General Chat

Sylvia, yes I am familiar with round robin correspondence magazines, I belong to two but our letters are put in see through enveloped when the mag gets to me I remove my last letter and add another. These two have been going since the early eighties.

We've stopped sending cards ........

......... we used to send cards before Christmas, then OH wrote individual letters to almost every one between Christmas and New Year

Between 150 and 160 cards, and between 120 and 140 letters.

Then we went to cards, with sometimes a short note in addition to greeting, AND a typed letter added to most of them.

We always bought cards from UNICEF

Last year we stopped buying cards except for close family children, and sent only a typed letter, with a personal handwritten note added at the end.

The same will be done this year ........... about 120 of them.

I have some elderly cousins in Australia who told us they preferred individual letters ............. well, hard lines

We do not have time to write individual letters to everyone with whom we wish to remain in contact.

I love to get letters from our friends at Christmas

About 50% of our Christmas communications go to people in foreign countries, about 30% to people in the UK, and the rest to Canada and the US ....... so there is always something of great interest.


I should add that our letters (and those from most of our friends) do NOT talk about people we don't know .......... it's family news and interesting (we hope) tidbits about our life and travels over the past year, plus some pictures to illustrate things seen, or family.


I think the term you use "round robin" is different from the meaning of round robin over here .........

........ a round robin letter over here is one which is sent from one person to another to another to another etc, a sort of chain, in which each person adds news at the end, and the first person's news is removed. Such round robin letters have been known to circulate between a group for many years.

My Mum used to write letters for her cards all the time. Now that she is gone, I want to keep it up (will have to be a Round robin though) but when nothing happens want do you write about?
You know the British show "Waiting for God" well that is want is it like around here. Dad doesn't do anything and he is not happy(although he tries not to show it) when I go out, he is afraid of losing me too.

Anyway back to the cards, hmmm I need to start but I am waiting as long as possible maybe something will happen in the next couple of weeks.

I hate round robin letters - for the first time this year I am not sending a card to an ex NHS colleague purely because she sends a round robin every year speaking about people I've never heard of - in Uganda and in her village, and all the committees she's on and how her garden grows - not interested.

Thank you
I appreciate your replies

xx <3

Same as AnninGlos.

I was referring to my 'other' life only.

I used to read Shirleys post about Michael - it was a tough time and she is getting through it in her own time. <3

Shirley I didn't for one minute doubt you, it was people not on the board among my aquaintances I was thinking of. you are genuine and totally honest and it would be hurtful if said about anyone on here but it wasn't.

I only say I have given to the hospice so that people I used to send cards too know why I have cut down on cards

I used to send around 60 cards and I find I can't do it now .Can't do all the writing as have arthritis in some fingers

I am certainly not saying look at me ain't I clever donating to the hospice

They are a charity and rely on donations and were so good to Michael and to us that I feel I want to show my appreciation

Am certainly not boasting or saying I am not bothering any more

I find that remark quite hurtful to be honest

And YES i have made my donation and been sent a thank you card from them

IGP Yes, that is it, I find it irritating as well. I'd rather they just didn't send and said nothing.

And being a bit cynical here. I don't actually know that they have given the money to charity!!

In Ireland, nearly everyone speaks English of a type, but we like to drop in some Irish words every now and again just to confuse or amuse the attentive listener/reader.

You are bound to see some of these slices of Celtic whimsy in written letters or Christmas card wishes. No charge for laughing at them!

Dermot, regarding your 8:55 post, I am pleased to say that I am still a letter-writer.

There's something relaxing in sitting down to write letters and, in addition, I like to write. :-D

However, I also email people if they email me.

I find it irritating that people even want to tell you they are donating to charity - it is almost as though they are trying to say 'look at me, aren't I clever donating to charity instead of sending you a card' Perhaps the reality is they can't be bothered any more.

Dermot does have a point re letters. I can't remember the last one I wrote but my wife does send just three personal ones, each one typed, every Christmas to old friends.

Dermot, I sent out at least nine letters with cards, probably more. Not round robins but typed not hand written. I send and receive many letters through the year, I have five penfriends, only one of whom I have met (I had more but several sadly died), One of my penfriends I have been writing to for almost 50 years. I also write to old school friends. And I e mail others as well.

I forgot when I posted yesterday that every year I get an unsigned Christmas card (with round robin) so that I can save the environment by resending the card ------- but what about the envelope :-S

When was the last time you wrote a letter? I mean, an actual, honest-to-goodness hand-written letter - even a ‘Round Robin’ concoction included with the Christmas Card - & not a quick email or text. And when was the last time you received one in the post? The chances are, if you're anything like me, you probably can't even remember when.

I was wracking my brain about this the one day as I sat slogging hard in the Royal Mail sorting office and then it hit me. The only time people seem to send hand-written letters these days is after someone has died, which I suppose is keeping a nice tradition alive. But, by and large, I'm sure the art of handwriting is dying out.

What a shame.

Ann .............

look at it this way .............

At least you're letting them know that you are still alive and kicking :-D

That is fine Shirley, you have given the information in plenty of time. I just object to people not sending cards without warning me so I still spend money on their cards.

Well last Christmas was a non starter for me as it was only weeks after losing michael
I put a thread on facebook telling family and friends I was only sending to very close family and would send a donation to the hospice that looked after hubby
This year I have done the same
I do have a couple of very close friends that I know don't use the media so I do
include them in my card list

Others I will phone to let them know I am still here !!l

I have just received my first card from an elderly cousin in Canada and she is on my list too

My facebook announcement has received lots of thumbs up

Oh not come across that...... yet.

I'm not happy with people who donate the card money to charity but then send me a card in the post to tell me.

Why not just not send me any sort of card and donate that money as well.