No, I’m not ‘sad’, but this was part of a research project that I needed to do as a freelance writer.
Thank you to everyone who sent me a Christmas card. I’ve analyzed the type of cards they were and their pictures. 46% of the cards I received were bought in aid of a charity(many for the Woodland Trust). Maybe it’s easier to put our hands in our pocket, than to roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty. When I offered to pray for a friend’s wife the other day. He said ‘Don’t just pray, do something’. It made me think.
23% of the cards had nativity scenes on the front. Before we tut, tut about that, I read somewhere that Victorian cards seldom had stable pictures. So it’s not a sign that as a country we’re becoming less Christian.
19% featured pictures of snow. That must be a secret wish to have the beauty without the inconvenience; 7% portrayed Christmas trees, without the snow. These gave a feeling of homeliness. Robins appeared on 6%. Many years ago I remember my mother commenting that nearly all the cards showed robins. Are they disappearing from our cards , as they are in real life? 6% featured holly. I don’t know what that means.
Please continue to send me cards at Christmas. My decorations look bare without them.
Carol, the Christmas girl.