House of (Christmas) Cards

It's that time of year again. The time when you have to remember how much an international stamp costs. The time when you pick up the post and think "oh, jaysus, I've got to send them one now." Yes, it's the time when we have to start sending out our Christmas cards.

Or do we? In an age where most people never send letters (aw, I miss letters), do we still put pen to paper (or rather, cardboard) and send some Christmas greetings to people we could just text or Skype? Well, obviously no one is forcing us to do it and yet I suspect a lot of us send cards anyway. Because surely even the most Scrooge-ish of us feel a little bit more festive when that first card arrives on the mat. And most of us know the feeling of satisfaction that comes from popping all your cards in the nearest post box (until, of course, you get that card from someone you forgot and realise that you'd better send them one right now. Sometimes, if it's really late, I walk on the envelope so they'll think it got lost in the post and was being trampled in some post room).

Sending out Christmas cards is never hassle free, and maybe that's why it's so special - we know that someone actually went to some trouble to send us this glittery bit of cardboard. First of all, there's the choice of card itself - traditional or abstract? Secular or religious? Charity card or fancy M&S specials? I always feel a bit guilty if I don't buy some charity cards so I usually go to Oxfam, which do genuinely nice ones and is a good cause too.

Then, of course, comes stamp buying, which usually means queuing up in the post office behind someone who's sending vast amounts of parcels to Australia and has to weigh and stamp every one. And then, comes the moment when you discover that the price of stamps has gone up since last year and you have to buy a few 5c stamps so you can add them to last year's leftover stamps to make up the postage.

But it's all worth it when cards start arriving and your mantlepiece (or bookshelf, or windowsill) starts looking like something out of the cheerful bits of A Christmas Carol. And at least you don't have to actually lick the stamps these days.

So do you still send out cards or does the whole racket make you go "Bah, humbug"? Do you go for glamorous or old school cards? What are the best you've ever received? And be honest: how many times have you been caught off guard by an unexpected card and found yourself digging a manky one out of a drawer and sending one in return at the last minute?