I'm back in Chatham, back at work.
Last year I bought a bundle of Xmas cards from Oxfam, all secular, re-cycled, right-on. Probably 30-for-the-price-of-20, or similar. Last year I used about half of them and was careful to use 1½ packs rather than randomise them, that way there is less risk of sending the same person an identical card two years on the trot. This evening I breached the previously unopened packet to find, to my horror, it contained a pre-printed seasonal greeting. Thank Be-elzebub I checked first!
My closest people really do not need to see “Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year” right now, so I've made sure they don't receive one, not from me anyhow.
My local posting box has a notice inside. The notice is visible only to Post Office staff who have the key to open the box and collect the mail, and the only reason I know about this notice is because I happened to be present when a postie was emptying the box for distribution.
The notice explains that the postie needs to take extra care when emptying this box because it has been previously targeted by people posting unwrapped HIV+ junkie needles.
I thought my job was borderline shitty but this . . .