Do we still send Christmas cards?

Sub-postmaster David Ward says the number of Christmas cards being sent from his store has gone down

Are we still a nation of Christmas card lovers?

The Greeting Card Association lobby group estimates that UK consumers send one billion Christmas cards each year.

But many young people have said they prefer to send festive wishes by email or social media.

Wendy Jones-Blackett, 55, from Leeds, is a card retailer and a Greeting Card Association council member.

"Volumes are going slightly down but the amount that somebody is spending on a card is going up," she said.

Sub-postmaster David Ward says people used to send many more Christmas cards

David Ward, 55, and his family have run East Barkwith Post Office in Lincolnshire for the last 50 years.

During that time, he said "volumes have gone down".

"People used to send a Christmas card to every single person and there wasn't electronic mail," he added.

Despite an overall reduction, Mr Ward said numbers had increased again in the last few years at his store. He said he believed that was due to the bespoke Lincolnshire Christmas cards which were on sale.

Nationally, Royal Mail said the number of letters sent in the three months to the end of the year fell last year by 7% compared with the previous year, from just under 1.8 billion to 1.65 billion.

However, retailer John Lewis said its boxed Christmas cards were performing well this year.

So far, sales are up 13.5% compared with 2024, it told the BBC.

Alicia Dunn prefers to use social media to send festive wishes to friends and family overseas

Alicia Dunn, 27, from Lincoln, said she would not be sending Christmas cards this year, despite having friends and family in America where she grew up.

"We've just got so much social media now and I'm connected to everyone on Facebook that I just don't really need to send them in the post," she said.

Ben James, 43, from Spalding also uses social media to share festive wishes.

"You're able to say Happy Christmas to extended members of family and friends that you don't see without the need to spend £2 on a postage stamp," Mr James said.

However, Louise Canty, 60, from North Devon said she still send cards, "mainly to family and to close friends."

While the number she sends has decreased over the years, her two dogs still get a card each along with presents and a stocking.

Kay Meyers has written 27 Christmas cards this year

Kay Meyers, 66, from Wragby, said she would be sending 27 Christmas cards this year.

"I only know that because I wrote them yesterday afternoon," she said.

"Just bought my stamps, needed a mortgage," she joked.

A Royal Mail spokesperson said: "Our Second Class service offers great value. You can send a letter from the Scilly Isles in Cornwall to Shetland for just 87p."

Ms Jones-Blackett said the nearer it gets to Christmas, the more people get into the spirit and "they remember the value of a Christmas card."

"For connection and caring about people, cards are still really important," she added.

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