The dilemma of Christmas cards

As an aspiring minimalist, and someone concerned about unnecessary waste, physical Christmas cards felt wrong for a number of years.  However I felt a compulsion and societal pressure to send them. Every year getting them written by the respective posting deadlines (for friends & family overseas) was stressful. I wanted to send cards that included writing something meaningful, and personal, so they took a while. However I have never sent cards for London (where I live) friends, or work colleagues, I see all the time.

A few years ago I started sending some e-cards but they were always personalised. This year I was away for the whole festive season, so have decided to just go with a generic update e-card, except those older relatives who don’t have email. This was for the following reasons;

  • I need to protect my time for other things (such as seeing people) before I leave.
  • I don’t want anyone to feel they have to send a card that I won’t be at home to receive.
  • It reduces waste.

Will anyone notice or mind? Will it affect these relationships? I am not sure it will.

Stats & facts

It is estimated that in the UK alone we give 1 billion Christmas cards every year! Marks & Spencer have teamed up with the Woodland Trust to ensure that for every 1,000 card collected in store the Trust plants one native tree. Last year they planted 6,000 trees. With the UK being one of the least forested countries in Europe this is good news. The estimates suggest that our rate of recycling cards has gone up dramatically. Other shops promote card recycling points, the increase in Council run kerbside recycling, and some are kept for prosperity, but that’s still a lot of paper. Bear in mind many cards have glitter, bows, gems and ribbon so some kerbside recycling will not take them.

A lush and green woodland with a small stream running though it

British Woodland being boosted by The Woodland Trust

Popularity or meaning?

Recycling is great but surely it’s better not to use them all in the first place if they are not meaningful? Do you need to give a card to someone at work, or someone you see all the time? If you are just writing “To X from Y” then is this giving either person something other than a temporary house decoration? Is it more about the number of cards you have on your desk, or in your lounge, as a signifier of your popularity? I am not sure that is what Christmas is all about for me, in a cultural sense.

Some ideas for reducing and reusing your paper cards;

  • Cut up and reuse the front of old cards as gift tags for next year.
  • For those in your immediate physical vicinity organise a group meal at your local pub, or a gathering at your house.
  • For those further away arrange a video chat and the gift of time.
  • Send personalised e-cards, some of the animation ones can be fun and give something a paper card cannot.
  • Make it known to your work colleagues /family that you are doing a charity donation instead of sending cards.
  • For the cards you do want to send buy plain ones (no glitter or ribbon), these can be recycled easily.
  • You can choose to support your favourite charity by purchasing their cards.
  • For ideas to reduce your food waste at Christmas see Love Food Hate Waste

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