“We all know Christmas 2020 is going to be different from others and that some people may be facing it alone, or be struggling with their mental health,” highlights Sarah-Jane Porter, head of cards and licensing at Moonpig. The online retailer has teamed up with Mind, the mental health charity creating a selection of 30 Christmas card designs, with 10% of the net sales from these designs going to support the charity.
There are six exclusive designs which feature powerful messages, such as ‘Be extra kind to yourself this Christmas’ and ‘This is not a normal Christmas, it’s okay not to be okay’ to reflect the importance of continuing to talk about our mental health, supporting those experiencing loneliness, as well as celebrating the support Mind has been offering since 1946.
“We wanted to create a set of exclusive cards that are supportive and uplifting to remind people they are not alone and to look after themselves and loved ones during the festive period,” adds Sarah-Jane.
As Emma Ihsan, head of corporate partnerships at Mind explained, the coronavirus pandemic continues to have a huge impact on the lives of many people and on their mental health and the receiving of a Christmas card will help to lift the spirits. “We know from our coronavirus survey of around 16,000 people that over half of adults and two thirds of young people said their mental health got worse during the pandemic, with many developing problems for the first time. Feelings of loneliness have also made nearly two thirds of people’s mental health worse. We hope these cards go some way in putting a smile on people’s faces over the festive season, as well as raising vital funds to help us protect and support everyone who needs us.”
Sign up to #KindnessByPost’s Christmas card exchange
Accepting that it is going to be a tough Christmas for many, at the end of what has been a tough year, The Mental Health Collective’s festive #KindnessByPost exchange provides an opportunity to send festive goodwill to strangers.
However, you do need to register by 11pm on Thursday 3 December to be part of this kindness movement.
The #KindnessByPost initiative, which is free to participate, sees people sending a card or letter with a message of goodwill to someone else in the UK, and in signing up you will have someone allocated to send a card or letter to you.
Thousands have taken part in #KindnessByPost exchanges over the last year and have sent the most incredible cards and letters the length and breadth of the UK. Whether you send a simple festive wish, a silly joke, a book recommendation, or a message for someone to hold onto in their darkest hour – it’s about reminding each other that we’re not on our own in the world.
If you’ve taken part in #KindnessByPost before, you still need to register to be part of the Christmas exchange. Just log into your account and click ‘take part’. Don’t forget to check your current postal address is featured (you can update it in your account page).
If you’re new to #KindnessByPost, you can easily join… Register here if it’s your first time joining.
