Christmas Cards - An Important Part of Tradition

Christmas cards are an important part of the tradition whole tradition of Christmas, particularly in Britain. There is something very satisfying about sitting down in late November with a mulled wine and going through your Christmas card list. For me it is often the only time in the year I make contact with old friends and family members. I always write a personalised note inside (never a round robin newsletter) giving them relevant news. I also love receiving cards, and sometimes a personal note from a friend prompts me to get back in touch properly and meet up. It appears that I’m not alone. According to the Royal Mail, 80% of people prefer to receive a traditional card rather than an electronic greeting, after all – you can’t put an e-card on your mantelpiece. The Christmas card industry is worth over £3.5million per year in the UK alone and it is estimated that each person sends an average of 19 cards, more for older people. There has been some decline in sending of cards since the 1980s, partly due to e-cards, but also due to postal costs and concerns about the environmental impact. Time to write cards might also be a factor, as traditionally women send more cards and most now work full time. Certainly I send fewer cards now – when I was at school you sent one to everyone in your class and later when I went to work you sent one to everyone in the office. This, probably sensibly, has now fallen out of favour. I have pared down my Christmas card list to friends whom I no longer see regularly and relatives. Because of this I take much more care about the type of cards I send. This seems to be a general trend, with people choosing cards that support charities they really care about or cards that have great designs, rather than the bargain basement 100 pack. The Royal Mail’s survey suggested that the most popular cards to receive are fun or humorous cards, followed by cards with a wintry theme. Many businesses still send out cards to their clients. It is a good way to reinforce the brand and to keep in touch with both existing a lapsed clients. The sending of a card shows that you are thinking about the recipient and that you care enough to spend the time to write to them and go to the letter box. By making the card personal, either by having your names printed on it or by including a photograph, shows that you have spent even more care in choosing your design.