You haven’t received one for three years and you are OFF the mailing list! Etiquette expert William Hanson reveals the do’s and don’ts of sending Christmas cards

Christmas is a time of festive spirit: the exchange of gifts, festive meals and acts of kindness.

But there’s one thing you should pay particular attention to when it comes to spreading Christmas cheer, according to etiquette expert William Hanson.

Christmas cards.

“Christmas card etiquette may not be your first thought when it comes to the holidays, but there are plenty of do’s and don’ts to ensure you’re following best practices,” he says.

From ‘special’ personalized cards to knowing when to remove people from your mailing list, we reveal William’s top tips, offered in conjunction with Cewe photo prints.

William starts by explaining how to decide who should get a Christmas card and when to cross someone off the list.

“It’s always nice to receive something through your letterbox from your nearest and dearest during the holidays, and it gives you a warm feeling inside,” William tells his 1.4 million followers in an Instagram video.

“Christmas cards should be sent to everyone you want to express festive wishes to,” he adds.

‘You can send as many or as few as your wrists can handle. That said, it’s a fairly standard practice among more prolific card writers to keep a list of who you send cards to and who you send them to in turn.

‘I have a rule that if I don’t get a card from someone for three years, he or she disappears from the list, no matter how much I love him or her. You have to give to receive.’

Second, William emphasizes the importance of personalizing each message on your Christmas cards with the recipient’s name and your own as the token.

“What’s the point of sending cards if you can’t be bothered to write their names on them?” he says.

‘Leaving out names does not mean that you are very busy and have too many cards to write. It just reads as rude.”

William emphasizes the importance of personalizing the message on each Christmas card with the recipient’s name and yours as the token. “What’s the point of sending cards if you can’t be bothered to write the names on them?” he says

The design of the card is also important, says William, who is a fan of decorating Christmas cards with a photo.

“This is where creativity comes in – if you have it,” he says, adding: “You can just use an artsy photo from a vacation that year, maybe a photo from a family event, or for those who have both time and time. talent in hand, the result of a special shoot just for the card itself.’

And what about when you need to ship them? William suggests sending Christmas cards in late November and early December.

“While Christmas cards used to be saved for the day itself, it is now standard practice to open them as soon as they arrive,” he says.

‘Sending cards during the first week of December is normal; the last week of November for international cards.’

Speaking Instagramhe adds, “If you, like me, have a fairly large address book, start writing it in late October so you don’t get overwhelmed.”

William recommends being creative when it comes to personalizing your Christmas cards

For his final tip: William is turning its focus on the delivery of festive cards, saying ‘there is nothing wrong with delivering these by hand where possible’ to limit ‘rising stamp costs’.

He continues: ‘Also save on ink and do not write the recipient’s address on the envelope, but only the first name.

‘If you’re feeling a little extra, add “by hand” at the bottom right.’

A survey by Cewe shows that receiving Christmas cards is ‘still very important’ to Brits, with 80 per cent of respondents admitting they like it when they are personalised.

A quarter of those surveyed also said they look forward to festive family photos of their favorite celebrities as it ‘puts them in the Christmas spirit’.

Cewe, which runs the ‘world’s largest’ photography competition, is asking Brits to ‘share their festive photos that would make the perfect personalized Christmas card’.

Prizes include a ‘once in a lifetime’ family trip to Lapland in 2024 plus a £150 Cewe voucher for first place, a £100 Cewe voucher for runners-up and a £50 Cewe voucher for third place .

Those wishing to enter must do so by November 16. Visit www.cewe.co.uk/xmas-competition.