Set of religious greeting cards with no one to send them to?
December 19, 2013 9:30 PM Subscribe
I accidentally bought a pack of beautiful Hanukkah cards with no one who celebrates it to send to. What is the best thing to do with them?
http://www.amazon.com/UNICEF-Chanukah-Tree-Boxed-Cards/dp/B00995P60Q
^ Those are the cards in question. I bought them last holiday season and didn't notice at the time that they were Hanukkah cards. I don't have people to send them to, for whom it would be appropriate. (Not to mention that Hanukkah already passed...)
1. Would it be okay to send them to friends who don't celebrate the holiday?
2. What is the best thing to do with them? Who can I give them to?
It seems inappropriate to give someone the cards simply because they celebrate the holiday, plus I don't know them well. But I want these cards to be used. Please help!
http://www.amazon.com/UNICEF-Chanukah-Tree-Boxed-Cards/dp/B00995P60Q
^ Those are the cards in question. I bought them last holiday season and didn't notice at the time that they were Hanukkah cards. I don't have people to send them to, for whom it would be appropriate. (Not to mention that Hanukkah already passed...)
1. Would it be okay to send them to friends who don't celebrate the holiday?
2. What is the best thing to do with them? Who can I give them to?
It seems inappropriate to give someone the cards simply because they celebrate the holiday, plus I don't know them well. But I want these cards to be used. Please help!
Local Jewish community center? Nonprofits love free, high-quality stuff.
posted by dovesandstones at 9:37 PM on December 19, 2013 [4 favorites]
posted by dovesandstones at 9:37 PM on December 19, 2013 [4 favorites]
1. Would it be okay to send them to friends who don't celebrate the holiday?
Of course! Sending people cards is such a nice gesture, and pretty cards are pretty. I mean, don't send them to your Nazi friend, I guess? Otherwise I think you're good.
posted by threeants at 9:41 PM on December 19, 2013 [3 favorites]
Of course! Sending people cards is such a nice gesture, and pretty cards are pretty. I mean, don't send them to your Nazi friend, I guess? Otherwise I think you're good.
posted by threeants at 9:41 PM on December 19, 2013 [3 favorites]
I've given away all sorts of greeting cards on craigslist. I bet you'd get interest even though the holiday has passed. And if not this year, try craigslisting them next year.
posted by moxiequz at 9:43 PM on December 19, 2013
posted by moxiequz at 9:43 PM on December 19, 2013
The actual holiday was over a month ago, so sending them out to anyone now would be a little strange, like receiving a christmas card at the end of january.
Either donate them to a nearby community center or save them til next year.
posted by elizardbits at 9:47 PM on December 19, 2013 [1 favorite]
Either donate them to a nearby community center or save them til next year.
posted by elizardbits at 9:47 PM on December 19, 2013 [1 favorite]
I think you should save for next year. I think it would be odd to send these to people who don't celebrate the holiday, especially after it has passed.
posted by sweetkid at 9:48 PM on December 19, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by sweetkid at 9:48 PM on December 19, 2013 [1 favorite]
Huh. Apparently a Chanukah Tree is sort of an amalgam. I learned something.
Put a dollar in each, send them to people you love and wish them 恭禧發財.
posted by vapidave at 10:17 PM on December 19, 2013 [3 favorites]
Put a dollar in each, send them to people you love and wish them 恭禧發財.
posted by vapidave at 10:17 PM on December 19, 2013 [3 favorites]
Hrm. I think it's odd to send out greeting cards for a holiday that neither you nor your friends celebrate. As a Jewish person, I certainly wouldn't send out Eid or Diwali or Easter cards -- and sending such cards to those who don't celebrate those holidays would be doubly weird and perhaps a bit disrespectful. YMMV.
posted by Wordwoman at 11:03 PM on December 19, 2013 [5 favorites]
posted by Wordwoman at 11:03 PM on December 19, 2013 [5 favorites]
I would save them for next year, then send them out and just write "I know neither of us celebrates Hanukkah, but I accidentally bought these and thought it was a nice excuse to write you a note!" Or just send whenever, I guess.
Do you really need an officially sanctioned reason to send written correspondence in the mail? And unless everyone you know is horrifically anti-semitic, I don't see how sending an off-beat style of card would offend. I mean, what, are you afraid someone will think you think they're Jewish, and get upset? Or think you're Jewish and get upset?
All of the above said, I'm pretty irreverent about greeting cards. If everyone you know takes them very seriously, maybe it's better to just donate them.
posted by Sara C. at 12:44 AM on December 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
Do you really need an officially sanctioned reason to send written correspondence in the mail? And unless everyone you know is horrifically anti-semitic, I don't see how sending an off-beat style of card would offend. I mean, what, are you afraid someone will think you think they're Jewish, and get upset? Or think you're Jewish and get upset?
All of the above said, I'm pretty irreverent about greeting cards. If everyone you know takes them very seriously, maybe it's better to just donate them.
posted by Sara C. at 12:44 AM on December 20, 2013 [2 favorites]
They are beautiful cards!
I would keep one & frame it. The other 9 I would send to random synagogues with Rabbis who seemed nice. Just for kicks.
Or send them to your friend with a giant "whoops" disclaimer. But they're really pretty cards so I'm sure no one would mind.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 5:23 AM on December 20, 2013
I would keep one & frame it. The other 9 I would send to random synagogues with Rabbis who seemed nice. Just for kicks.
Or send them to your friend with a giant "whoops" disclaimer. But they're really pretty cards so I'm sure no one would mind.
posted by St. Peepsburg at 5:23 AM on December 20, 2013
I'm Jewish and I think it would be nice to send them with your regular holiday greetings!
I usually send out Chrismahannukwaanza greetings since I know people who celebrate a multitude of December hoidays.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:43 AM on December 20, 2013
I usually send out Chrismahannukwaanza greetings since I know people who celebrate a multitude of December hoidays.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:43 AM on December 20, 2013
If you have any smart-ass type friends, you could use them as birthday cards or whatever event all year long. You could either specifically mention "Hey, I bought these cards accidentally, but it's a card, so Happy Birthday!" or cross out Hanukkah and write in Birthday, or just send it as is and get a WTF back from your friends.
But otherwise, give them to a thrift shop for resale or put on freecycle.
posted by CathyG at 6:52 AM on December 20, 2013
But otherwise, give them to a thrift shop for resale or put on freecycle.
posted by CathyG at 6:52 AM on December 20, 2013
Give to a synagogue or Jewish community center. Religious and community organizations make their way through a lot of cards--to send to homebound members of their community, for example.
posted by duffell at 6:57 AM on December 20, 2013
posted by duffell at 6:57 AM on December 20, 2013
Best answer: A Jewish nursing home or retirement home should be happy to receive them for their residents to use next year. Send the whole box to them or to a local synagogue or Jewish community center. Here's a local place that might take them.
posted by mareli at 8:33 AM on December 20, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by mareli at 8:33 AM on December 20, 2013 [3 favorites]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by oceanjesse at 9:32 PM on December 19, 2013 [5 favorites]