I am happy to receive cards from people who are of some distance and from friends and acquaintances that are really not part of the inner circle. i prefer that they spend their money on tzaddakah than on candy I will give away or throw out.
On the other hand, close family members and close friends show some hakaros hatov to one and other when they offer their shalach manos (a special something) once a year. But it should really be spoken about in shuls and in yeshivas about not getting too carried away either with their shaloch manos or with their list. It isn’t necessary to look for more people to include as you meet more each year. Shuls do a one for all shalach manos which works well, and if you don’t wish to do that, Rabbanim these days should speak about the financial strain people are under so if you are cut from someone’s list don’t be insulted be understanding. I unfortunately am not in a position to make my own Shelach Manos so I purchase from Keren Aniyim and it gets very costly but I keep telling my husband it is tzedaka so stop freaking out we are doing two mitzvos at once.