... and NEVER send a round-robin note

SPREAD FESTIVE CHEER

TO MAKE the most of the season of goodwill buy charity Christmas cards. Your money will have the biggest effect if you buy directly from a charity. You still help good causes by buying charity cards from high street shops – but check the amount given on the back of the packet. The donation will not be so generous.

BE PRUDENT, NOT A SCROOGE

A TRUE friend will not judge you for saving money if you buy cards in bulk – especially if money goes to a good cause. With the average price of an individual card £1.60 and first-class stamps 63p, sending lots at Christmas can prove expensive – and may force you to trim the list of those you end up sending greetings to.

MAKE SMART USE OF THE INTERNET

A CHRISTMAS card sent as an email is often not appreciated. Sending friends an email with an animated cartoon of your family dancing as elves may not be seen as funny while corporate greetings are rarely welcome. But if you are donating to charity, electronic messaging is acceptable.

LEARN FROM HISTORY

CHRISTMAS cards were not commonly given until the late Victorian era. The first card ever sent in 1843 by Sir Henry Cole – founder of the Victoria and Albert Museum in South-West London – was hand-coloured and was of a happy family. A card should embrace the Christian message of love.

AVOID ROUND-ROBIN CARDS

THE best Christmas cards contain a personal message. Dame Hilary Blume, founder of the Charities Advisory Trust, says: ‘Writing Christmas cards can be a chore, but no-one wants to read a round-robin note. If you take time to make your greetings personal, they will go down a treat.’