C heery red-breasted robins flitting across wintry skies, donkeys resting their noses on snow-laden fences, Christmas trees girt with tinsel or jolly snowmen with carrot noses — such festive scenes have been the stock in trade of the Christmas card designer for nearly two centuries. With mince pies and Christmas puddings appearing in supermarkets in September and Christmas lights installed in Oxford Street by early November, Christmas seems to be creeping ever earlier each year. So it’s really the rewarding slap of a pile of envelopes on the front door mat that heralds the true start of the festive season.
However, in recent years it’s often been said that the tradition of sending Christmas cards is in decline. The rising use of e-cards and Christmas morning WhatsApp messages has sounded the death knell for the physical card. Or has it?.