A simple card can remind someone they are remembered, valued and loved
The Christmas card tradition worth keeping
Monday, September 21, 2026
*Dolores Hanley McDiarmid
It’s September, and one of our favorite holidays is around the corner: Christmas. It is the season for giving, receiving, sharing meals with family and friends, and other treasured traditions that include sending Christmas cards. You may be asking yourself if you will send out Christmas cards this year, or you may be beginning to make your list of people who will receive your Christmas wishes. You will find food for thought in this article no matter which of the two groups applies to you.
The creator of the first Christmas card was Sir Henry Cole. In the book Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas by Christian author Ace Collins, Collins wrote that “Cole wanted a painting of a happy family and friends celebrating around the holiday table.” The publisher instructed the illustrator to depict themes that would stir compassion in the people receiving the cards.
Cole wanted the well-to-do people who received the cards to remember that there were poor people who needed food and clothing and that helping these people should be in everyone’s Christmas thoughts and plans. The Christmas card was created out of a generous and loving heart — a heart that thought of others, not of self.
Last year, one of my husband’s cousins wrote a note on her Christmas card that said it is good for us to send a Christmas card and/or letter to family and friends, even if it is only once a year. Sadly, many people have chosen to opt out of this cherished and valuable Christmas tradition. In conversations with friends, I have been told that they send and receive fewer cards now than in previous years. The same is true for me and my husband, John.
So, why don’t people send Christmas cards? According to my new AI friend, there are three primary reasons: 1) the rising cost of postage, 2) digital convenience, and 3) a desire to simplify holiday stress.
Let’s look at a few reasons why people may not send Christmas cards. The rising cost of postage can be a legitimate reason for some people who are financially strapped. If it’s not possible to send cards to many people, I suggest taking time to reflect on the people in your life who may not have family or many friends — someone who may be alone at Christmas and during the holiday season — and send them a card.
Now let’s look at digital convenience and a desire to simplify holiday stress as reasons for not sending Christmas cards. One suggestion is that once Christmas cards begin to appear in stores at the end of this month, one can get an early start on preparing the cards. That gives people three months to prepare their cards before mailing them. This eliminates the holiday stress mentioned above and the temptation to wait until the last minute and use digital communication.
The truth is…life is busy for all of us! It is a challenge for many of us to call, write a personal note, or send a card to all those we hold dear to our hearts throughout the year. However, let’s remember that we do not always know what goes on behind closed doors. There is an epidemic of loneliness among people of all ages, and loneliness is not always visible. Your Christmas card can make a difference in someone’s life. You never know…it could even save a life.
Why should we send Christmas cards? Three primary reasons include 1) brightening someone’s day, 2) preserving relationships, and 3) maintaining a cherished Christmas tradition.
Last year, I began to think about people who never receive a Christmas card: the homeless. I thought of the two hundred homeless people who gather one day a week at a nearby church for lunch, a shower, and socialization. The thought of giving each of those people a Christmas card never left my mind, so I walked over to the church and shared my idea with the staff. They were thrilled!
With a little help from my friends, the homeless program had enough Christmas cards to give to the two hundred people they serve. I think Sir Henry Cole must have had a huge smile on his face.
If you are inspired and want to go the extra mile, why not get together with family and friends and collect unused cards for the homeless? If you are creative, you can easily make new cards out of used Christmas cards.
Remember my husband’s cousin who reminded us about the value and importance of sending Christmas cards and letters to family and friends, even if it is only once a year? She passed away earlier this year. Fortunately, she received a card and letter from me and my husband last Christmas and knew she was thought of and loved by us.
Sending Christmas cards and letters continues to be an important Christmas tradition and a means of reminding people about the real reason for Christmas. Send Christmas cards and letters by snail mail this year. Mail them to the people whom you think of during the year and who hold a special place in your heart. Let’s remind people that they are thought of and loved.
Let’s keep this beautiful tradition of giving and receiving Christmas cards alive!
Now, that is food for thought!
