At Christmas time in the UK, people have traditionally sent Christmas cards for a hundred years or more. With the first ever Christmas card being sent in 1847, the popularity of posting a scenic picture or photograph and an expression of sentiment only grew over the years, with billions of cards being sent worldwide every year by the 21st Century.
What happened?
With the rise of the internet and the trend of social media, more and more people in the UK are choosing to send online e-cards to their loved ones, rather than traditional paper cards. In the last year, with recent media coverage concerning climate change and the environmental impact of the human race, some are choosing not to send any cards at all, opting for online messages only.
New initiatives that have combined the sending of an online greetings card with a charity donation have seen more and more people opting for an environmentally friendly and altruistic method of sending Christmas wishes, with some even opting to give charitable presents instead of physical gifts.
Some say that spending a fortune on what is essentially a thin piece of card with a name scribbled on it is a complete waste of money, which could be better used by giving to others. However, many people still love giving and receiving traditional Christmas cards, with some only hearing from these relatives on their cards once a year at Christmas.
The future of cards
Despite the internet based e-card trends, greeting card sales are still rising yearly, and according to the Royal Mail at least a billion Christmas cards will be sent this year, with last posting dates going right up until the 22nd December. You can even get your card there on the same day as posting it, by using a same day courier service such as allaboutfreight.co.uk/same-day-courier-service who can arrange collection from a premises and take immediately to the recipient.
If you still want to send a Christmas card to a friend or loved one, but would like to contribute to charity at the same time, consider sending a charity Christmas card. Through the sale of charity Christmas cards, over £50 million is raised every year, so you can do your bit while sending a card that will be displayed with love – the true meaning of Christmas.
