Gen Z would rather receive a season’s greetings card than a WhatsApp message

Respondents felt that messaging a bunch of people is easy but that sending a proper season’s greetings card reflects time and effort. Personal attention and actually taking the trouble to send a card make it extra-special to receive. Many reported valuing such cards as a sign that someone has devoted extra effort for them.

Personal attention

As Generation Z, those surveyed are unable to fathom life without the internet. Yet PostNL’s Director of Operations Sipke Spoelstra does not think it odd that they’re so appreciative of physical Christmas and New Year’s messages: “At PostNL, we’re very aware that lots of season’s greetings are still being sent every year, but it’s great to see that this new generation also loves receiving Christmas cards. It seems that people still feel and appreciate the personal attention that a card reflects.”

Personal and hand-written messages

But do these digital natives send cards as eagerly as they receive them? No less than 44% of respondents reported sending Christmas and New Year’s cards. Of those, nearly 80% actually buy physical cards and include a personal hand-written message. The other 20% send only digital season’s greetings.

Busy times at sorting centres

Lots of cards are still being sent at this time of year, making for busy times at PostNL’s sorting centres. PostNL is urging everyone to send their season’s greetings in good time, preferably before Wednesday 20 December, allowing it to deliver their good wishes before 25 December. Within the Netherlands, of course, special December stamps are available for holiday mail, enabling people to send cards and other post at lower rates up to and including 6 January 2024.