When it comes to Christmas, we’re a sentimental bunch and would prefer to receive a Christmas card than a text or email, a study has found.
Researchers found that despite the plethora of high tech methods we can now utilise to deliver messages of goodwill, most of us still yearn for a good old fashioned hand written card.
Half of adults in Wales would be upset to receive a festive communication over social media instead of a heartfelt Christmas card.
Elen Jones from Porthcawl buys her Christmas cards from Oxfam every year.
“I’ve got friends, family and co-workers who are not on social media and who like the tradition of sending and receiving cards, and I respect that,” says Elen.
“I like going to Oxfam for my bilingual cards because I know that I’m supporting a good cause at such a crucial time. There’s a good choice of cards in Oxfam, some traditional and some modern, and some in other languages too which is important to me. Every year I look forward to sitting down by the fire with a glass of something while I write my cards. It’s one of my Christmas rituals.”
Eight in ten admit they’d hate to see technology taking over one of their favourite times of the year, and 63 per cent think those who don’t bother to send a card have lost the true spirit of Christmas.
An overwhelming 87 per cent truly believe more thought and feeling goes into the written word than a quick-fire text message or post.
And nine in ten adults still believe a Christmas card is the most fitting festive greeting of all.
Fee Gilfeather, Head of Customer Experience at Oxfam, which commissioned the research, said:
“Us Brits love our traditions, and this survey proves our nation is united when it comes to festive greetings. Electronic messages just can’t replace reading a hand-written message from a well-wisher, or the lovely decoration they bring when strung up at home.
“And unlike some charity Christmas cards, every penny of the profit raised from Oxfam Christmas card sales goes to a good cause – fighting poverty at home and around the world.”
If Christmas cards is a numbers game, Brits are totalling some impressive festive figures: sending an average of 23 greetings each year, and spending an average 45 minutes writing them.
More than four in ten adults across the UK said they use Christmas cards as a round robin- a traditional way of communicating to distant family and friends what has happened during the year – and seven in ten considered it a fantastic way of keeping in touch.
But it’s not always the season of goodwill when it comes to Christmas greetings – as almost 7% of Welsh people have ‘defriended’ someone because they didn’t receive anything from them!
Mrs Gilfeather for Oxfam added:
“This year Oxfam shops are again stacked with beautiful Christmas cards carefully sourced for you – for every budget and taste – bringing humour, style and art into homes along with your personal messages.
“Last year the money raised from your Christmas card purchases was enough to help children recover from malnutrition in Niger. Safe, clean water now flows in their communities, making sure that these children can grow healthy for years to come.”
“Now we know that your small gesture could mean the world to the receiver, as well as delivering hope to the people who Oxfam works for.”
ENDS
Notes
2000 people who celebrate Christmas took part in this research. 101 came from Wales.
Oxfam has 23 shops across Wales. To find your nearest shop visit: https://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/shop-finder