Christmas is just a few weeks away. So getting prepared is certainly on the cards, as we launch into the ‘headless chicken (or turkey!) season. There is so much to remember and so many people to consider it can become overwhelming. Christmas cards are one of those etiquette things that can easily get out of hand – who exactly can you afford to miss out? If you’re running a business then the answer is nobody – every client is important.

To ensure that everyone gets remembered this year, a lot of businesses are using corporate Christmas ecards to make sure nobody feels left out. But according to The Bishop of Hertford, the Rt Revd Paul Bayes, the advent of the e-card (no pun intended) is killing the true Christmas spirit. In response, he’s spearheading a campaign to avert what he sees as the threat of the e-card to the traditional paper Christmas card, with a claim that a mantelpiece decorated with festive cards could soon disappear, to be replaced by a full computer inbox and not much else.

A growing trend

But while he may have a point in the domestic setting, in the business world the use of corporate e-cards is a growing trend that shows no signs of losing any momentum. One of the main reasons is cost – with postage charges climbing rapidly, sending out hundreds of business Christmas cards can end up costing a company a small fortune. electronic Christmas cards for business cost a lot less, are delivered instantly, and none of your customers feel affronted because you’ve chosen to post their Christmas card 2nd class mail to save a few pounds. Logistically, it’s also easier to do a large e-card send-out than it is to spend hours stuffing envelopes.

The charity aspect

But one of the aspects that the Rev. Bayes is really concerned about is the impact that e-cards have on charities. Many Christmas cards have with a portion of the price going to a particular charity, and the Rev. Bayes feels that they could be losing out as more people, particularly businesses, switch over to e-cards. But even here e-cards do give you the option to donate to your chosen charity, so will they really lose out as much as the Rev. Bayes feels they might?

It’s unlikely that the traditional Christmas card is going to disappear any time soon, but for businesses corporate e-cards are making the festive season a little less stressful.