Grantham school asks pupils not to send Christmas cards

Some parents said it would have been better for the school to teach children how to recycle their cards

Children at a primary school have been asked not to send Christmas cards to friends to help save the environment.

Head teacher Jonathon Mason wrote to parents suggesting students send a single card to the class rather than individual ones.

He said children at Belton Lane Primary in Grantham had expressed concern about the environmental impact of cards.

His approach has met mixed reaction, with some comparing him to Charles Dickens' character, Ebeneezer Scrooge.

But one parent, who did not wish to be named, told the BBC that the letter had "been taken out of hand".

A letter was sent to parents at Belton Lane Primary advising them of the environmental impact of Christmas cards

Mr Mason wrote to parents explaining the school would be removing its Christmas cards post box, the Grantham Journal reported.

"Throughout the world, we send enough Christmas cards that if we placed them alongside each other, they'd cover the world's circumference 500 times," he said.

Instead he suggested children could send one card to their whole class in order to "save money and the environment".

• More news from across Lincolnshire

But the idea was reportedly described as "Grinch-like" by one parent and Mr Mason was compared to Scrooge from a Christmas Carol.

"The school had good intentions at heart but could have gone a better way about it," said one parent, who wished to remain anonymous.

"As parents, it has been discussed and most agreed it would have been better for the school to help the children understand the importance of recycling Christmas cards rather than suggesting they aren't sent to their friends."

The school has been approached for comment.