US Postage Stamps

[Catrin]

I just mailed my remaining few Christmas cards this afternoon, and found the post office was out of Christmas stamps! I was told that far more stamps have been sold this year than in the last couple of years. Interesting. The person I was speaking with considered this to be a good economic indicator - though I am not sure of that - it was an interesting observation.

So purple heart stamps are attached to my few remaining cards :)

[emily_in_nc]

I just mailed my remaining few Christmas cards this afternoon, and found the post office was out of Christmas stamps! I was told that far more stamps have been sold this year than in the last couple of years. Interesting. The person I was speaking with considered this to be a good economic indicator - though I am not sure of that - it was an interesting observation.

I find that really interesting because nearly everyone I know is sending many fewer cards than in the past, if at all. I'm still sending to older relatives, a few special folks who always send me one, and a couple whom I don't have email addresses for, but that only adds up to about 8 cards. I remember when I used to send 50, in the days before email was widely used. Now, I'll be sending mostly e-cards. I know it's not as personal, but it is good for the planet, plus my handwriting has gone to the dogs since I'm on the computer so much. It's very hard for me to hand write anything anymore, and hard for the recipient to read it!

[Catrin]

I wondered at the time if that was more of a way to explain why they were out of Christmas stamps, frankly. It certainly sounds good though.

[Koronin]

That doesn't sound right to me either. I also have cut way back on the number of cards I send. I really only send to people who send cards to us. Although this year I may end up sending to a couple extra people since we moved and that way they'll have our new address.

[Mr. Bloom]

Traditionally, Christmas cards would say something about what had happened in the prior year and include a picture or two.

Now, I call that FaceBook...

At the peak, I would send out 200 cards...I have 400+ friends and acquaintances in FaceBook.

[shootingstar]

I've sending out Christmas cards only to my immediate family members and close friends.

The value of a real card especially if a loved one lives far away and won't be able to join the whole family for the holidays, is a real card allows them to display it for a few wks. on shelf, etc.

An e-card disappears from the computer once it's opened and viewed. Who wants to display a digital card all the time? You have to use the computer for something else every day anyway. :p

I didn't bring along my Christmas tree this year when I moved. So real Noel cards mean something physically in my place this year.

[Aggie_Ama]

I sent about 25 in 2008, haven't since. It is pricey and hard to write anything personal and mail in time. We have only received one card this year, last year several of the relatives stopped for financial reasons. I expect no more than 5 of our family/friends are still doing it. My college roommate just prints pictures of her child and prints labels. It is nice to see her kid but not particularly personal.

[MomOnBike]

We're either doing something very right or very wrong around here. DH & I put out a yearly spoof newsletter (think a cross between the Onion and a supermarket tabloid, here) that carefully paints us as clueless and puts us and our exploits for the year in the worst possible light. For instance, my breast cancer treatments turned into a series of expensive spa visits for me, and my daughter's microbiology studies are now Incomprehensibility studies. We have a lot of fun and giggles writing the thing.

We get calls from friends asking when our "newspaper" will be coming out. I'm always rather surprised when people do that. :confused:

DH is off right now running off 50 of them. We're doing our part to keep the PO in business, at any rate.

[bmccasland]

I think I sent the same number of Christmas cards, including the TE exchange. I wonder if the PO produced the same number of holiday stamps? There's supply and demand - they may have produced less because they expected less. Also your local PO supply is based on previous demand, and some pre-designated allocation system. You can always order stamps at the PO store - www.usps.com - and it is a (dot) com address and not a (dot) gov address. I've gotten stamp by mail when they weren't available locally - only cost $1 more. Drawback is you have to wait for them to be delivered, by mail. :p

I love spoof annual newletters, and wish I could actually write them. Sure beats the "we're successful and went on a wonderful vacation without you" type annual letters.

Merry Whatever to Everyone!
I need to get off my hind-end, extract Herald off my lap, and go bake a cake for my lovely neighbors.

[soprano]

To date, we've received about half as many cards in the mail this year as we had at this time last year. Our post office is also out of holiday stamps.

I don't open e-cards. I'm too leery of the virus/Trojan horse potential. Does anyone else remember elf-bowling and the nasty computer virus that followed?

[BikeDutchess]

We bought our stamps at Costco. Now if I could actually sit down and address my cards...

[marni]

well thanks to the te card exchange, I have more cards this year than I have ever gotten before. I avoid all of the pressure by doing a general family letter but don't mail until January 12 th which in my mind is twelth night, Know I Know it's not really but it is close to Roc day which is when traditionally, spinners went back to work after the Christmas holiday and since I am also a hand spinner...... At any rate, it's one less thing to do for Christmas. I usually send out about 25 but they are only sent to fajily and very close friends.

[Koronin]

I have 7 cards so far this year and one of those is from my manager to handed them out. Of the others 2 are from family, 2 are from real friends, and 2 are from internet friends.

[jessmarimba]

Almost all of my cards are TE cards. Thanks, everyone! :)

The people who used to live here have gotten several, which I just keep sending back. They're my age but pretty "punk rock," if you will, so I'm surprised to see such a traditional card exchange!

[jelee1311]

I sent out a ton of cards this year because I traditionally do and I like getting them. The thing with the stamps is interesting. I work for a grocery store and we sell stamps. We still have christmas stamps but this year they are the forever stamps like the bells so maybe more people got them instead of the bells. In years past the christmas stamps were an amount and more religious???maybe that's why???

[bcipam]

I make my cards every year. Sadly but thankfully, my christmas list is smaller and smaller. Just some relatives, a few good friends etc. I used to get tons of cards - the count so far - 8 and 4 of those are from my card making club members. I do miss getting cards from folks.

BTW - I had the same problem last year with stamps. They ran out (especially with the 61 cent stamps I need for my cards). I figure they only make so many and you need ot buy them early.

[bcipam]

In years past the christmas stamps were an amount and more religious???maybe that's why???

Every year they have several choices at several amounts. I generally buy the 2 oz which this year is 61 cents. But I had some 44's from last year. I had a religious stamp (Mary and Jesus) and snowmen stamps. I think they had several other designs. The Christmas stamps are never "forever" stamps.

[tulip]

The PO has Pine Tree forever stamps that sure look like Christmassy stamps to me.

[bmccasland]

The Christmas stamps are never "forever" stamps.

They are this year. Or the new "forever" stamp is conviently somewhat Christmasy, or something like that. I wanted non-religious Christmas stamp, and this year it's 4 species of conifers, and it happens to be a "forever" stamp. Whatever, I ordered it, and hope they continue it. Looks prettier to me than the Liberty Bell. :)

[Koronin]

The Christmas stamps I got from the post office are forever stamps with more of a evergreen type theme to them.

[badger]

I've mailed zero cards this year. Mostly because I was away for 2 weeks and to me it really just doesn't feel like Christmas. It's much too late now to mail anything, so I've emailed people that I've been too lazy and out of touch to have mailed cards this year.

So far I've gotten one Christmast card in the post. Most of my friends have switched to e-cards.

[tulip]

I typically send out New Year's Cards. Gives me another week.

[Owlie]

I sent out three to former roommates--it's nice to get mail that isn't a bill, you know? My parents send out a bunch along with the annual newsletter--gets expensive, because all but two are overseas.

I had a bunch of 44-cent ones with the angel. My parents' stamps are the "forever" with the conifers.

[zoom-zoom]

I got Liberty Bells. Poo.:(

[badger]

this is getting off-topic somewhat, but you know what was really nice? I had quite a number of condolance cards that came in the mail from people I haven't seen/spoken to in a number of years. It actually was quite comforting to get those cards.

[bcipam]

So far I've gotten one Christmast card in the post. Most of my friends have switched to e-cards.

I know... it's easy and convenient but I rather get no cards than an ecard. I won't even open one up!

People it is really not that hard to buy a box of pretty cards and write your name and lick a stamp.

I guess I'm whining 'cause I go to the trouble and few people do anymore. I used to love getting cards...:(

[Catrin]

This is the first year that I have received real cards since I can't remember when due to joining the TE card exchange, and I had forgotten how nice they are to receive. Next year I will send more cards :)

[indysteel]

I know... it's easy and convenient but I rather get no cards than an ecard. I won't even open one up!

People it is really not that hard to buy a box of pretty cards and write your name and lick a stamp.

I guess I'm whining 'cause I go to the trouble and few people do anymore. I used to love getting cards...:(

I've received two very nice e-cards this year and loved them both. They were animated, and very sweet. If that works better for someone than buying and sending out cards (which gets expenisve), then I don't mind. Someone thought of me, and that's what counts.

[Mr. Bloom]

I struggle with ecards because I fear viruses

[emily_in_nc]

So here's what I did after sending an e-card that ended up being a broken link when the company sent it out (grrrrr!) I just created an email with a background, some holiday clipart, a couple photos (my husband and I, and one of our dog), and just a few simple words of greeting. Took only a little more time than the e-card (but much less $ and natural resources than "real" cards) and doesn't cause people to delete it w/o looking b/c of fear of viruses.... A good solution for me, anyway. :)

[AnnieBikes]

I also never open ecards and would not, even if from someone I know. I am guessing that since the Postal Service had asked for a rate increase in January and it was denied, they had printed the Christmas stamps (conifers) with the forever on it so that anyone who had some left over could use them in the new year without resorting to a trip to the PO for a .01 or .02 stamp for the increase. Since they did not get their increase approved, then the forever stamps "stuck" (no pun intended!;) ).

I LOVE cards from my friends because it is their (and my) chance to catch up on family news. I sent about 50 with a letter and a personal note on each. I have gotten about 20 cards so far. I must have been really busy for a bit and missed the TE exchange thread or I would have done it, too. All my DH's family was here for the past five days, including 5 teenagers, so I have been cooking for the whole month and hardly spent any time on here at all. It was our Christmas, a week early, as some of the families include doctors who are on call Christmas this year, so our regular celebration was moved up a week.

So Merry Christmas or whatever your affiliation is to all. I don't post a lot, but this forum means a lot to me, and has for a long time. Thanks to all of you.