DOES anyone really like writing Christmas cards or, come to think of it, receiving them?

Are they a pleasure or a pain and where are the ones you’ve received this Christmas – lighting up your life or already stuck away in a dark cupboard?

The staggering fact is that around 668 million Christmas cards are sold in the UK every year – and that’s with the advent of emails and text.

I used to write ours religiously so to speak and there were more than 120 names on our Christmas card list. They were a chore that became a bind that became virtually impossible once we’d had our fourth child and both of us working.

So I decided that was it and, apart from the odd one penned to send to someone I thought would really appreciate it, I’ve officially retired from Christmas card writing. OK, my wife Ruth’s taken over and I hardly dare ask how many she’s written, but would you miss it if you were crossed off the Christmas card list or would it be a relief? After all, it would be one less spot in the house to find for yet another card.

Naturally you can see that some relatives may love to get them – nanas, grans, great aunts – who have time to read them, check them off their list and decide on a course of punitive direct action against those who’ve forgotten.

But would the rest of us really miss them? After all, for each one you don’t receive that’s one less to have to send. It’s got to be a win win winter scenario.

What’s the pointing wishing someone a Happy Christmas with a card when you may see them every day or even sit next to them? Why not just tell them or if that proves too much hassle send them an email so it can be read and deleted without going anywhere near the mantelpiece.