# Do you send snail mail greeting cards? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 15, 2015, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596 "2015-06-15T18:45:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/1 "2015-06-15T18:45:31Z")
Just curious how many people still send snail mail greeting cards. Select any categories that you have sent in the last 12 months (multiple choice enabled). If you send cards for secular holidays like Independence Day or Presidents Day, select Other (and you are weird). “Congratulations” would be for any event not already mentioned, such as a promotion or being awarded honors. PTF ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/2 "2015-06-15T18:48:11Z")
I still send snail mail cards to my parents and to my sister. For birthdays, father’s day, and mother’s day. Just habit. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/3 "2015-06-15T19:48:15Z")
I send Christmas cards to about 50 people. I send Valentines to 6 kids (two nieces and 4 friends’ kids). I buy a pack of 6 from Wal Mart, and also include stickers. I send a Mother’s Day card to my grandma. I didn’t start doing this until my grandpa died. She’s not my bio grandma, so I like to let her know we still love her even though our bio ties have been “cut.” I send sympathy cards. Not to everyone but on occasion, especially when I can’t make it to or don’t want to go to a funeral. I also send cards when pets die. I have been known to send thank you cards. My friend’s dad helped me out by cutting down a tree for me and I sent him a card with a pic of the replacement tree. Other stuff - congrats, wedding, etc - I give in person. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/4 "2015-06-15T19:52:10Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I send Valentines to 6 kids (two nieces and 4 friends’ kids). I buy a pack of 6 from Wal Mart, and also include stickers. :smack: I knew would forget one of the biggies. ---
**Author:** ![GrumpyBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bc8723/32.png) [@GrumpyBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrumpyBunny)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/5 "2015-06-15T20:20:07Z")
Birthday cards to the parental units. Ditto Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day. Sent condolence cards to a friend whose mom died last year. A couple of Crimbo cards. That’s it, really. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/6 "2015-06-15T20:43:03Z")
I send cards for the big occasions, but mostly only to close family members. Of note, I make my own cards these days. I’ll use photos and verbiage (e.g. sayings/themes/lyrics) from our times together. It’s relatively simple to do and -I think- a bit more personal. I had no graduations to recognize last year, but I’ve made/sent them in the past. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/7 "2015-06-15T20:43:16Z")
Not only do I send enough Christmas cards to deserve a Thank You note from the USPS, and mail many other cards as well, I still actually write and send letters. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/8 "2015-06-15T20:50:01Z")
I know some people that work in the greeting card industry. Statistics say that on average, every American over the age of 27 purchases at least 3 greeting cards per year, not including bulk Christmas cards. The most popular days in order are Valentines Day (not included in the poll), followed by Mother’s Day. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Krupe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@Leo\_Krupe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Krupe)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/9 "2015-06-15T20:55:52Z")
Birthdays and Christmas, usually to my 88-year old mother and 91-year old aunt. With pictures of the kids. Otherwise, it’s email and phone calls. ---
**Author:** ![ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chockfullofheadygoodness/32/511_2.png) [@ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChockFullOfHeadyGoodness)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/10 "2015-06-15T20:57:00Z")
Birthday card to my sister and that’s it. Probably my kids once they move out on their own. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/11 "2015-06-15T21:00:59Z")
Another interesting fact about greeting cards is that they are predominantly an English speaking market. Greeting cards don’t do well in non-English speaking countries. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/12 "2015-06-15T21:02:53Z")
Nope. My husband likes cards so I give him a few in person on occasion. But otherwise, I’d rather give someone a call to wish them happy birthday or whatever. ---
**Author:** ![Macca26](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Macca26](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Macca26)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/13 "2015-06-15T21:16:45Z")
What if I get a card but give it to the person personally rather than snail mail it? I hand-gave graduation cards to my sisters-in-law so I forgot to check that box, if that counts. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/14 "2015-06-15T21:23:56Z")
I don’t send many birthday cards because so many friends are online but a few aren’t or maybe I know they need a pick-me-up and a snail mail card is really a good way to do that. I’ve sent a lot of condolence cards recently. When my parents passed away (separate events, a few years apart), I was innundated with cards and really appreciated them. So I always try to send cards for that and for those in the hospital. It distracts and uplifts more than email does. So I find, so I do. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/15 "2015-06-15T21:31:50Z")
Birthday, Christmas, and “Other”, St. Patrick’s Day. ---
**Author:** ![Marion\_Wormer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d07c76/32.png) [@Marion\_Wormer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marion_Wormer)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/16 "2015-06-15T21:43:44Z")
I regularly send cards. I have a box with a selection of cards and stamps ready to go. When I’m shopping and there’s a card sale I pick up get well, thinking of you, and birthday cards ‘just in case’. Sympathy cards I hand pick. I also send ecards. It takes a couple of minutes and people appreciate it. I mean, people really appreciate it. I have a friend who is dying, I send her funny cards and ecards all the time, to cheer her up. I think no one else remembers her. On your poll you left out Mass Cards, although the church sends those. It may be a generational thing, but I think everyone likes to get a card. I mean even kids and teens. ---
**Author:** ![Lee\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/aeb1de/32.png) [@Lee\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lee_Q)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/17 "2015-06-15T21:47:34Z")
I send cards but not to everyone I know and not on all occasions. In general I enjoy “old school” correspondence; I also write letters, handwritten ones (in cursive no less!), to some friends. These are people who also enjoy writing and receiving such things. However, I don’t send cards OR letters to some family and friends because I know they don’t save them and don’t care to receive them, preferring a call or even text or email. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/18 "2015-06-15T23:04:30Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Nope. My husband likes cards so I give him a few in person on occasion. But otherwise, I’d rather give someone a call to wish them happy birthday or whatever. I send a card AND call. For my parents and sister, at least. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/19 "2015-06-15T23:33:51Z")
So since you said “send,” giving the cards in person, such as with a gift, doesn’t count? ---
**Author:** ![escaped](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/848f3c/32.png) [@escaped](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/escaped)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596/20 "2015-06-15T23:54:56Z")
never even before email! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-send-snail-mail-greeting-cards/722596.md?page=2)