To send Christmas cards or not?

As December approaches, all the inevitable questions about Christmas start to cross our minds... Where should we spend Christmas day? Which Christmas parties should we attend, and which should we avoid? What should we buy for the difficult family member who already seems to have everything? And when will we even find time to go shopping?!

Another question on our minds is what to do about Christmas cards. Should we send them? Who should we send them to? When should we send them? Etc, etc. It seems to be an age-old problem. To solve this mystery, we've weighed up the pros and cons of sending cards.

Pros of sending Christmas cards

• Love - Cards show people you are thinking of them and that you care. They're a great way to stay in touch with people you don't see often.
• Tradition - Is it even Christmas if your house isn't filled with cards?!
• Charity - Many charities sell their own Christmas cards so you can support a great cause at the same time as spreading festive cheer.

Cons of sending Christmas cards

• Expensive - More money goes on postage stamps than cards.
• Environment - Although many cards are made of recycled paper, thousands end up in landfill each year.
• Unnecessary - Is it really necessary to give cards to people we see and speak to every day, eg. work colleagues?

Is there an alternative to sending Christmas cards?

Yes! There are plenty of different alternatives to sending cards. Here are just a few of them:

• Sending Christmas emails or e-cards instead of cards - This is a great way to spread festive cheer, but it doesn't benefit charities.
• Posting a festive message on social media - Same as above and it may not feel very personal.
• Donating to charity in lieu of sending cards - This is a great way to support a charity, but it doesn't allow you to share your Christmas wishes with friends and family.

OR... You could create a page on Visufund and invite your friends and family to fill it with Christmas messages and charitable donations. There are many reasons why this is becoming a more popular choice, not least because it won't cost you a penny.

• You can choose a Christmas design - Use your page to decorate a virtual Christmas tree or wreath, or add stars or snowflakes to the sky, etc. It's a bit more seasonal than just displaying messages and donations in a list.
• You can display Christmas messages from lots of different people - Usually an e-card comes from just one person. Your visual fundraising page contains messages from everyone who supports it. Perfect for groups of friends or work colleagues.
• You can raise money for charity - You can have all the great benefits listed above by simply creating a message board on Visufund. Or you can create a fundraising page and raise money for charity by asking for donations to support a great cause. There's no administration to worry about, as all donations go straight to the charity, so it's an ideal way to organise a Christmas donation on behalf of a group.

So... Christmas cards - yay or nay? Hopefully this article has helped you to make up your mind. Whatever you decide, we wish you a very Merry Christmas from everyone at Visufund!