You know that song, “The Twelve Pains of Christmas”? It’s one of my favourites at this time of year. As you might guess, it’s a parody on the “Twelve Days of Christmas,” and always makes me laugh so hard. According to the song, “The fourth thing at Christmas that’s such a pain to me” is “sending Christmas cards” … because “I don’t even know half these people.”

This got me thinking – do people still send enough Christmas cards for this to be an issue?

Do you “do” Christmas cards?
I pondered this after being asked if I “do” Christmas cards? I found this a startling question: I mean, doesn’t everybody send cards? Apparently not. Given the ubiquity of email and social media messaging, the increasing cost of stamps and the need to be organised enough to meet the last posting dates before Christmas, many people are said to be opting out of sending actual cards through the actual post.

I understand the reasons, but can’t ever imagine doing this. In our household, sending Christmas cards is a delightful and important tradition.

The Joy of … Organisation
I’ll admit that I’m a pretty organised person. Give me a project to manage and it’ll get done. I love lists and spreadsheets, and this time of year is the perfect time to put my skills to good use. I create a baking schedule for all the treats (like Christmas cake) which need to be prepared in advance; I plan a full menu of meals that runs from 23 December to 2 January; and Christmas card writing is a fairly major operation that kicks off in mid-November.

I have an Excel file that contains a tab for every Christmas over the past 25+ years. The left column lists the names of possible card recipients, the second column records who we actually send a card to, and the third shows who sends us a card back. I instigate a “three strikes” rule: if we send a card to someone and they don’t send one back, they get three years or they’re off the list. (There are exemptions!)

Is this against the Christmas spirit of giving without receiving? Some would say yes. But I see it from a different perspective. It’s a way to keep our list trimmed and meaningful; it also gives us time to personalise Christmas card messages beyond the boilerplate “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.”

Traditional or Unique?
No matter how many cards we send or receive, I see them as a wonderful way to capture the essence of the season: wintery alpine scenes, the baby Jesus in a manger, or maybe a reindeer trotting through the snow. You just have to wander around Cadonau to see a host of beautiful designs. A few years ago I even commissioned a Scherenschnitt design celebrating the Saanenland in winter by the wonderfully talented local artist Michel Villiger. It was amazing to use a design that was unique to us.

But our card selection last year was, let’s say, a little ... unconventional! My husband was in charge and decided on a car theme: cars parked in the snow, cars jazzed up with tinsel and fairy lights, cars parked next to decorated trees … You get the picture.

This year we’ve decided on a mixed approach: some alpine scenes and some festively-decorated cars. We’ll both be in the Christmas spirit and unlike the chaos in “The Twelve Pains of Christmas,” my Excel list ensures that sending Christmas cards remains a joy, as we always know who the recipients are.

ANNA CHARLES