I’m down to just three physical Christmas cards a year now. Gone are the years when I would make 20th or so cards.
Now, both of my parents are gone. Hubby’s family don’t exchange cards (apart from one sister) and my Niblings are environmentally conscious. The last bastion of of physical cards was the office but the move to remote and hybrid killed that too.
I first started to make Christmas cards back in the late 80s.
This was out of necessity. I was suddenly living on my own and had very little money.
Christmas cards were expected. A social handshake where you would sit at the start of December and start to write them out over two or three nights.
The first year I made simple lace from Christine Springett’s Lace for children of all ages.
Another year it was folded ribbons to make stars. Often, it would be whatever workshop my local lace group had arranged.
In previous years, different online lace groups would run a Christmas card exchange. I’d make a decoration and attach it to a card like the one here.
Then, I realised that it wasn’t that the work I was putting in wasn't getting any praise, it was that it was being ignored. If someone has taken the time to make you something, even if it’s not to your taste, you should at least acknowledge it.
One year, I made 14 of these lace decorations.
Each took an evening to make.With work and other commitments, this was a month of my spare time.
My brother, my sister and hubby’s sister all thanked me. My mum gave me a hug.
But no one else acknowledged them.
When I brought this up to my mum she said how people loved them. Yeah but they couldn’t take 2 secs to even tell me the cards had arrived.
Some years, if there just isn’t time, I will buy a card froma friend or artisan and send that.So now, I just make 3 cards.
- My brother and sister in law
- My sister and brother in law
- Hubby’s sister.
Today, I went to the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust for their printing workshop. We saw it advertised back in August and I think I was the first person to book.
The day was run by the wonderful Louisa Hare of First Folio Cards.
First, I drew a sketch of a wistful cat looking at trees and the moon then cut it into the lino. Then I printed a blue background followed by the lino print. The idea was to create the idea of a dark sky, at night.
Finally, ‘Merry Christmas’ was printed inside in a fancy font.
I have one print which is just black and I’m going to frame that one and out it in my office
So, let’s look again at my question; Is it still worth sending physical Christmas cards?
My answer is that it’s just the same as it it with making handmade gifts for Christmas?
Some people are craftworthy.
For them, I’ll make anything.
For all the others, then an e-card.
.