Ditch costly Christmas cards and rediscover the true spirit of giving
SIR – Last year our total bill for buying and sending Christmas cards came to over £100. When we delved into how much of the profit went to the charity selling the cards, we were horrified at how little they actually got.
This year we have reduced our written cards to eight, for those relatives and friends without a computer. We will send e-cards from now on and have donated the £100 to the disaster relief charity Shelterbox. Barbara Southward
Southend-on-sea, Essex
SIR – While on the subject of the season’s shortage of postage stamps (Letters, December 13), a few days ago the lady in front of me at my local post office asked for 24 Christmas stamps – “but not the religious ones, please”. Michael R Gordon
Bewdley, Worcestershire
SIR – I would like to reassure your readers that there is no shortage of Christmas stamps in the Post Office network. All our branches have been supplied with stamps and they can re-order in the run-up to Christmas. While our Westleton branch in Suffolk – home to your correspondent Elisabeth Young – did run low on supplies of some stamp books, it does have plenty of sheets of Christmas stamps which can be purchased in any volume. Kevin Gilliland
Chief Executive, Retail Post Office London EC2
SIR – We live on a country lane which has been passable with care throughout the period of snow (report, December 13). Everyone who needs to visit has made it – except for the postman. I was unable to post letters in my usual place because the postbox was absolutely full. Carolyn Pritchard
Bidford-on-avon, Warwickshire
SIR – Once again vehicles have been struggling in wintry conditions on the roads. In many European countries, winter tyres are recommended, if not compulsory, from November to April. Rear-wheel drive vehicles with summer tyres are virtually useless and dangerous on snow or ice. Front-wheel and four-wheel drive vehicles are better, but there is no realistic alternative to winter tyres in the weather which has prevailed in much of the country in recent days. Without them, icy conditions can lead to accidents, many serious, increasing the burden on the emergency services and pushing up insurance premiums.
Insurers should at least offer lower premiums to those motorists who take the trouble to buy winter tyres. Richard Reincke
Haslemere, Surrey
SIR – Back in a very mild September, my dog grew the thickest woolly coat I’d ever seen on him. A bear would have been proud.
Next autumn, I am not watching the weather reports for signs of a cold snap; I’m watching the dog. Tricia Camm
Ruswarp, North Yorkshire