2012 Christmas Card Exchange! Tallies are closed! Thanks for playing!

[Mikkel]

How many cards is one obliged to send, anyway? I am willing to send a couple out, but if I have to send approx. 15-20 cards to the US my budget may be limited about that.

If you find a solution, please tell me. My budget can't stand 60 letters at $2 each either .

[DGoddessChardonnay]

OK, perhaps I should have been more clear. I have all the old lists since I've been doing it, which is 2009.

I'm thinking we've been doing this for at least 4 or 5 years before that.

Either way, it's a long standing tradition and so much fun.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Up to 26 people so far.

[EricKei]

Zel, Mikkel -- to the best of my understanding: If you sign up for the cardlist and do NOT opt out when given the chance, you have to send out a card to everyone else on the list (postcards are fine, they cost less to mail, too! ), and everyone has to send YOU a card.

If you choose not to sign up -- well, it's my understanding that some people on the boards will sometimes send cards to one another completely independent of this event, exchanging their own addresses via PM or something, but that is totally unrelated to the cardlist; something like that would be strictly a "on your own" type of thing and not sponsored/overseen by the board in any way. (No, I've not done it myself) -- It might be best to limit something like that to people you know IRL who are on the board/people you have known in some way for a long time. Do at your own risk.

Does that help?

[BookstoreEscapee]

Yes, Eric, that's correct.

If you can't afford to join but would like to exchange cards with specific people, feel free to arrange that amongst yourselves via PM; please don't bring it onto the boards. There are a few people here that I send cards to outside of the list each year.

If you choose to sign up and wait and see how many people there are, then decide you can't afford it, make sure you opt out before the time period closes. The list will automagically be sent out after the opt-out period ends. I will NOT be able to remove anyone if you don't do it in time.

[fireheart]

Zel, Mikkel -- to the best of my understanding: If you sign up for the cardlist and do NOT opt out when given the chance, you have to send out a card to everyone else on the list (postcards are fine, they cost less to mail, too! ), and everyone has to send YOU a card.

Check your local post office rates, that might give you some idea of how much. Just be aware that rates may be different depending on location.

For example, in Australia, sending a postcard/greeting card to the US, UK, Denmark, South Africa and New Zealand is $1.60 per card. (not sure how much an international stamp is worth though)

When I can afford it, I plan on sending out postcards depicting my hometown. (and less cheesy)

[PepSquad]

Reminder: Only 18 days remain to sign up for the 2012 Christmas Card Exchange event!

So far, Sarlon, Aethian, BookstoreEscapee, DGoddessChardonnay, phoenixv07, ArcticChicken, Andara Bledin, Elspeth, TawnyMyst, ParkingWitch, dragon_wings, Kanalah, Irving Patrick Freleigh, Monica, Ironclad Alibi, taxguykarl, trailerparkmedic, smileyeagle1021, HappyFun Ball, Bandit, FormerCallingCardRep, EricKei, morgana, Dave1982, IDontWorkHere, PawnPrincess Ardra has joined.

[Sarlon]

they can't take you off, but they sure can put you back on if you do a dumb @$$ move like i did my first year, which was accidently clicked the opt out button.

[Bandit]

How about this as a concept for the overseas folks - could someone in the US/Canada/UK act as a remailer? i.e. Person overseas does all the cards and addressing and sends the cost of domestic mail to the local person in one bulk package.

Just a thought..... And I'd volunteer to be the Canuck recipient/remailer.

B

[HawaiianShirts]

I'm in. This will be the first for me, even though I've been a CS.com member for ages now. I'm already getting lots of ideas, and I hope I can get them to work right.

This will be fun. Mrs. Shirts loves showing off holiday cards on any flat surface in the house, and Little Shirts likes getting mail.

[BookstoreEscapee]

, and Little Shirts likes getting mail.

Ohhh, you've given me ideas now...

[EricKei]

Bandit -- sounds like a good idea. Raps? Mods?

The only real implementation issue I can think of with it is, if something "re-sent" from Canada has another country's return address on it, I can pretty much guarantee you that any undeliverable items will get trashed.

I wanna say US First Class postage is US45c at the moment.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Bandit -- sounds like a good idea. Raps? Mods?

The only real implementation issue I can think of with it is, if something "re-sent" from Canada has another country's return address on it, I can pretty much guarantee you that any undeliverable items will get trashed.

I wanna say US First Class postage is US45c at the moment.

While I like the idea in theory, I'm hesitant to officially endorse it. Keep in mind that if you send your cards to someone to mail for you, and that person doesn't follow through, you are the one who will appear to not have followed through and end up barred from participating next year. While I'm sure no one here would intentionally offer and then not do it, there is a lot of potential for chaos if several people try to do this (including Eric's point above and the possibility of whole packages of cards getting lost in the mail).

I think the most I will say on the matter is if you want to try it, arrange it between yourselves via PM (you can post in the thread if you're willing to do it, but beyond that please keep it private), and know that if it doesn't work out as planned, the original sender is the one who will take the hit. Don't complain to me or the mods if you sent all your cards to PersonXYZ in East Bumble, USA and they didn't follow through on remailing them for you.


Yes, a standard US domestic letter stamp is 45¢, postcard stamp is 32¢.

We are now up to 27 people: 3 in Canada, 24 in the US.

[Ironclad Alibi]

I wanna say US First Class postage is US45c at the moment.

At the moment is correct. On January 27, 2013, US postal rates will increase as follows:

• Letters (1oz.) — 1-cent increase to 46 cents
• Letters additional ounces — unchanged at 20 cents
• Letters to all international destinations (1oz.) — $1.10
• Postcards — 1-cent increase to 33 cents

Details here.

[EricKei]

This is why I love Forever Stamps ^_^ Assuming that the program doesn't get cancelled, and that the USPS is still around then ~_~ You can buy a FC stamp or pack or case at 45c a pop right now, and its value will be "whatever they're charging for FC now" in a year or twenty.