Christmas has always been the most meaningful time of year for sending and receiving greeting cards — a moment to pause, reflect, reconnect and share kindness.
At the GCA, we’ve long championed this British tradition, and this year we’re delighted to see Royal Mail placing greeting cards at the very heart of their major national Christmas campaign.
A Full-Scale Celebration of Cards
Royal Mail has announced a major, all-media Christmas campaign encouraging people across the UK to send cards, a message deeply aligned with the GCA’s mission and our long-standing #Cardmitment initiatives.
Through TV, radio, social media, YouTube and TikTok, the campaign celebrates the emotional impact of receiving a handwritten message and highlights the importance of staying connected, especially during the festive season.
Our CEO, Amanda Fergusson, recently met with Royal Mail and shared our industry’s hopes:
We welcome Royal Mail’s commitment to putting greeting cards centre stage this Christmas. Their campaign celebrates the joy of connecting with loved ones — something our industry has championed for generations. We share their hope that this campaign is a tremendous success, and the greeting-card community will be fully behind it.
Why Greeting Cards Continue to Matter
In a recent meeting with Royal Mail, Amanda highlighted compelling statistics showing that greeting cards remain central to how we express care and connection:
Beyond numbers, cards deliver emotion, creativity and support thousands of people and businesses across our industry.
Amanda said “More important than the numbers, each card plays a small role helping the mental health and well-being of millions of card senders and recipients each year”.
Royal Mail’s Commitment
Richard Travers, Managing Director of Letters at Royal Mail, said:
Richards words reflect a shared understanding of the importance of the greeting card sector, not just commercially, but culturally. Cards support independent retailers, publishers, designers, printers, and the local posties who bring moments of joy to doorsteps across the UK.
A Magical Extra: Royal Mail’s Christmas Prize Draw
While the heart of the campaign is about sending cards, to add a sprinkle of festive excitement, Royal Mail has introduced its new Magical Card Prize Draw — designed to reward the senders and recipients who help keep this much-loved tradition alive.
From 1st to 24th December, Royal Mail will give away:
All prizes are shared between the card’s sender and recipient — reinforcing the idea that sending a card creates two moments of joy.
How to enter
- Write “magical” on the envelope.
- Make sure the card has a 2025 Christmas stamp.
- Take a photo of the front of the envelope.
- Upload it, along with sender and recipient details, to www.royalmailmagic.com.
Royal Mails last posting dates for Christmas are 17 December for Second Class 20 December for First Class.
Coming Together Through Cards
Royal Mail’s focus on celebrating the joy of sending cards this Christmas is something we warmly welcome at the GCA. Their emphasis on handwritten connection aligns closely with our mission to keep Britain communicating through cards — especially at a time of year when these messages mean so much.
Their Christmas campaign also sits alongside our own seasonal initiatives, which continue to inspire people to pick up a pen and send a little love with a card:
#Cardmitment – Our ongoing call to send cards with purpose, to pause, reach out, and make someone’s day with a thoughtful message.
Festive Friday – A much-loved moment that kicks off the wave of Christmas card-sending, uniting publishers, retailers, creators and card lovers in celebration.
Caring at Christmas – A lovely initiative where publishers ensure that those in care homes, who may find it difficult to get out and send cards themselves, can still take part in this meaningful tradition. Each year, GCA members and supporters visit local care homes to help residents write and send their Christmas cards.
Keeping Britain Connected — One Card at a Time
Between Royal Mail’s national campaign and the GCA initiatives, the continued passion of publishers, retailers, writers, designers, and everyday card senders, this Christmas reminds us of something we deeply believe:
It’s so much more than just a card. It is connection. It is care. It is love — sent, received, and treasured.
