away one of her works of art--I wasn't into keeping cards. But I have since made an exception for some of hers.

[iris lily]

.... When it's compulsory or just polite, you can tell. It's formulaic, and a waste of the resources used to make and ship the card...

Agreed. One of the most astonishing card-giving events I watched was at a group meeting of a garden club. Someone I barely knew was sitting in the meeting, taking expensive Christmas cards out of a box, writing her name on them, putting them in an envelope, and writing the recipients' names on them, then handing them out. I didn't even KNOW her then and she handed me one.

Talk about perfunctory, obligatory card giving--that was it.

I suppose she thought that she was mustache-an to be hand delivering rather than mailing, but I was just ummm, WTF?

[iris lily]

... And OMG some of those things cost + $6!

Oh honey, more than that! The noisy ones cost $8!!!!!!

[ivyhedge]

Some of my older relatives appreciate cards. And several love the musical ones. Because they love them, I send them on special occasions. It makes them happy. The cost is immaterial.

[ABC123]

For the most part, cards I send would be going to family, so I have my kids color a nice picture on a blank piece of paper, then I write a little bit.  (Yeah, my kids are 3 and 5, so "nice picture" is relative, but the grandmas sure do love them!)  I really don't buy cards at all.  In regard to wrapping paper -- every couple of years I will buy one roll of neutral colored paper after Christmas for super cheap.  I use that, plus all the gift bags I have been given, for wrapping all presents.  When my first son was born, I had 3 baby showers, so I was overrun with gift bags but I am too cheap to throw them away.  That year for Christmas, everyone's gift was wrapped in a baby themed bag.  No one seemed to mind too much. They know I'm the cheap one!

[hybrid]

I think the 0.50 cards at my local Dollar General do the job nicely for almost all occasions. Are cards a ridiculous custom? Depends on who is getting one I suppose. Given the very inexpensive solution, this is one of the things that used to irk me but doesn't any more.

[peppermint]

I enjoy making, sending and receiving cards, so I do it. Spending $5+ for a card is ridiculous, but making my own is not expensive. For multiples, I do block-printing which can take some time, but I do it for fun. I send cards at Christmas (without expectation of return), Mother's/Father's day, and birthdays of my immediate family and close friends. Many of my loved ones live far from me, I get a lot of enjoyment out of sending them cards, and family/friends seem to appreciate receiving them, so it's all good.

[BZB]

This thread made me sad because I do love sending greeting cards. I don't like the idea that I am imposing on someone or pissing them off by sending a friendly card. I guess I have the nostalgia of a time when I communicated by snail mail to family and friends. I enjoy looking through the greeting cards displays at shops to pick out the "perfect" card for a friend's birthday, and to me it is like a mini-gift. I know the cost is outrageous for a card that is thrown away, but I think of it like a treat. For example, I acknowledge that buying a cup of coffee at a coffee shop is ridiculously overpriced, but I wouldn't hesitate to buy my friend a cup of coffee on their birthday. To me, sending a card in the mail is like doing something special for my friend when I can't be there in person. It is always a pleasure to receive a card in the mail, especially if I can tell the sender took time to choose something for me, and there is a personal note written in it.
That said, I have tapered off on mailing Christmas cards to family and friends. Fewer and fewer people are sending me cards in return, and I feel like that people either don't appreciate them any more, or maybe it is too much effort to send them. That makes me sad, too. I keep old Christmas cards I received, especially the ones with personal notes or photos included and look at them every December. The ones people just sign, I hang up as decoration for that season, and then I recycle them into gift tags or other things the next year.

[lizzzi]

I like to send and receive cards, but I wouldn't send a card without a personal note inside, or a personal touch of some sort--include an interesting bookmark, or a current photo of interest--something like that. Also, I don't buy expensive cards. I either buy the 99 cent cards, or I buy them at the Goodwill or the half-price stores. I get lots of nice cards for no more than 50 cents. I would never send out cards that are not personalized in some way--for instance, I would never send out Christmas cards with my signature on the bottom and nothing else. Special people get carefully chosen, inexpensive cards with handwritten (yes, pen and ink still exists) Christmas well-wishes and family updates if needed. Sometimes I do use blank cards through the year, as others have mentioned. Especially now, when hardly anybody sends real mail to anybody else, a card or postcard can be a real treat.

[PtboEliz]

I'm not a big fan of greeting cards.. I like the idea of picking some up at a yard sale. I mainly use the cards sent by charities I support - most are quite nice. If I receive a nice card, I'll split it and re-use it postcard style.

My mom had a lovely habit.. she gave loved ones loaves of homemade banana bread in lieu of cards. Everyone loved this :)

[iris lily]

For instance--tonight we are attending a retirement party. I am bringing as a gift a huge bouquet of lilies that I grew. I'm going to ask the recipient to return the container in the future, no hurry.  Rather than a card, I cut out a photo postcard of a lily and signed our name with "happy retirement." The entire thing is free. You would not believe how fabulous these lilies are because baby, I am the Lily Queen! hahaha. Better than any steenkin hallmark product.

[DrJohn]

My mom has a Mustachian streak.  She stopped sending cards a while ago and does this:

http://www.jacquielawson.com/

The themes are very cheesy/corny, but the kids like them and we live overseas so it saves a bunch on postage and cards.  Plus the mail can be a bit unreliable.

Less to make, mail and landfill, so environmentally, it gets my thumbs up.

I'm sure we get a lot more "cards" than we would otherwise.  My mom sends them just about any occasion as its a fixed annual cost.  She gets a kick out of it, so what the heck...

[MrsPotts]

I buy pretty blank note cards and write personal notes in them with my lovely copperplate script. 

My more talented offspring and friends make handmade cards.  I treasure those.

[iris lily]

About Christmas cards: if you have children related to me and  you do not send a photo of your children in the Xmas card, I am unhappy! DO NOT BOTHER TO SEND XMAS CARDS WITHOUT PICTURES OF KIDS! OR PETS! I am thinking of children who I seldom see, might see them every 5 or 10 years. I want photos! Don't deny me that!

hahahaha but it's the truth.

[Will]

Once or twice each year, Costco has a box of handmade cards, with an assortment for birthdays, congratulations, care and concern, thank you,  wedding, and friendship/blank.  The box of 30 was around $12 or so, and the cards are gorgeous!  Everybody I've given one to is always saying something like "What a cool card!"  The only downside is if you have to mail them, some of them require extra postage. 

[Goldielocks]

After hating these cards for the same reason, I realized that some of my family actually prefer a nice card to any sort of present.

A card with a nice verse and photo tucked in beats any sort of present for them.  Eve my homemade jam.lol.

So, I started to think of these as a whole present, chosen with care, and only $5.   Pretty MMM for a MIL present on her birthday.

Only for those who prefer it, otherwise no card or my kids make a card.

[chouchouu]

I buy bulk packs of blank cards at the book fair, usually a 20 pack of some art prints (currently Van Gogh) for about $6, those are for any adults and I write a personal note. For kids my children decorate and I write since they're too young. I just use normal paper cut small for them. Wrapping paper is usually recycled or the kids decorate the ikea paper. I actually like cards but not hallmark ones. I bought a whole bunch of hand printed cards in India which I'm only just running out of, obviously cost hardly anything.

[Bartstache]

+1 to Lexie on the Dollar Tree.  2 cards for $1 deal is hard to beat.

[freeazabird]

I recently discovered that several thrift stores I frequent sell cards. I buy them in bulk for $0.25 each. I personally think cards are dumb, but I buy them because they are important to others.