Christmas Cards to non-Christians

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Diana_Catherine

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I am curious to know what others do around Christmas time when sending out cards to non-Christian friends.

It is easy to pick out religious themed Christmas cards for fellow Christians, both protestant and Catholic. It is kind of a way of connecting with fellow Christians and it is a very good feeling and can be spiritually uplifting, especially, too, when receiving Christmas cards from fellow Christians reminding us of the real meaning of Christmas but when it comes to those who are not Christians do you send out a religious Christmas card or a non-religious Christmas card, maybe with just a hint of the real seasons meaning.

I have heard some say this is a great time to plant seeds of evangelization of what the real meaning of Christmas is and then the other day someone made a comment about being careful what type of card you send to a non-Christian so as not to push them away, 🤷 so I was just wondering what ideas others have and what others do.

I am out to purchase my Christmas cards tomorrow. 🙂

Have a Blessed Advent.
 
If the person knows that I am a non Christian and intentionally sent me a Christian themed card or gift in order to evangelize me, I would find it ‘offensive’, but if the person doesn’t know about my disbelief then I wouldn’t mind and I would appreciate the gift.
In general, I prefer non christian themed gifts because I am non religious who likes the holiday and it’s spirit, lights, songs, without the religious influence, some people don’t like Christmas at all, so I don’t know how would they react specially if you know that they don’t like the holiday.
 
I grade my cards:
  1. Highly religious (i.e. they include a prayer) to Catholics and some Christians.
  2. Nativity scenes - Christians, fallen away and not bothered; and
  3. Joy or Peace and have no religious messages inside, go to fallen away, not bothered and non-believers.
From my perspective, I am celebrating and want to share (but not impose) that celebration with everyone. If I try to impose, I will only close that person’s heart.

The only exception is with the annual Christmas Voucher donation where we are asked (if we are able) to put a £5 voucher from a supermarket in a Christmas Card. I use a Nativity scene card simply because members of the Church are asked to donate and I see no wrong in the recipient knowing a Christian made the gift. If they don’t like it, they can refuse the gift, or accept it and dispose of the card - its up to them.
 
I make no distinction whatsoever in sending out Christmas cards. Everyone gets the same thing, regardless of their beliefs. MY beliefs dictate the cards.
 
Scenes such as Christmas trees, red cardinals, and wreaths are a cheerful sight.
 
Hoo(name removed by moderator)mie said:
I make no distinction whatsoever in sending out Christmas cards. Everyone gets the same thing, regardless of their beliefs. MY beliefs dictate the cards.
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👍
I buy my cards from the Knights of Columbus.

All of my cards are Christmas Cards. It is after all Christmas. 🤷

I find it incredible that people would be upset that people send Christmas Cards on Christmas, to celebrate Christmas. :rolleyes:

We are celebrating the Birth of Christ. 👍
 
We have a stack of cards with a scripture quotation on them that none of my Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist or Wiccan friends could disagree with. It happens to be something similar to what our Pope taught earlier this year in regards to meeting atheists and those of different faiths in the middle at the point where we agree on serving those less fortunate.

Philippians 4:8

It doesn’t hurt to let others know that we believe some of the same things as they do. And that we love them and are thinking of them.
 
I won’t buy any cards that don’t say Merry Christmas–no Seasons Greetings, Happy Holidays for me. I do, however, not send cards with Bible verses or extra religious verses to people who are scoffers–i.e. don’t cast your pearls before swine kind of thing.
 
Mmmmm… Very good point you raise…
.there are people you will not help no matter what you do…
But sometimes it doesn’t hurt to plant a seed in someone’s mind…
 
I used to send lots of cards at Christmas, many that had those “all inclusive” seasons greetings or cardinals in the snow or some other thing that has nothing to do with Christmas. Some years ago I stopped. I send out only Christmas cards with the real message of Christmas, and if someone is offended, that’s not my intention, and if they tell me they felt offended, I’ll take them off of next year’s list.
 
CyrilSebastian said:
Scenes such as Christmas trees, red cardinals, and wreaths are a cheerful sight.
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I feel that it is a shame to express such an opinion, in that it lends agreement with the secularism of one of the holiest days of the year.
Never forget that the modern term for the holiday stems from the words: “Christ’s Mass”!
 
PattiDay said:
I used to send lots of cards at Christmas, many that had those “all inclusive” seasons greetings or cardinals in the snow or some other thing that has nothing to do with Christmas. Some years ago I stopped. I send out only Christmas cards with the real message of Christmas, and if someone is offended, that’s not my intention, and if they tell me they felt offended, I’ll take them off of next year’s list.
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Yep.

I send Christmas Cards to celebrate Christmas, not to offend anyone.

If I happen to offend someone, and they tell me about, I can simply take them off of my mailing list.

One thing I won’t do, is buy a separate, non- Christian Christmas Card to send.
 
CyrilSebastian said:
Scenes such as Christmas trees, red cardinals, and wreaths are a cheerful sight.
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The wreath is cheerful. The Advent wreath has four candles. The candle(s) is (are} lit each Sunday before Christmas in anticipation of Christ’s birthday. Christmas trees can represent the “tree of life”.
 
well, i would send them something very subtle, if something from the Bible would be in i would choose one with a message of Joy and about the image something like a scene of the nativity, but i would choose the most beautiful ones, so they keep it at least for the art, and then they might as well get interested.

I know it sounds almost subliminal and very secretive, i hope this way of dealing with stuff is not wrong, I doubt it is, but if you think it’s let me know.
 
I don’t tailor my cards to suit someone else’s tastes. I did that years ago after someone complained about us using the Holy Family stamps on our cards. The following year I had several different cards and stamps and did my best to make sure the cards and stamps matched up with the individual person’s beliefs and sensibilities. The same person from the previous year complained again because they felt the card they got was still too religious. I simplified things the next year by only sending a single card & stamp, and cutting the complainer off our list.
 
We have friends of various non-Christian religions. The “Christmas Card” is another way of catching up and wishing them well. I send religious cards to those who are Christian and I have a “Joy” card for those who do not celebrate Christmas. I still send them a card because it is a convenient time for me to reach out to them.

However, I just want to post my little rant about Christmas cards because I need to get this off my chest.

What ever happened to people actually writing something in a card? How about something more than a pre-printed “Seasons Greetings from the PhiloMed family” without even an actual signature? Or the pictures of your children, or your dog wearing antlers. It is the season of Christ’s birth, not your children’s’ birth. It also has nothing to do with a dog with antlers. I haven’t seen you in 8 years, do you think you could do more than stick a Shutterfly “card” into an envelope and stick a stamp on it? I’d even appreciate the "We just have to get together this year, even though I’m sure we won’t.

End of rant.**
 
Diana_Catherine said:
I am curious to know what others do around Christmas time when sending out cards to non-Christian friends.

It is easy to pick out religious themed Christmas cards for fellow Christians, both protestant and Catholic. It is kind of a way of connecting with fellow Christians and it is a very good feeling and can be spiritually uplifting, especially, too, when receiving Christmas cards from fellow Christians reminding us of the real meaning of Christmas but when it comes to those who are not Christians do you send out a religious Christmas card or a non-religious Christmas card, maybe with just a hint of the real seasons meaning.

I have heard some say this is a great time to plant seeds of evangelization of what the real meaning of Christmas is and then the other day someone made a comment about being careful what type of card you send to a non-Christian so as not to push them away, 🤷 so I was just wondering what ideas others have and what others do.

I am out to purchase my Christmas cards tomorrow. 🙂

Have a Blessed Advent.
Click to expand...
Send out a religious card…it is a holiday for christians and catholics after all…if it was hannukah or ramadan do you think jewsand muslims would secularize their holy holiday to suit non jews and non muslims…this is jesus birthday …its a holy day for us…dont dumb it down for the sake of pleasing others
 
PhiloMed said:
We have friends of various non-Christian religions. The “Christmas Card” is another way of catching up and wishing them well. I send religious cards to those who are Christian and I have a “Joy” card for those who do not celebrate Christmas. I still send them a card because it is a convenient time for me to reach out to them.

However, I just want to post my little rant about Christmas cards because I need to get this off my chest.

What ever happened to people actually writing something in a card? How about something more than a pre-printed “Seasons Greetings from the PhiloMed family” without even an actual signature? Or the pictures of your children, or your dog wearing antlers. It is the season of Christ’s birth, not your children’s’ birth. It also has nothing to do with a dog with antlers. I haven’t seen you in 8 years, do you think you could do more than stick a Shutterfly “card” into an envelope and stick a stamp on it? I’d even appreciate the "We just have to get together this year, even though I’m sure we won’t.

End of rant.**

Agreed 100%

I was just mentioning this to my wife and she everyone does it. I told her that doesn’t make everyone right. If they want to include a pic of their kids, put it inside the card.

Personally, we buy a mixed bag of cards for different ppl. But I always write something inside, specfic to them (maybe religious, or no religious, but personalized)

Otherwise, why not just send an email???
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I send religious Christmas Cards to all - toned down message “Peace and Joy” or similar to non Christians.
I have a self-inking stamp - ordered from “Vistaprint” (I had to design it myself) “Keep Christ in Christmas”. This year, I couldn’t find any stamps “Keep Christ in Christmas”, so I ordered the self inker from Vistaprint.
 
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