Should people who don't celebrate xmas still send out holiday cards?

I was raised Jewish, am an atheist, and celebrate THE SHIT out of Christmas. Because it's pretty much the best holiday ever, and because a lot of the old stuff is recycled paganism converted into a secular holiday and a lot of the best newer stuff was created by Jews (samples: White Christmas, the Christmas Song, and, of course, Dorothy Parker helping to script It's a Wonderful Life.) So, yes, I send out Christmas cards. This year me and my girlfriend sent out cards of us standing in front of a giant Christmas tree that the girlfriend had converted into a coloring book illustration. Do you want to send one to your mother? my girlfriend asked. Hell no, I said, it will just confuse and upset her.

I'm an Atheist, although I was raised in a practicing Muslim family. I don't send out Christmas cards. I'm not sure I understand the whole "sending out xmas card" tradition, and find it a little odd when people send them to me, all the while knowing that I do not celebrate Christmas (unless they're especially really silly, creative, or funny cards). Sending out xmas cards doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me in an era when everyone is so connected and already knows what's up with most people. But if you're going to send them out, it shouldn't stress you out and you shouldn't feel pressured. Aren't "the holidays" supposed to be fun? Getting stressed out about sending out cards doesn't sound very fun. tl.dr - I think you're fine. I wouldn't worry much about it.

I buy cards at my local craft fair, send them to people. Everyone usually likes getting mail, I like supporting people who make stuff.

I think cards are coming back - I stopped doing them for a while, but I'm back in, and so are a lot of people I know. I think it's because we all remembered that getting actual mail is A DELIGHT. My cards are of the HAPPY HOLIDAYS variety, I send them to friends regardless of their religious affiliation (all my friends are christian, Jewish, or both. Or agnostic) and don't expect to get any in return. But am delighted when I do. Cards are festive!

I am almost 30 (and the aforementioned athiest with a Christmas tree. I am, er, culturally Christian, heh). None of my friends do holiday cards, but my parents and most people I know in their generation do send out either Christmas or New Years cards. In discussions with my parents about their reasons for the miserable marathon of card signing (seriously, they send out at least 200 each year) I have come to understand that the Holiday Card Marathon is what they do instead of Facebook. They send out Christmas cards to friends they know celebrate it, and non-religious "holiday" cards to those that don't. They love getting cards in return, because it tells them their friends' addresses are still the same, that they still want to be friends, and that they could be contacted at their address if need be. So as I said: Facebook. They do have many friends they send cards to that don't send out holiday cards themselves, for various reasons (mostly lack of Christian-ness). On the other hand, I know they stop sending cards out to people who don't send them back, but only if those people used to send cards to my parents each year and then stopped. Uh, so, if their friends unfriended my parents, my parents don't bother to re-friend them...or something. Anyway, I wouldn't worry about it. If people are sending you cards, it's just because they like you, not because they expect you to reciprocate.

Fellow non-observant Jew here. I'm in an inter-faith marriage and I'm kind of a buffet religion afficianado. So I've got to cover Christmas, Channukah, Yule, Tet, Dwalli, and whatever else you got. This year I got cards that said BEST YEAR EVAH! Even better, I could put 8 pictures on it and have them printed out at CVS. So 6 cat pics and one each of Husbunny and I and we're golden. I'll take whatever greeting you've got! I wish other people a Merry Christmas. Why not? I had a Channukah party with a latke bar (and a viewing of Junior Eurovision Song Contest, but that was the entertainment). I light the menorah, I told the story, we at our faces off and had a great time. I do all of this because I like to. I enjoy it. It's not a chore for me, it's fun. Don't do ANYTHING out of a feeling of obligation. Do it because you want to.

I'm Jewish. I send out some cards (and the posts here remind me that I completely forgot to join the MeCha card exchange this year. One year I'll remember. : ) ) I like to send out funny cards, general Happy Holidays cards, or cards with pictures of my dog. I like getting cards too.

Non religious reform Jew that used to send holiday cards with a picture of our kids only. We sent them for about 15 years. They were mostly for friends who lived out of state or we did not see often because of life circumstances and same with relatives. All it would say was, "Happy Holidays from the Gunn Family". Some years we would put individual names. They were simply one of those elongated picture cards with a picture and message next to it in a business size envelope. For so many, it was a chance to watch our kids grow up from afar. The year we stopped, we got a lot of calls and notes asking why. (too lazy to fight with three teenagers to take the darn picture.) It turns out that we kept the kids in the same position every year. (Accidentally for first 5 years, then it just seemed right.). I made a video montage type thing of all the cards and some of the outtake pictures last year and it was truly amazing to me to watch them grow each year. We get cards from all denominations mostly with best wishes and a family picture. I look forward to them and usually only think about them when we don't get one from a regular some year. We have a single friend, now in his 40s that has kept them all taped to his refrig for 17 years now. He even moved them when he moved. He simply thinks if them as nephews and niece. He loves telling expletive all about their accomplishments. He says it also makes him look more domestic and family friendly when he brings home dates. It is both weird and flattering to know my kids are helping him get laid. I never expect them, am always happy to get them, and only miss them if I have gotten one for several years from that family.

I think only the person who celebrates a holiday/tradition is the one with the obligation/expectation to do things traditionally associated with that holiday. I'm always reminded of http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0560048%20 when Arnold decides to become Jewish, expecting the motherlode of presents - yet forgets that only HE celebrates this tradition. Lesson to be learned - do what you do because you feel its the right thing to do and do it without expectations of others.