Greeting cards hit media as Royal Mail cites ‘health and safety’ for clearing packages first
Royal Mail has hit back at newspaper claims over the weekend that it is prioritising parcels over Christmas cards and letters – saying clearing packages first is for health and safety reasons.
But that bad news was outweighed by the positive stories about greeting cards over the past few days, with the Guardian talking about how people are getting creative to keep the “very British thing” of the Christmas card tradition alive, The Sun’s Fabulous magazine explaining what your choice of festive design says about you, and The Mirror featuring a reporter going behind the scenes at Hallmark to design her own card.
And there was also the big reveal of this year’s Christmas cards from King Charles and Queen Camilla, and the Prince and Princess Of Wales, as well as the BBC’s coverage of Catherine’s annual carol concert where her three children posted festive cards to youngsters who may be struggling.
Even the Financial Times had an opinion piece from architecture and design critic Edwin Heathcote on the resilience of Christmas cards – but bemoaning how, while they are “part of the fabric of the festive season” people have never quite developed an elegant way of displaying them.
However, the Daily Mail front page on Saturday, 9 December was not the early Christmas present the industry wanted.
It had the headline “Christmas post fiasco” with the story saying posties are being told to shift the “premium products” first as they bring in more money than letters – meaning health appointments are missed and scan results delayed, along with greeting cards missing the big date by post not being delivered on time.
On seeing the story, GCA ceo Amanda Fergusson immediately contacted RM’s external affairs and policy director David Gold to find out the facts, and he assured her: “We do not operate a policy of prioritising parcels.”
But he added: “At particularly busy times, like this festive period, we will need to prioritise the health and safety of our employees. Parcels are large, take up space and restrict movement. For this reason, especially in small delivery offices, it may be necessary to clear parcels first for the safety of our colleagues and keep all mail, including letters, moving efficiently.
“We have extensive measures in place to improve our deliveries and ensure they are consistent and reliable this Christmas. Our postmen and women are making deliveries daily and we can confirm the vast majority of letters are delivered on time.”
The newspaper quoted RM staff, and others added comments to the online article, saying they are told by depot managers to take tracked mail and parcels first even though the company has to abide by the universal service obligation (USO) where it is legally required to deliver letters to every address in the UK six days a week, and parcels five days a week.
The paper also carried an article on Kevin Hollinrake, minister for enterprise, markets and small business, with whom the GCA has close links, telling Royal Mail to “tread carefully” when considering further stamp price rises because the spiralling costs are stopping people using its services.
He told the Mail On Sunday that three price rises since April last year taking first class stamps to £1.25 are making the public avoid sending letters and greeting cards, while second class rose from 68p to 75p.
Kevin said: “People will instead rely on other forms of communication such as email which is already happening, so Royal Mail should tread carefully.”
On the positive news front The Guardian reported that, although budgets under strain from the cost-of-living crisis, retailers say consumers are being creative by either buying single cards for close relatives and friends or getting out the craft scissors and glue stick for the ultimate personal touch.
John Lewis told the paper that sales of single cards are up 36%, while Hobbycraft and The Works have experienced strong demand for blank cards, stampers and festive-shaped stickers.
“We think the cost of postage may mean shoppers are sending fewer cards and instead taking the time to make personalised creations for their closest friends and family,” said Lisa Lort-Johnson, head of buying at The Works. “This year, we’ve noticed customers purchasing more embellishments to use for creative card-making versus traditional packs of pre-made cards.”
And the paper added that, even if the sacks of Christmas cards being delivered by the Royal Mail are smaller these days, the annual trade is still a money-spinner for Scout Post, its mini rival, as a Scouts spokesperson said the unofficial mail service is thriving, with 50 operating around the country this year.
With an average charge of 40p a card, Scout Post is an important source of funds, the spokesperson said, adding: “Some schemes involve single scout groups covering a village, others join together to operate over a larger area. We anticipate around 250,000 cards will be delivered in the run-up to Christmas.”
The Sun’s Fabulous magazine explained that sending traditional nativity cards shows a person appreciates the warmth that comes from reconnecting with age-old customs, is sentimental and probably religious.
Choosing typographic cards signals a love for language and a desire to offer a stylish and eloquent expression of the festive spirit, while those who pick luxurious bling want to make a statement and celebrate the holiday season in a style that’s both bold and opulent.
Safe and secular design elements show a desire to include everyone in a way that’s respectful of all beliefs, and picking amusing animals lets out your witty and playful side, saying the holiday season of all about embracing the fun.
Simple cards say the sender is here for a good time, not a chaotic one, while those who pick nostalgic scenes are aiming to recreate that childhood magic, and cheeky cards come from people with a playful spirit and subversive nature, who’d rather enjoy a laugh than take things too seriously.
And for The Mirror, reporter Maryam Qaiser was hosted at Hallmark by art director Liz Ring to work on her own personal design for a festive greeting, picking teal as the background colour, golden leaves for a luxury effect with a design of two people decorating a tree in a snow globe, and text saying Season’s Greetings to be inclusive.
Liz explained her inspiration comes from visuals, adding: “The best Christmas card I ever designed was this beautiful 3D card of the London streets. It had music and lights, but was too expensive to recreate. The worst card I made was a sprout card with sounds. I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.”
The Insights Team look at trends, with 2023’s theme being traditional but Liz said: “This year, we have something different. Many of the cards include ditzy floral designs, while still keeping a heritage theme. Yet traditional Christmas cards will always be people’s favourite.”
And Hallmark has already planned 2024 product ranges including cute polar bears, penguins and hedgehogs, while its Future Squad looks at what events and sentiments people might be looking to send.
Liz added: “I don’t think the excitement of receiving a card through the post will ever disappear. It’s about connecting with someone. You don’t get that personal touch on the internet.”
