Homemade cards valued most as Xmas greetings

Finns value mailed Christmas cards above all other types of Christmas greetings. The most important reason to send Christmas cards is to make the recipient happy, said a study report.

The national postal and logistic services operator Posti and IRO Research have conducted the study to find out the status of different Christmas greetings in Finland, said a Posti press release.

In October, Posti and IRO Research asked 1,000 Finns for their opinion on how important cards are as a form of holiday greeting. According to the responses, it seems cards are viewed as very important.

Two thirds of all Finns (66 per cent) are planning to send Christmas cards or letters this year. Only 17 per cent of the respondents have no plan to send any kind of Christmas greetings.

According to the responses, the most important reason for Finns to send out Christmas cards is to make the recipients happy (94 per cent). Maintaining Christmas traditions (85 per cent) and reciprocity (81 per cent) are two other important motives for sending cards.

The motivations vary slightly among different genders. Men are more likely to send cards out of a sense of duty, whereas women are more interested in making the recipients happy and having the opportunity to make their own cards.

The respondents were also asked to select the Christmas greeting they value the most. Four out of 10 (40 per cent) preferred Christmas cards made by the sender and sent by mail. The next most valued form of greeting was purchased cards sent by mail, then cards made from one’s own photos and Christmas letters. E-mails and text messages and personal and public social media messages received a total of six per cent votes.

“All respondent groups liked home-made cards. Their popularity indicates that Finns value Christmas greetings that have required a bit of effort. That people want to make the recipients happy means that Christmas is a special time. It’s the season of giving and personal relationships. A Christmas greeting carried to your doorstep brings people closer even when they don’t normally keep in touch,” remarked Posti Product Manager Johanna Rouhe.

The most affordable way of mailing Christmas cards is with a Christmas no-value indicator stamp (EUR 1.05), for example, through the red envelope, which is meant for mailing Christmas greetings. This year, the last date for mailing cards with a Christmas no-value indicator stamp is December 12. Cards with a regular domestic no-value indicator stamp (EUR 1.50) will reach their recipients by Christmas if they are mailed by December 19.

“A home-made Christmas card must be sent in an envelope. It won’t make the price higher, but the card will stay in a better shape,” Rouhe added.