Every single November, there are always Christmas cards instantly available. With many designs and colours, there is always something for everyone! But when did you last see someone buy one…?
Christmas cards have been sent throughout history, with Queen Victoria sending the first one. The first commercial Christmas cards were released in 1843. Despite this, there are early reports of Christmas cards sent in the 1610s. They have now become traditional and associated with festivities for Christmas.
Despite being a tradition for many, Christmas cards are losing popularity. One cause of this could be their price. A Christmas card could cost £2-4 each, and a stamp around £1.35. This means that if you bought a £2.50 card and a stamp for everyone in a family of 10, this would cost £38.50! Despite their traditional nature, Christmas cards are expensive to send, as well as time consuming. As an alternative, many people send text messages or post their Christmas celebrations online. 98% of adults between 16 and 24 own a mobile phone, making the internet and digital communication platforms more accessible. As well, many people have social media like WhatsApp and Instagram, meaning these messages are easy to send.
There is also another problem… naming. This makes cards for specific people harder to find as there are many cards, but few with specific names. It may be easy to find a card meant for grandparents, but more difficult to find one with the specific name you use for them. There are cards trying to tackle this problem by including a blank space on the front of the card and with a sticker sheet inside, even offering a space for a custom name. You simply fill in the gap on the front with the name sticker. This is a great idea but generates more waste than a regular card as the sticker sheet is normally thrown away.
Finally, Christmas cards generate lots of waste. In just the UK alone, 30,000 tons of Christmas cards are thrown away yearly. This shows that they are nice to hand out but normally end up in the rubbish soon after Christmas passes. Despite this, most Christmas cards can be recycled at supermarkets, if they have no foil or glitter.
Overall, Christmas cards are nice to give to friends and family but are costly and can damage the environment. Christmas cards are a big tradition for some people, the chance of them becoming instantly forgotten and unused is low. Many may choose to use cheaper or recyclable alternatives; these would be more beneficial for the environment as well as themselves.
By Poppy Ivers