At least that is what I have been told. It is incomprehensible, as cards
are sold in supermarkets and a few other "multiple" sales shops.

On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 10:09:18 +0100, Broadback
wrote:

At least that is what I have been told. It is incomprehensible, as cards
are sold in supermarkets and a few other "multiple" sales shops.

I think the argument is to do with presence. Presence in a food shop
is essential and other items on sale are ancillary. Presence in a
card shop is non-essential.

On 19/06/2020 10:58, Graham. wrote:
Scott Wrote in message:
On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 10:09:18 +0100, Broadback
wrote:

At least that is what I have been told. It is incomprehensible, as cards
are sold in supermarkets and a few other "multiple" sales shops.

I think the argument is to do with presence. Presence in a food shop
is essential and other items on sale are ancillary. Presence in a
card shop is non-essential.


Our card shop does a range of fragrant oils, and they're
essential.


haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Scott Wrote in message:
On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 10:09:18 +0100, Broadback
wrote:

At least that is what I have been told. It is incomprehensible, as cards
are sold in supermarkets and a few other "multiple" sales shops.

I think the argument is to do with presence. Presence in a food shop
is essential and other items on sale are ancillary. Presence in a
card shop is non-essential.


Our card shop does a range of fragrant oils, and they're
essential.


--

%Profound_observation%


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/

Broadback wrote:

At least that is what I have been told.

AIUI any shop (excludes barbers/nail bars/fish to nibble your feet, etc)
can open providing it meets distancing etc

On 19/06/2020 11:15, Andy Burns wrote:
Broadback wrote:

At least that is what I have been told.

AIUI any shop (excludes barbers/nail bars/fish to nibble your feet, etc)
can open providing it meets distancing etc
but not in shopping centres ? ....

On Friday, 19 June 2020 10:09:09 UTC+1, Broadback wrote:
At least that is what I have been told. It is incomprehensible, as cards
are sold in supermarkets and a few other "multiple" sales shops.

The same argument applies to clothes and a lot of other things.

I'm not sure what the most minimal amount of something is that a shop could sell to be categorised as 'essential'. A lot of card shops sells stamps.

But seriously, who under the age of 70 buys greetings cards these days?

Owain

wrote:

I'm not sure what the most minimal amount of something is that a shop could sell to be categorised as 'essential'

but NON-essential shops already opened in England since 15th (wales from
22nd, scotland from 29th)

On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 12:41:41 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:

I'm not sure what the most minimal amount of something is that a
shop
could sell to be categorised as 'essential'

but NON-essential shops already opened in England since 15th (wales from
22nd, scotland from 29th)

Non-essential shops can open, so long as it is safe to do so. Note
"can". If the proprieter doesn't think it's "safe" or doesn't think
opening will be worth their while, they'll stay closed. They are not
being forced to open.

--
Cheers
Dave.

Dave Liquorice wrote:

Non-essential shops can open, so long as it is safe to do so. Note
"can".

Yes, that's what I said earlier ... maybe Owain didn't realise English
shops were already allowed?

Doesn't look like any non-English Clinton's card shops open yet

https://www.clintonsretail.com/customer-service/store-reopening

On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 13:16:32 +0100, Andy Burns
wrote:

Dave Liquorice wrote:

Non-essential shops can open, so long as it is safe to do so. Note
"can".

Yes, that's what I said earlier ... maybe Owain didn't realise English
shops were already allowed?

Doesn't look like any non-English Clinton's card shops open yet

https://www.clintonsretail.com/customer-service/store-reopening

I think the stores in Jersey and Guernsey might be open.

Fathers day is at the weekend.
Brian

--
----- --
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please
Note this Signature is meaningless.!
"Broadback" wrote in message
...
At least that is what I have been told. It is incomprehensible, as cards
are sold in supermarkets and a few other "multiple" sales shops.

On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 03:53:05 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

snip

But seriously, who under the age of 70 buys greetings cards these days?

Or 63 and for as far back as he can remember. ;-)

It's another one of those things (like smoking) where I have
considered the bigger picture and decided really shouldn't go on (and
especially as you say, 'these days').

We are talking of cutting down packaging of goods but then actually
buy what could be the packaging of something on it's own (card, paper,
cellophane), by walking into a shop, choosing, buying, carrying home,
writing in and then applying a stamp and posting, for what?

Is it to placate our own fears ('What if they think worse of me
because I didn't send them a card') or to make us feel better ('I sent
them a card so I feel better').

The only cards I've ever appreciated are those that either contained
money (birthday / xmas as a kid) or were home made, ideally from
recycled materials (and hand delivered).

What I've noticed when I've been with people buying cards is they seem
to look for the 'most appropriate' *of what's on offer* and either
accepting the best of the worst or going elsewhere and seeing if they
can get something slightly less bad?

So, you first go to the section that's appropriate, eg, 'Happy
Birthday' or 'Congrats on passing your driving test' then see if you
can find one that actually fits (60th or '3rd time lucky') and that
has words inside that wouldn't be taken the wrong way or might be
vaguely relevant?

Then the people get them, open them, have a quick glance inside to see
who it's from, say 'oh, that's nice', before standing it down (and
picking it up every time it get's blown / knocked over) to be thrown
in the recycling n days later?

I wonder if the recipient would rather / just get a phone call or
visit with your 'best wishes'?

My Mum and Dad used to be 'impressed' that their xmyth cards were on
strings and covering 3 walls of their lounge (and often in several
layers) as if that was a reflection of the number of friends they had.
AFAIK, they were only in regular contact with maybe a handful of those
'people' and in most cases the xmyth card was the only communication
they had with that person for the entire year (so was an
acknowledgement that they were still alive at least)?

I wonder how long ago Hallmark decided this would be something we
should all do. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On 19/06/2020 15:21, T i m wrote:
On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 03:53:05 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

snip

But seriously, who under the age of 70 buys greetings cards these days?

Or 63 and for as far back as he can remember. ;-)

It's another one of those things (like smoking) where I have
considered the bigger picture and decided really shouldn't go on (and
especially as you say, 'these days').

What a misery. Especially to/from people who hardly see each other. And
it brightens up the room.

--
Max Demian

On Friday, 19 June 2020 22:56:51 UTC+1, Max Demian wrote:
What a misery. Especially to/from people who hardly see each other.

When phone calls, or even international postage, were expensive, a christmas card might be the only communication in a year.

Now, we have Zoom. (And postage is still expensive.)

And it brightens up the room.

Temporary untidiness from when poor people couldn't afford wallpaper. Now, we paint everything white (or grey) and have hundred-inch tellies.

Owain

Jim GM4DHJ ... wrote:
On 19/06/2020 11:15, Andy Burns wrote:
Broadback wrote:

At least that is what I have been told.

AIUI any shop (excludes barbers/nail bars/fish to nibble your feet,
etc) can open providing it meets distancing etc
but not in shopping centres ? ....

I got a haircut in a shopping center two days ago.

Everyone there brought their own PPE.

Not all the barbers showed up. And one barber was
wearing a face shield (the transparent plastic kind),
as some kind of joke.

Paul

"Broadback" wrote in message
...
At least that is what I have been told. It is incomprehensible, as cards
are sold in supermarkets and a few other "multiple" sales shops.

If a shop sells necessary items (presumably above a de minimis amount) then
it can open

once open it can sell anything that it stocks

so that's why supermarkets can sell cards

why cards are not a necessary items is left as an exercise for the reader

wrote in message
...
On Friday, 19 June 2020 10:09:09 UTC+1, Broadback wrote:
At least that is what I have been told. It is incomprehensible, as cards
are sold in supermarkets and a few other "multiple" sales shops.

The same argument applies to clothes and a lot of other things.

I'm not sure what the most minimal amount of something is that a shop
could sell to be categorised as 'essential'. A lot of card shops sells
stamps.

But seriously, who under the age of 70 buys greetings cards these days?

IME most people!

so are you suggesting that sending cards has had its day and young people
don't bother

or

young people are internet savvy (and have more money than sense) and use the
likes of moonpick to do their card sending for them



Owain

On 20/06/2020 00:08, Paul wrote:
Jim GM4DHJ ... wrote:
On 19/06/2020 11:15, Andy Burns wrote:
Broadback wrote:

At least that is what I have been told.

AIUI any shop (excludes barbers/nail bars/fish to nibble your feet,
etc) can open providing it meets distancing etc
but not in shopping centres ? ....

I got a haircut in a shopping center two days ago.

Everyone there brought their own PPE.

Not all the barbers showed up. And one barber was
wearing a face shield (the transparent plastic kind),
as some kind of joke.

Â*Â* Paul
where was this wagga wagga ?....

tim... wrote:

If a shop sells necessary items (presumably above a de minimis amount)
then it can open

****s sake ... even if a shop only sells inflatable pink unicorns and
healing energy crystals, then it can open, provided it does so safely,
don't people read the news?

On Saturday, 20 June 2020 08:25:53 UTC+1, tim... wrote:
But seriously, who under the age of 70 buys greetings cards these days?
IME most people!
so are you suggesting that sending cards has had its day and young people
don't bother

Pretty much, yes.

or
young people are internet savvy (and have more money than sense) and use the
likes of moonpick to do their card sending for them

I think those are largely middle-age middle-class people who are old enough to send cards, like the personalisation, and can afford the cost.

Owain

On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 15:19:14 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

On Friday, 19 June 2020 22:56:51 UTC+1, Max Demian wrote:
What a misery. Especially to/from people who hardly see each other.

When phone calls, or even international postage, were expensive, a christmas card might be the only communication in a year.

I'm not convinced that I want 60 people phoning me up during Christmas
week.

I think the Christmas card is now the 'last man standing'. First, the
football pools disappeared when collectors were introduces (during the
1971 postal strike, IIRC). Next it was social correspondence as the
grannies and aunties started acquiring telephones. Then postcards
when it became possible to send 'selfies' using the mobile phone and
statements with teh advent of paperless banking and utility bills.

I have made a policy decision to continue to send Christmas cards as
they are traditional and form part of the Christmas decorations though
I resist adding new names!

On 19/06/2020 15:21, T i m wrote:

layers) as if that was a reflection of the number of friends they had.
AFAIK, they were only in regular contact with maybe a handful of those
'people' and in most cases the xmyth card was the only communication
they had with that person for the entire year (so was an
acknowledgement that they were still alive at least)?

I still give cards to my aged mother but my brothers and I have come to
other arrangements about cards and presents. (there is a strict spending
limit on the exchange of presents to prevent the unwanted expensive gift
situation)

There is still the "office" christmas card fiasco where it seems
tradition in some offices that tens or hundreds of people exchange boxes
of cards that usually go in the office waste bin on the clear-up day
before taking the christmas break.

The company that I worked for for some time stopped sending real
christmas cards to customers a decade or more ago and substituted a
electronic versions instead (which was/is probably consigned to the
recipients spam folder much more easily)


--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On Sat, 20 Jun 2020 10:46:14 +0100, alan_m
wrote:

On 19/06/2020 15:21, T i m wrote:

layers) as if that was a reflection of the number of friends they had.
AFAIK, they were only in regular contact with maybe a handful of those
'people' and in most cases the xmyth card was the only communication
they had with that person for the entire year (so was an
acknowledgement that they were still alive at least)?

I still give cards to my aged mother but my brothers and I have come to
other arrangements about cards and presents. (there is a strict spending
limit on the exchange of presents to prevent the unwanted expensive gift
situation)

There is still the "office" christmas card fiasco where it seems
tradition in some offices that tens or hundreds of people exchange boxes
of cards that usually go in the office waste bin on the clear-up day
before taking the christmas break.

The company that I worked for for some time stopped sending real
christmas cards to customers a decade or more ago and substituted a
electronic versions instead (which was/is probably consigned to the
recipients spam folder much more easily)

We had an agreement if the office not to exchange cards but to give
the money to charity instead. I was approached by the 'organiser' for
my money. As I was calculating the number of cards not sent, the boss
approached and said 'Come on Scott, you are rich man. Just take the
number of staff in the office and multiply by the cost of a card.' I
replied, 'What about Gillian? I wouldn't give a card to Gillian.'
'Right enough', he said, 'Take the number of staff minus one.'

"Scott" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 20 Jun 2020 10:46:14 +0100, alan_m
wrote:

On 19/06/2020 15:21, T i m wrote:

layers) as if that was a reflection of the number of friends they had.
AFAIK, they were only in regular contact with maybe a handful of those
'people' and in most cases the xmyth card was the only communication
they had with that person for the entire year (so was an
acknowledgement that they were still alive at least)?

I still give cards to my aged mother but my brothers and I have come to
other arrangements about cards and presents. (there is a strict spending
limit on the exchange of presents to prevent the unwanted expensive gift
situation)

There is still the "office" christmas card fiasco where it seems
tradition in some offices that tens or hundreds of people exchange boxes
of cards that usually go in the office waste bin on the clear-up day
before taking the christmas break.

The company that I worked for for some time stopped sending real
christmas cards to customers a decade or more ago and substituted a
electronic versions instead (which was/is probably consigned to the
recipients spam folder much more easily)

We had an agreement if the office not to exchange cards but to give
the money to charity instead. I was approached by the 'organiser' for
my money. As I was calculating the number of cards not sent, the boss
approached and said 'Come on Scott, you are rich man. Just take the
number of staff in the office and multiply by the cost of a card.' I
replied, 'What about Gillian? I wouldn't give a card to Gillian.'
'Right enough', he said, 'Take the number of staff minus one.'

though one doesn't send individually wrapped, at 1.50 each, type cards to
co-workers

you buy a bumper box of 100 for 4 quid

It was never about the cost.

HTH

tim

On Saturday, 20 June 2020 14:02:43 UTC+1, tim... wrote:
though one doesn't send individually wrapped, at 1.50 each, type cards to
co-workers

I do.

They're the ones I got the year before - I pull out the inner paper with the writing on and laser-print a new one.

Or if they don't have an inner paper I cut the picture on the front off and mount it on plain card.

Owain

On Sat, 20 Jun 2020 14:01:22 +0100, "tim..."
wrote:



"Scott" wrote in message
.. .
On Sat, 20 Jun 2020 10:46:14 +0100, alan_m
wrote:

On 19/06/2020 15:21, T i m wrote:

layers) as if that was a reflection of the number of friends they had.
AFAIK, they were only in regular contact with maybe a handful of those
'people' and in most cases the xmyth card was the only communication
they had with that person for the entire year (so was an
acknowledgement that they were still alive at least)?

I still give cards to my aged mother but my brothers and I have come to
other arrangements about cards and presents. (there is a strict spending
limit on the exchange of presents to prevent the unwanted expensive gift
situation)

There is still the "office" christmas card fiasco where it seems
tradition in some offices that tens or hundreds of people exchange boxes
of cards that usually go in the office waste bin on the clear-up day
before taking the christmas break.

The company that I worked for for some time stopped sending real
christmas cards to customers a decade or more ago and substituted a
electronic versions instead (which was/is probably consigned to the
recipients spam folder much more easily)

We had an agreement if the office not to exchange cards but to give
the money to charity instead. I was approached by the 'organiser' for
my money. As I was calculating the number of cards not sent, the boss
approached and said 'Come on Scott, you are rich man. Just take the
number of staff in the office and multiply by the cost of a card.' I
replied, 'What about Gillian? I wouldn't give a card to Gillian.'
'Right enough', he said, 'Take the number of staff minus one.'

though one doesn't send individually wrapped, at 1.50 each, type cards to
co-workers

you buy a bumper box of 100 for 4 quid

It was never about the cost.

It was left to each individual to calculate the notional saving. It
was a donation to charity so you could choose the amount anyway.

Jim GM4DHJ ... wrote:
On 20/06/2020 00:08, Paul wrote:
Jim GM4DHJ ... wrote:
On 19/06/2020 11:15, Andy Burns wrote:
Broadback wrote:

At least that is what I have been told.

AIUI any shop (excludes barbers/nail bars/fish to nibble your feet,
etc) can open providing it meets distancing etc
but not in shopping centres ? ....

I got a haircut in a shopping center two days ago.

Everyone there brought their own PPE.

Not all the barbers showed up. And one barber was
wearing a face shield (the transparent plastic kind),
as some kind of joke.

Paul
where was this wagga wagga ?....

That's just an example of how "open" ours is.
Not very open. Lots of shops still closed. Only
"essentials" open, and the barbers was open.

It's not near enough for you to get a haircut.

In the area where people were walking, there probably
wasn't more than about 20 people. Sorta deserted looking.

And with that sort of turnout, there's no reason for a
jewelery store to open or a cards shop. It's a bit chicken
and egg. Not much open. Not many people.

I was dying to get a haircut, that's why I tried it out.
Wearing my little N95 mask and all.

Paul

On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 22:56:45 +0100, Max Demian
wrote:

On 19/06/2020 15:21, T i m wrote:
On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 03:53:05 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

snip

But seriously, who under the age of 70 buys greetings cards these days?

Or 63 and for as far back as he can remember. ;-)

It's another one of those things (like smoking) where I have
considered the bigger picture and decided really shouldn't go on (and
especially as you say, 'these days').

What a misery.

Not at all. 'What an ecologist / environmentalist more like and
someone who isn't 'entertained' by commercially printed words in a bit
of folded cardboard.

What I find interesting is when people think *I'm* strange because I
*don't* buy into other people stupid (and often commercially
generated) customs.

Especially to/from people who hardly see each other.

That says it all though eh. ;-(

And
it brightens up the room.

Yours maybe. ;-)

One nearly lit up my Mums lounge when it was blown off the top of the
surround for the gas fire and into the burner.

Cheers, T i m

On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 15:19:14 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

On Friday, 19 June 2020 22:56:51 UTC+1, Max Demian wrote:
What a misery. Especially to/from people who hardly see each other.

When phone calls, or even international postage, were expensive, a christmas card might be the only communication in a year.

Yup, in the 'olden days'. ;-)

Now, we have Zoom. (And postage is still expensive.)

I can remember seeing the postage bill (and the huge sheets of stamps)
Dad used to buy, just to send Xmyth cards. ;-(

And it brightens up the room.

Temporary untidiness from when poor people couldn't afford wallpaper.

Hehe.

Now, we paint everything white (or grey) and have hundred-inch tellies.

Well, 'mushroom' and 40" tellies. ;-)

Cards from kids. "Right, that's supposed to be a dog is it. Take it
back and try harder ...'.

Cards from distant reles: "Nope, not been married to Samatha for 10
years now ... something you might have known, 1) had we spoken during
that time and 2) I had sent you an Xmyth card during that time (but
you didn't seem to get that I hadn't and there may have been a
reason). ;-)

Cards from mates: WTF, what sort of mate are you when you know I don't
like / want cards and it's already in the bin / recycling.

Cards from family: WTF, you know I don't like / want cards and it's
already in the bin / recycling. ;-)

I think we got 3 Xmyth cards this year .. 1 from a local Kebab shop,
one from a 'mate' who insisted, even though I have told I just bin
them and one from some elderly woman (from the spiders handwriting)
who thinks the previous owners still live here, and I've been here
over 30 years now!

What I tell people is if you really feel you have to send me a card,
give the money to charity instead, *that* I'll actually appreciate as
it means you actually care about me. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On Sat, 20 Jun 2020 10:18:54 +0100, Scott
wrote:

On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 15:19:14 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

On Friday, 19 June 2020 22:56:51 UTC+1, Max Demian wrote:
What a misery. Especially to/from people who hardly see each other.

When phone calls, or even international postage, were expensive, a christmas card might be the only communication in a year.

I'm not convinced that I want 60 people phoning me up during Christmas
week.

Hehe. That's what answering machines are for mate and as long as they
have said their 'bit', most won't care if it's to the machine or you
in person. ;-)

I think the Christmas card is now the 'last man standing'.

Well, they are often the only indication that someone is still alive.
I wonder why you didn't care enough to find out between two Xmasses?

First, the
football pools disappeared when collectors were introduces (during the
1971 postal strike, IIRC).

Is that when people still scrubbed their steps and painted them red?

Next it was social correspondence as the
grannies and aunties started acquiring telephones.

Yup ... and most people I know will still ring when they have more
than some short background not_time_sensitive info to get across.

Then postcards
when it became possible to send 'selfies' using the mobile phone and
statements with teh advent of paperless banking and utility bills.

Yup, all good environmental progress. ;-)

I have made a policy decision to continue to send Christmas cards as
they are traditional

Well, considering they were only 'invented' in 1843, the tradition has
only been going for a fraction of the time that Xmas itself has so ...
?

And what clever marketing. Invent a postal system then invent a
'tradition' to send cards though your system!

and form part of the Christmas decorations

Maybe it's because I always had the job of putting the strings up and
often hanging the cards on them for Mum and Dad, I really cba to do
the same here. That and being an atheist etc. ;-)

though
I resist adding new names!

That was another discussion / argument I was party to as a kid, Mum
and Dad 'deciding' what names should be removed and which added. Along
with arguing over what card to give to whom and their current
addresses etc.

I'm really glad that's all one less load of stress I have to deal with
these days.

Cheers, T i m

On Sat, 20 Jun 2020 10:46:14 +0100, alan_m
wrote:

On 19/06/2020 15:21, T i m wrote:

layers) as if that was a reflection of the number of friends they had.
AFAIK, they were only in regular contact with maybe a handful of those
'people' and in most cases the xmyth card was the only communication
they had with that person for the entire year (so was an
acknowledgement that they were still alive at least)?

I still give cards to my aged mother

Mine doesn't expect one from me (her 90th birthday parties were
cancelled because of Covid19) and knows that if she gets one that's
seems to reference me in the message, I will know nothing about it.
;-)

but my brothers and I have come to
other arrangements about cards and presents. (there is a strict spending
limit on the exchange of presents to prevent the unwanted expensive gift
situation)

Funny how it goes from exchanging actual gifts, exchanging money to
get your own gift, to just exchanging money ... to agreeing not to
bother.

There is still the "office" christmas card fiasco where it seems
tradition in some offices that tens or hundreds of people exchange boxes
of cards that usually go in the office waste bin on the clear-up day
before taking the christmas break.

Yup. At least most of the ladies will have the empathy to open the
cards and even put them up. The men will leave them unopened in the
draw. ;-)

The company that I worked for for some time stopped sending real
christmas cards to customers a decade or more ago and substituted a
electronic versions instead (which was/is probably consigned to the
recipients spam folder much more easily)

Quite!

Cheers, T i m

On Sat, 20 Jun 2020 12:36:46 +0100, Scott
wrote:

snip

We had an agreement if the office not to exchange cards but to give
the money to charity instead.

Excellent. What a forward thinking group (and it was much easier than
trying to find a suitable card and bothering to write in it and on the
envelope, knowing that in most cases it wasn't wanted or appreciated
....).

I was approached by the 'organiser' for
my money. As I was calculating the number of cards not sent, the boss
approached and said 'Come on Scott, you are rich man. Just take the
number of staff in the office and multiply by the cost of a card.' I
replied, 'What about Gillian? I wouldn't give a card to Gillian.'
'Right enough', he said, 'Take the number of staff minus one.'

Hehe. Quite!

Cheers, T i m

On Sat, 20 Jun 2020 14:01:22 +0100, "tim..."
wrote:
snip

though one doesn't send individually wrapped, at 1.50 each, type cards to
co-workers

you buy a bumper box of 100 for 4 quid

It was never about the cost.

Some bought 'charity cards' though because they thought 'the money'
(the actual cost of the cards) went to charity, when that was rarely
the case.

The only cards where cost might come into it is if you are trying to
impress a potential girlfriend ... who wouldn't be like my Mrs and see
/ deem such as 'a waste of money'. ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On Sun, 21 Jun 2020 01:05:57 +0100, T i m wrote:

On Sat, 20 Jun 2020 10:18:54 +0100, Scott
wrote:

On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 15:19:14 -0700 (PDT),
wrote:

On Friday, 19 June 2020 22:56:51 UTC+1, Max Demian wrote:
What a misery. Especially to/from people who hardly see each other.

When phone calls, or even international postage, were expensive, a christmas card might be the only communication in a year.

I'm not convinced that I want 60 people phoning me up during Christmas
week.

Hehe. That's what answering machines are for mate and as long as they
have said their 'bit', most won't care if it's to the machine or you
in person. ;-)

Then I have to leave 60 messages in reciprocation :-)

I think the Christmas card is now the 'last man standing'.

Well, they are often the only indication that someone is still alive.
I wonder why you didn't care enough to find out between two Xmasses?

Nor the other way round for that matter. I think it's a reflection of
the pace of life.

First, the
football pools disappeared when collectors were introduces (during the
1971 postal strike, IIRC).

Is that when people still scrubbed their steps and painted them red?

I assume you cannot buy paint that is up to the job anymore.

Next it was social correspondence as the
grannies and aunties started acquiring telephones.

Yup ... and most people I know will still ring when they have more
than some short background not_time_sensitive info to get across.

Agreed.

Then postcards
when it became possible to send 'selfies' using the mobile phone and
statements with teh advent of paperless banking and utility bills.

Yup, all good environmental progress. ;-)


I have made a policy decision to continue to send Christmas cards as
they are traditional

Well, considering they were only 'invented' in 1843, the tradition has
only been going for a fraction of the time that Xmas itself has so ...
?

And what clever marketing. Invent a postal system then invent a
'tradition' to send cards though your system!

and form part of the Christmas decorations

Maybe it's because I always had the job of putting the strings up and
often hanging the cards on them for Mum and Dad, I really cba to do
the same here. That and being an atheist etc. ;-)

though
I resist adding new names!

That was another discussion / argument I was party to as a kid, Mum
and Dad 'deciding' what names should be removed and which added. Along
with arguing over what card to give to whom and their current
addresses etc.

I'm really glad that's all one less load of stress I have to deal with
these days.

My favourite was when I got a card and letter from a former colleague
saying he and his wife took friends and friendships very seriously and
liked to see each of their friends each year. Over the years they had
decided they could only have 40 friends at any one time. During the
year they had met two new friends, resulting in a need for a review.
'Following this review I have to tell you that your name no longer
appears on the list. Consequently, this is the final Christmas card
you will receive. L and I wish you well for the rest of your life.'

On Sun, 21 Jun 2020 09:42:01 +0100, Scott
wrote:

snip

I'm really glad that's all one less load of stress I have to deal with
these days.

My favourite was when I got a card and letter from a former colleague
saying he and his wife took friends and friendships very seriously and
liked to see each of their friends each year. Over the years they had
decided they could only have 40 friends at any one time. During the
year they had met two new friends, resulting in a need for a review.
'Following this review I have to tell you that your name no longer
appears on the list. Consequently, this is the final Christmas card
you will receive. L and I wish you well for the rest of your life.'

Sensible. ;-)

Most people know I rarely go to parties / weddings / funerals but they
often still invite me out of courtesy.

They even preempt the answer .. 'I know you will probably say no but
would you like to come to our event? Ok, no probs mate ... ' ;-)

What they know though is that if they are in trouble I will do my very
best to be there for them, unlike many of the other so called
'friends' at these events.

Cheers, T i m

On 19/06/2020 10:29, Scott wrote:
On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 10:09:18 +0100, Broadback
wrote:

At least that is what I have been told. It is incomprehensible, as cards
are sold in supermarkets and a few other "multiple" sales shops.

I think the argument is to do with presence. Presence in a food shop
is essential and other items on sale are ancillary. Presence in a
card shop is non-essential.



Besides, they are probably not doing Apathy Birthday cards.

On 19/06/2020 10:58, Graham. wrote:
Scott Wrote in message:
On Fri, 19 Jun 2020 10:09:18 +0100, Broadback
wrote:

At least that is what I have been told. It is incomprehensible, as cards
are sold in supermarkets and a few other "multiple" sales shops.

I think the argument is to do with presence. Presence in a food shop
is essential and other items on sale are ancillary. Presence in a
card shop is non-essential.


Our card shop does a range of fragrant oils, and they're
essential.


LOL