On Sat, 3 Jan 2009, Anne Welsh Jackson wrote
Gordon H wrote:

I agree, but my local PO has closed.
I will buy a stock of stamps before the price increase, as a hedge.

There, nicely back on topic.

However, it is a blow to thousands of pensioners who are in a less
fortunate position than I. My 2nd class stamps cost me about a
tenner this year, there goes £10 of food for some, and that's before you
buy the cards.

I stopped sending personal christmas cards years ago. Instead
I give the money I would have spent on cards and postage to
the Salvation Army, who do such an excellent job of feeding
the homeless, not only at christmas, but also for the rest of the year.

I support the Sally Army all year, as it happens. As you say, people
don't just need help at Christmas. But I also send and receive a lot of
cards, and I think there's a lot of holier-than-thou cant preached about
the custom. I've worked away from home a great deal and made friends in
many places where I shall probably never go again, but don't want to
lose contact. And the cards I receive mean a lot to me - from an aunt
or a godchild, from someone I worked with ten years ago who still
corresponds, from someone I met this year who wants to stay in contact.
I don't work in an office and therefore don't have to decide on the
terrible all-or-nothing round of cards, for which I am grateful, but
even then there are sure to be a few people who would otherwise not get
many cards at all and for whom the office cards can mean something
personal.

I like Christmas cards, they are at the very least a marker of good
intent and there's not enough of that in the world.


--
Kate B

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