BIC Survey Reveals All I Want for Christmas is a Card

LONDON, December 21, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Handwritten Christmas Cards Alive and Well as 92% of the Population Gets Writing* 

• Over 800 million Christmas cards to be sent this year in UK
• 74% of Brits want a handwritten card this Christmas
• Over twice as many Brits care more about what's in the card than the presents they receive**
  

92% of Brits will be sending Christmas cards this year, with over 800 million*** being sent by UK adults over the festive period.

Three quarters (73%) of those surveyed claimed that receiving a Christmas card would mean more to them than any other form of communication and 74% admitted to proudly displaying the Christmas cards they receive around the home. It seems handwritten Christmas cards hold a higher place in people's hearts, with more than twice as many of us caring more about what's in the card than what's in the wrapping paper.

If any further encouragement is needed to send a handwritten Christmas card then it pays to know that e-cards are out, with two fifths (41%) of respondents claiming that receiving one simply makes them feel like an afterthought or part of a mailing list.

Jonathan Skyrme, General Manager at BIC^® UK and Ireland, said: "It's brilliant to know that so many of us are keeping the tradition of sending Christmas cards alive. Our research has shown that on average we'll be sending a whopping 16 cards each this year, despite nearly a quarter (24%) claiming to be embarrassed about their handwriting and that a lack of time holds them back from sending them. We'd encourage everyone to pick up a pen and write - handwriting is a vital tool for life and the results from our Christmas card survey have shown that it's the thought that counts."

In order to prevent embarrassment over poor handwriting in adulthood, it's vital to foster handwriting from a young age. Melanie Harwood, the Founder of Start-Bee Ltd, a proven handwriting scheme for schools that teaches every child how to master fluent, legible, joined-up writing, said: "The annual event of writing a list to Santa or Christmas cards to the family is a rite of passage and such a joy for children, it can be made even more enjoyable if children have the correct foundations to start with. For those parents looking to help at home, the fun tips below will help ensure their children enjoy handwriting as much as possible this Christmas, whether it's for writing a Christmas card to grandparents, a list for Santa or their thank you letters."

* Research conducted amongst 2,000 adults across the UK by OnePoll on behalf of BIC UK & ROI in November 2016.  

** Over twice as many Brits (30%) care more about what's in the card than the presents they receive (13%).

***Based on 92% of UK adults sending an average of 16 cards each according to BIC's commissioned research, and on a UK population of 65,110,334 (13,770,873 of whom are under 18 years old), according to the ONS Statistical Bulletin entitled "Population: Estimates for UK, England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland mid-2015", 708,480,422 Christmas cards will be sent this year.

REGIONAL STATISTICS 

Essex residents will be sending the most cards this year (20 per person), whereas those from Wolverhampton will be sending the least (10 per person).

66% of Londoners care more about what's in the card than what's in the wrapping paper, compared with just 20% of those in Newcastle who care more about what's in the card.

Those in Northern Ireland are the least likely to appreciate a handwritten card (67%), while those in Nottingham are most likely to (84%).

Londoners are least likely to display their cards around the house (66%), while those from Nottingham are most likely to do so (80%).

About BIC^®  

BIC^® is a world leader in stationery, lighters, shavers and promotional products. For more than 60 years, BIC^® has honored the tradition of providing high-quality, affordable products to consumers everywhere. Through this unwavering dedication, BIC^® has become one of the most recognized brands in the world. BIC^® products are sold in more than 160 countries around the world. In 2015, BIC^® recorded net sales of 2,241.7 million euros. The Company is listed on "Euronext Paris" and is part of the SBF120 and CAC Mid 60 indexes. BIC^® is also part of the following SRI indexes: FTSE4Good Europe, Euronext Vigeo Europe 120, Ethibel Sustainability Excellence Europe, STOXX ESG Leaders and Gaia Index.

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Notes to Editors 

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SOURCE BIC, UK and Ireland