'A long-distance hug' Readers on the joy - and cost - of Christmas cards

The soaring price of stamps has cast doubt on the future of Christmas cards, but despite the money and time involved, it seems Gen Z want to keep the festive tradition, likened to sending a "long-distance hug".

- Zoe Wood

Sales of boxed cards are down 23% this year, and the figure for individual Christmas cards was down 15%, according to John Lewis's annual shopping trends report, but people have embraced Instagram or WhatsApp to share festive greetings, or sent e-cards. Some send a combination.

"I send physical cards when I can give them to people directly or in my college's pigeonholes," said Katherine, an 18-year-old student. "Postage is so expensive now. It was about 48 people this year, so undoable." She also sends a "happy Christmas" text and suggested that together both gestures provided a good way of "restarting a lapsed connection". Digital cards seemed "pointless", however, as "it isn't part of your text chain".

Neve Spalding, 17, said she felt physical cards were "much more personal". Though messy scribblers beware, as the A-level student, who lives in Ipswich, added: "Your handwriting can tell a lot about how much effort you've put into a card."