Are we falling out of love with Christmas cards?

I read that Christmas cards are a tradition dating back 171 years. The reason for their popularity is obvious – they give us a reason to connect with old friends and family and spread the Christmas cheer.

But with the cost of stamps on the rise, I’m worried this tradition could soon be written into the history books.

Too little, too much

The price of stamps increased again this year. A Royal Mail first class stamp went up 2p to 62p and a second-class stamp rose by 3p to 53p.

While those numbers may sound small, it all adds up in the end. For example, if you wanted to send 50 Christmas cards second-class, it would cost over £25 in postage alone. It’s no wonder people have started to think twice before engaging with this festive tradition. Last year, Pat told us:

‘My card list has shrunk enormously over the last two years simply because of the cost of postage. A lot of my friends have stopped sending cards for the same reason so we’ve agreed to wish each other a Merry Christmas verbally.’

And Lee Belcher said:

‘It is such a shame that people have to really count the cost of good will and our once a year communicate with old friends. It is so important not to forget those.’

Let’s take this online

A way around the cost of stamps is to send e-cards. E-cards are digital cards sent over the internet and seem to be a growing trend. And I can see why – they’re quick and convenient.

There’s no need to leave your desk or spend hours queuing in the post office, plus you can customise the card depending on who you’re sending to, unlike cards in the shops. Still, for the sake of a few pounds, is it really worth losing that personal touch?

Last year, Lee Belcher was very much against the idea:

‘E-cards and texts are useless. How can you sit and look at your displayed e-cards and texts with love and warmth?’

I tend to agree with Lee, I’ve never sent an e-card and feel hand written post is much more meaningful, especially at Christmas.

So if e-cards aren’t for you, how do save on your annual Christmas message to friends and family? Elizabeth said that she’s turned to hand posting:

‘Last year for the first time, I hand delivered local cards because of the cost of postage and will do so again this year.’

Maybe you’ll just bite the bullet and pay for postage, or are you more than merrier to see the tradition fade away? My plan: hand-written cards are too important to lose – I just picked more wisely this year.

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