Oxfam reveals 141 million fewer Christmas cards will be sent this year

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- 36% of Britons say they will send fewer Christmas cards in 2010 than 5 years ago- Saving money and the environment key factors in this year's sales drop- Christmas card sales at Oxfam down 14% so far this year More than one in three (36%) of us will be sending fewer Christmas cards this year than we did just five years ago, new online research from Oxfam reveals today, with consumers claiming that they will send 141 million fewer cards in 2010 than in 2005. Around 882 million cards will be sent this year, compared to 1.02 billion in 2005*. Furthermore, there is a clear generational gap at play, with a colossal 91% of those aged 55 and above planning to send Christmas cards this year, compared to just 72% of 18-24 year olds. Women are also sending far fewer cards than 5 years ago, with 42% claiming they'll send less this year, compared to just 30% of men. - Saving money was cited as one of the top reasons for giving and sending fewer or no cards at all this year, with one in five (22%) declaring they were tightening their belts and therefore not giving or sending Christmas cards.- Environmental concerns are equally important ? 22% were sending fewer or no Christmas cards because they felt they are a waste of paper.- Postage cost increases are concern enough for 21% to send fewer cards ? bad news for the Royal Mail in the light of their recent drop in profits.- Meanwhile, almost one in five (18%) think Christmas cards are no longer an important part of Christmas, and 13% of those respondents will send online and email greetings instead. Just 12% of Britons will be sending more Christmas cards this year than five years ago, with 43% sending about the same number. Oxfam shops, one of the UK's leading Christmas card retailers, are often a barometer for wider high street trends, and indeed the national trend in Christmas card sales is reflected at the charity's 700 shops, with card sales down by around 14% so far this year. Christmas cards are Oxfam's biggest seasonal seller, bringing in around £1 million every year to help the charity's fight against poverty ? enough to buy 40,000 goats, safe water for 1.1 million people or feed more than 140,000 families. For every £1 spent on Oxfam Christmas cards, 42p goes to Oxfam?s lifesaving work around the world. As well as their impact on fighting poverty, Christmas cards still have a key social function to perform, Oxfam's research found. Christmas cards are second only to birthday cards in terms of our personal connection, with over half of us (53%) saying that Christmas cards are one of the most important types of card to receive ? far more important than Mother's/Father's Day cards (33%), Valentine's cards (16%) or anniversary cards (16%). What's more, Christmas cards are one of the two items of post that a majority of Britons say they give or send every year ? 83% of us will give or send at least one Christmas card, while 87% give or send a birthday card every year. Other forms of personal post are much less likely to be sent every year, with less than half (49%) giving or sending Mother's/Father's Day cards, only 37% of us regularly giving or sending postcards on holiday, and the art of the written letter now only being practised by 26% of us. 64% of us still have a Christmas card list ? 28% of us write it down, 20% keep a mental list, 11% of us have a list online or on our computer, while 6% let our partners keep lists on our behalf. And 81% of those who have a Christmas card list have deliberately taken someone off that list. The most popular reasons for taking someone off your Christmas card list are:- Simply losing touch with that person (51%);- Not getting a card from them the previous year (15%);- Trimming down your list (13%);- Having an argument with them (9%). David McCullough, Oxfam's director of trading, said:?Given their social importance, Christmas cards are clearly a tradition it's important to keep alive. This is even more the case when you realise that the £1 million of Christmas card sales Oxfam receives every year is enough to feed more than 140,000 families. Sending a card this year could help you not only to stay in touch with your loved ones, but could make a difference to the lives of poor people around the world at the same time.? Oxfam sells Christmas cards at each of its 700 shops and online from www.oxfam.org.uk/shop. Uniquely, Oxfam's Christmas cards are made from 100% recycled material and are manufactured entirely in the UK. The cards range from £1.99 to £4.99 depending on style and number in each pack, and all profits go directly to the charity's lifesaving work around the world. - Ends ? For more information or to arrange an interview with Oxfam's director of trading, contact:Oxfam press office01865 472498 / media.unit@oxfam.org.uk All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 2328 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 29th October and 1st November 2010 . The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).* Calculations made by Oxfam using YouGov survey results. More from the Oxfam Press Office at http://www.oxfam.org.uk/news