Is the post office, UK defunct?

[Chappers51]

When I was working I could hang the cards round all sides of the picture rails, somewhere around 100, but many were hand delivered.
This year I’ve sent around 25 cards which I bought on line from UK company based in N France and together with postage they’ve cost around 3 euros to send. I don’t begrudge it as I put a brief personal note in each one, but I do reflect and think that money could be better used by a charity.

[curtis]

I sent 60 cards to UK friends and family. 50% were financed by unfranked stamps from last year's cards arriving here ! Sadly some still get cancelled by hand. They get posted by whoever is going back to the uk.

[Mangetout]

I remember my much loved mother in law used to receive so many cards there was nowhere to put them. From far flung places across the world and the UK. Most with a handwritten update on how things were going. Emails just aren't the same. Luckily I have kept all the cards we were sent on our marriage and all my husband's cards to me over the years. I touch them, smell them, read them. They're such a sweet reminder of what we had. Long live the written word.

[Blaze]

@Mangetout

[Liz]

A tangible card or letter is especially welcomed by those on their own, an email is nice but just the same.
Due to feeling uncheerful and stressed the past two Decembers I made an effort this year to use the cards we had, together with a batch of Morris Minor cards I came across in Action (!)
Postage to the UK wasn't expensive as friends were here late November and they posted them second class in London.
I gave my email address and our current landline number in every card and we have had so many calls and emails since that it made it worthwhile. Clearly the UK strikes had put off many habitual card senders.

[DominicBest]

A tangible card or letter is especially welcomed by those on their own, an email is nice but just the same.
Due to feeling uncheerful and stressed the past two Decembers I made an effort this year to use the cards we had, together with a batch of Morris Minor cards I came across in Action (!)
Postage to the UK wasn't expensive as friends were here late November and they posted them second class in London.
I gave my email address and our current landline number in every card and we have had so many calls and emails since that it made it worthwhile. Clearly the UK strikes had put off many habitual card senders.

The joys of Action.

[beejay]

I sent 60 cards to UK friends and family. 50% were financed by unfranked stamps from last year's cards arriving here ! Sadly some still get cancelled by hand. They get posted by whoever is going back to the uk.

Mail bosses have warned people that re-using apparently unmarked stamps could leave the recipient facing a fine, due to technology which can spot stamps which have been through the postal system twice.

In the past, stamps which had not been marked with an inky franking mark were often considered fair game to be used again – although the practice was technically illegal.

But now the Royal Mail uses UV franking machines, meaning that stamps which look unused to the naked eye are likely to be flagged up when they are put through the post a second time – and the recipient is then forced to travel to the local sorting office to pay a fine.

[Hotrodder]

Life.
It's always about the money.

[curtis]

I'll think about that for next year. Could be scaremongering.

[niemeyjt]

Next year - new stamps with barcodes - old ones obsolete.