Anyone sending holiday cards this year?

[locumtenenswife]

Because my DH and I are going to on our own for the holidays this year, I'm planning on sending holiday cards to all our friends and family as a way to stay in touch and share the season with those we love.

As I was buying my cards, though, I realized that I'm spending a lot of money on the cards and the stamps (70 cards + 70 stamps = $$$). I had the idea to send free e-cards online, but I thought this might be too impersonal to effectively spread the holiday cheer.

Are sending holiday e-cards acceptable now? What would you think if you got one? Is it best to stick with tradition and send a regular holiday card?
:anyolne:

[SuzySunshine]

Re: Anyone sending holiday cards this year?

My only concern with e-cards is that more and more of those websites end up in my spam folder. We'll be sending baby announcements/christmas or new years letters.

[moonlight]

Re: Anyone sending holiday cards this year?

My friends that are spouses of med students (very poor. LOL) sent a very cute email with updates about whats been going on with their year and a family pic attached. I'd almost rather read that then get a cheapie card in the mail. But that's just me....

[planet]

Re: Anyone sending holiday cards this year?

Ugh. Lily, we try. Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to get a family pic vs just the kids??!! The worst part is getting dh there, participating, having nothing come out and dealing with the complaining for the rest of the day...then trying to do it again the next year. SO not worth it. Take the kiddie pics and be happy that your friends (and their kids) survived the photo shoot!

[rainbabies]

Re: Anyone sending holiday cards this year?

Do you have ANY idea how hard it is to get a family pic vs just the kids??!! The worst part is getting dh there, participating, having nothing come out and dealing with the complaining for the rest of the day.

what janet said. by the time you get the kids done, you could give a shit less about you and your spouse. it sucks getting family pics done.

as for the original question, no. i usually send out some cookies as gifts, and that is all. this year, tho...dh wants to give out some generic cards to the attendings that contribute to the gift cards and cash bonuses that he receives. i dont mind doing that.

[DCJenn]

Re: Anyone sending holiday cards this year?

and that's why people get pictures of my house.

It stands still, doesn't have a booger hanging out, it doesn't complain about being interrupted and it smiles. At least I assume it smiles.

and I only have a family of three.

Jenn

[planet]

Re: Anyone sending holiday cards this year?



Actually I would live to see house pics on a card.

[Cumberland]

Re: Anyone sending holiday cards this year?

..dh wants to give out some generic cards to the attendings that contribute to the gift cards and cash bonuses that he receives. i dont mind doing that.[/color]

Gift card and cash bonuses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He doesnt get badonkey donk from anyone save one popcorn tin for all the residents from an outside attending.

[medpedspouse]

Re: Anyone sending holiday cards this year?

We are because we moved. So, our cards will double as "we've moved" cards. Yes, it will cost $$$ and I hate USPS - there is always someone who does not get one and it is always someone who actually gives a flip. USPS has made me look baaad too many times.

I do agree that I would rather get a nice electronic card with pictures and info about my friends than just a card with a signature.

Re: Anyone sending holiday cards this year?

I always send cards to family and close friends, as they are mostly people I dont get to see over the holidays. I usually make my own cards too for a personel touch. But it does get expensive, especially as it is all international stamps for me. Lately we dont get many back as we have moved every year for the last few years, people never know our address!

Re: Anyone sending holiday cards this year?

Note to parents: Include YOU in the Xmas pics! Your friends are friends with YOU, not your kids. It's nice to see them, but I for one am much happier to see YOUR face!

what Janet said. I was going to have the people that did our family pics do our cards, but they're $2/each ... if I'm sending to about 100 peeps ... I'm just not spending $200 on the cards ALONE. And their 4x6 prints are $6 each .... just not gonna happen. I sent a link to the family pics to everyone that wants to see my face. Otherwise they get a cute picture of my kids in their card.

Re: Anyone sending holiday cards this year?

We send cards every year. I usually try to make them, but I don't think I'll have the time this year.

I'm hoping to get a decent photo of DS and the dog (Heidi, I'm sure you would LOVE to receive a Christmas card with a dog on it! ). It was so much easier to get good pictures when DS couldn't run away from me.

Re: Anyone sending holiday cards this year?

I think that an email with a photo attached is a nice idea. The only problem I would have with it would be the constant complaint that we heard after DS was born and that is "I can't open the attachment! Can you resend it?" (What drama poor DH underwent in the hours following the birth of that baby. I almost felt MORE bad for him that myself!)

At any rate, I got DH to agree to a family photo and we got one of DS alone (his first professional photo all decked out in a cute outfit his grandmother sent for him). But you know what? We DID only get wallet sized photos of DS and not of the family. We thought people would rather see him than us. They have tons of pictures of us :huh: Maybe not?? We DID get big pictures for the immediate grandparents and sibs and such.

But I like the house idea. It never changes and probably would complain much less than DH having its picture taken

[Vanquisher]

Re: Anyone sending holiday cards this year?

I scanned in our professional family photos and will be uploading them to walmart or costco or shutterfly, and then printing 100 of them for about $25-$35 bucks depending on the design I choose. See that siggy pic of mine...you'll be seeing it again if you get a card from me!

As far as I am concerned, the pictures are of MY family, so I own them, and I can do what I want with them. I am not paying the fru fru place to make them for me.

Besides, then I can retouch, whiten teeth, take out stray flyaway hairs, etc.

As for family pictures with dogs in them....It isn't like I haven't received those before. I can't for the life of my understand why people include pets as "family members" but whatever. I am clearly the minority in that one. Pets aren't people.

My friend who loves her dog more than her child (seriously) sent pics with the "whole family" last year, complete with doggie bones and paw print adornments. She commented on finding the best shot of the dog, because dog's eyes are hard to get right in photos. Anyway, she just told me they've had a bit of bad news, their precious pooch has mild hip dysplasia and now isn't a good candidate for breeding. They had to take her in to get her spayed. She told me this after I told her I was getting a hysterectomy, like it's equivalent. I hate that dog. Really. Oh, and she never calls the dog, "the dog," that's just my little touch of distain. Literally, even though she knows how much I dislike dogs, she still talks to me more about that damned dog than about her son.

Re: Anyone sending holiday cards this year?

We usually order the photo cards via Costco. I like the options on Shutterfly better and maybe we'll do that this year.

Ok, so far I need to have a photo of the whole family in front of the house without the dog. Is that consensus?