Scottish Daily Mail

Is it just ME?

Or are people who don’t send Christmas cards just churlish?

- by Samantha Brick

EVERY December, the Christmas countdown predictabl­y kicks in on social media. We’re all used to the cake-making braggers and insufferab­le Elf-on-the-Shelfers.

But this year, there’s a new type of humble brag. With every click of my mouse, I come across yet another pious person banging on about why they aren’t sending any Christmas cards.

We all know the type of dogooder. They’ve embraced technology with gusto and, at this time of year, are busy virtue-signalling their decision to donate to charity what they would have spent on cards.

These festive spoilsport­s love clucking about the environmen­tal impact of

This year there’s a new type of humble brag: not sending Christmas cards

sending and receiving cards. But what about the social impact of ignoring your dearest and notnecessa­rily nearest?

I do my bit to be green. When it comes to correspond­ence, I’ve gone almost paperless, sending emails or electronic payments.

But, with regards to Christmas cards, I’m not interested in the ecological arguments. For the past decade, I’ve personally designed, had printed and handwritte­n more than 50 cards to pop into the postbox each year.

I write them out over several wintry December evenings in front of the woodburner, with a glass of fizz to jolly me along.

I personalis­e each one as I care about the people who will turn the envelope over and open those cards before reading the message inside.

I know many who have lost a loved one this year. Carefully chosen words about the past and the future let them know someone is thinking of them.

Those bragging about donating to charity could probably afford to do both. So, each time I see their posts, I know I’ve got one less card to send.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom