Christmas Cards: When Is It Too Late?

You're good until Epiphany Sunday. Christmas is actually Christmas Day through the Epiphany Sunday which is 12 days later...hence the old English Carol the 12 Days of Christmas.

Any cards recieved before Christmas are actually REALLY early as it is still considered Advent. :P

I think almost half the cards we get are after Christmas! No big deal. It's usually a combo holiday/new years card anyway. I'd much rather get cards late than not at all.

I dunno about anyone else, but I love to get personal mail.....ANYTIME.

Go for it and DO NOT WORRY ABOUT IT. I've sent mine out on Christmas eve or later (I'm sure). Was signing them on the plane and then dropped them in a mailbox on the way to our relatives.

Lol, we have sent ours anytime between the first of December and President's Day. Seriously. The first Christmas after my first son was born I got cute Christmas cards with his photo on them but didn't manage to send them until February.
I say send them. Life happens, just roll with it. I don't even blink at cards received before the New Year.

Nope. Not too late. I just started mine last night! I've had the cards and pictures sitting in my house for at LEAST 2 weeks. So if you mail them on the 21st/22nd, they will get there in time for Christmas. Even if they get there late, its not a big deal.

Last year I just didn't get around to it. So I sent out New Years cards with my kids Christmas picture. The year before I really didn't get to it, and sent Easter cards. Those were a BIG hit since they were so unexpected.

I wouldn't worry about it. We gets lots of cards after Christmas.

I wouldn't worry about it. Last year well over half the people who usually send us cards, were late and we ended up getting most of our Christmas cards during the week after Christmas. It didn't bother me, I hung the picture cards on the fridge just the same (I keep them up all year) and the non-photo cards I tucked away to display NEXT year. No biggie!

ADDED: Plus, I was kind of glad so many people were late b/c it takes the pressure off! This year I was stressing about getting ours out on time, then I thought, hey, everyone was late last year! So who cares! :)

I've had Christmas cards arrive after the holiday. No biggee. Still enjoy seeing the cards. I wouldn't worry at all and just send them out when they arrive.

Also, my experience with Target is that the photos often come in before they say they will. So, it's worth calling in today and checking on the status.

I have received cards over a month late. I don't care - I just want to see my my friends pictures and read their news. Keep sending them, and phooey on your husband!

Dawn

I look at it this way--Christmas is not just 1 day--it is a SEASON that begins on Christmas Eve and lasts 12 days. I make it a point to not have my Christmas cards arrive any earlier than during the 4th week of Advent. Advent is its own season, but so many people skip right past it.

Last night my MIL tried making me feel guilty because they haven't received the family photo I promised them for Christmas. I gently reminded her that Christmas didn't even BEGIN for 1 more week, and that her gift would, indeed, be there for Christmas.

While so many people are done celebrating Christmas on the 26th, that's when we're in full swing.

FYI, I put my Christmas cards in the mail this morning for the out-of-towners. Locals I will mail on Weds.

It's reaching out to touch base with people and wish them well for the holidays. Before the holiday season is over. And it's a picture of your child, and he's still going to be adorable even if Christmas is over. The day after Christmas, the photo doesn't magically morph into someone else you've never seen. It's not too late. If you gave them the card on Christmas day, you're still wishing them well and showing that you thought of them. No worries.
Besides, the people that treasure them and keep them to watch how he grows will keep it no matter what day they get it, and the people that will look at it once and say "aww" before putting it away will do so if they got it on the 25th or 2 weeks earlier....it'll either be treasured or put away no matter when they get it. Don't forget to keep one for yourself! We display our Christmas photos all through the years along the bar and half walls, framed, to watch how everyone grows and changes over the years.

Hey, as long as they are post-marked by 12/24 I consider them "timely filed." :)

I had a neighbor who sent out New Year's cards which I thought were cool too.

People will love them no matter what, especially because it's your little one (who is still very little!).

Send them!

Several years I have sent them after Christmas just because other things were more of a priority.

Personally I think it's fun to get them after Christmas as well as before.

Send them anyway.

It is the initial "oh look how cute little Johnny is" that people really love.

Most people keep their cards displayed until they take their tree down, and that is usually first week of January for most. So your little guy will be on display at least a week or two!

Next year, you know to get started earlier!

Send them. My husband loves to create the cards himself and he's great at it, but is SUCH a procrastinator that I never get to send them before the 20th. This year he went with shutterfly to make it easier - I got my shutterfly box last friday...and there is a typo! I'm so pissed!!! Say our last name was smith, it says "he smith family" instead of "The smith family." Argh!!! Shutterfly promised to fix the typo and overnight new cards, but who knows when people will actually receive them now! But yeah I'm totally going to still send them out.

Now I just need to figure out what to do with the 75 photo cards that aren't going to be sent out! Art supply box I guess.

It's never too late.

We get a New Years card every year from my husband's cousin who is living in Japan. Kinda cool.

I have received Christmas cards as late as 2 days before Christmas. Doesn't matter to me, I love getting them and by then I would usually think I have no more coming to me, so it would be a nice surprise!

I have yet to get our cards sent out! Between shopping, baking, and school functions for the kid's I am constantly running! And I still have alot of gifts to wrap! I think it should be fine, as long as they get them! My husband says its a waste of money too! Go figure! All men really do think alike! lol! If your still so worried then hand deliver them if they are going to people in your neighborhood, I recieved one yesterday last night and I thought it was sweet that my friend went out of her way to drop it off at our home....I'm sure it'll be fine! Hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season!

I'd send them on the 22nd and hope they arrive by the 25th, but I'd still send them, especially since he's on them. After the 25th they can be Happy New Year cards. :) I'm still happy to receive cards this week. I think not sending them would be a bigger waste.

Send them.. It will be funny that you are late.. because we all know having a 1 year old is a lot of work.. Just send them when you can..

I once found Christmas cards years later that I had not mailed and just added new postage and mailed them.. Pretty funny! People thought it was Hi-larious.

I can top it.......for past two years, I have received Christmas card/letter from a friend who sends it in late summer, "just got around to it". I enjoyed hearing from her and seeing the photo and felt blessed that she still included me on 'her list'.

I deliberately wait to send my Christmas cards, usually mailing them on Christmas Eve, because most of us seem to have forgotten that Christmas actually BEGINS on Dec. 25th and lasts for 12 days. (As mentioned in another reply, the "12 days of Christmas.") I want people to receive our cards during the Christmas season, not before. Don't stress and have a merry Christmas!

We get MOST of our Christmas cards a day or two before Christmas it seems, and some even after Chistmas. I keep them 'up' until after new year's at least, and eventually scrapbook them, so send 'em!