Are rising Royal Mail stamp prices putting the tradition of sending Christmas cards at risk?
A growing 50p UK Christmas stamp petition is calling for a lower seasonal rate to help protect this much‑loved festive custom.
I know it’s May as I publish this post, and nobody wants to talk about Christmas in May, but I wanted to share a petition I recently signed.
For many across the UK, the cost of postage is becoming a real barrier — and without change, Christmas cards could slowly disappear from our letterboxes.
Christmas cards have always brought me a great deal of joy, as they do for many others, but sadly, sending and receiving them seems to be in free fall.
Why Christmas Cards Matter
Sending Christmas cards probably isn’t more popular than here in the UK. However, over the last 25 years, there has been a significant, long-term decline in the number sent. Brits used to send well over 1.5-2 billion cards a year. Sadly, this has now dropped to under one billion.
For many in the UK, sending festive greetings is a cherished ritual. But rising Royal Mail costs could make it unaffordable for thousands.
The Problem: Rising Stamp Costs
- Current First-Class stamp price: £1.80
- Proposed seasonal stamp: 50p
- Impact on families and pensioners
- Risk to the tradition of sending cards
There are many reasons people have stopped sending Christmas cards, with the main reason being the high cost of postage. Ten years ago, the price of a first-class stamp in the UK was £0.64. Currently (May 2026), the cost of a first-class stamp is £1.80. Second-class stamps are also available, priced at £0.91 today.
The 50p UK Christmas Stamp Petition
A petition has been started in the UK by Charlotte Graham, urging Royal Mail to introduce a 50p seasonal Christmas stamp. There are many excellent reasons to preserve the tradition of sending and receiving Christmas cards. Here are some comments from people who have already signed the petition.
Being in my 80’s and not able to travel so much, the joy of keeping in touch with others at Christmas is so important, as a written note at such a special time is way, way more precious than a digital one.
As someone who makes cards in support of a charity and also for my retirement-aged residents at work, I see daily the pleasure receiving a card through the post can bring, especially at Christmas. It can be the only communication people have with loved ones, for many reasons. Not only for the elderly, either. The thrill a child gets when the postman pops a card with their name on it, through the letter box, is priceless. If card companies can produce affordable cards, because they see the importance and pleasure in sending and receiving them, charging extortionate prices for a stamp is both cruel and greedy. So many things are only achievable for the wealthy these days; please don’t make posting a simple Christmas card one of them.
The post office has just put the cost of postage up, but the service has gone downhill rapidly. A relative’s NHS hospital appointment letter arrived 2 days after his appointment. A lot of people cannot afford to send cards or letters anymore, so it would be nice if the post office showed some goodwill. I believe they would see an uptake in their service if they did this.
Should Christmas Cards Be Saved? What You Can Do
If you believe a 50p UK Christmas stamp petition could help protect the tradition of sending festive cards, now may be the time to add your voice.
You can also share the petition on social media by clicking the links in it.
“Christmas cards are more than paper — they’re personal connections.”
The more people who sign the petition, the better our chance of saving a tradition that dates back to the 19th century.
I can’t tell you how happy it makes me feel to see a string of Christmas cards along a wall in December. It brings back many happy memories, some of which you can read about in a post I wrote and published in December 2022, Christmas Cards: Do You Send Them? Do You Receive Them? How To Avoid The Dilemmas.
Opening and sending Christmas cards is one of the highlights of my year, although I know that for some, Christmas is something they neither celebrate nor particularly enjoy.
Whatever your views on Christmas cards, given the joy they bring to so many, please consider helping us preserve the tradition of sending them.
Do you still send Christmas cards, or have you reduced or stopped sending them because of the cost of postage?
Thank you for talking to me about Christmas!
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