Sending A Festive Card To A Lonely Person This Christmas

This Christmas we encourage you to write a letter or send a festive card to a lonely person. This could be an elderly neighbour or the student down your street who can’t go home for Christmas.

When it’s cold and dark what’s better than getting a Christmas card or heartfelt letter through your door when you’re not expecting one?

In this post, we encourage you to reach out, and hey, this could be your random act of kindness for this holiday season. 

Writing a letter
Image credit Hannah Olinger

Why should I send a card to a lonely person?

You may be wondering, why should I send a card to someone I don’t know? Well reader, this is why.

There are 2.2 million people aged 75 and over living alone in Great Britain (Campaigntoendloneliness.org), which means there’s a whole lot of potentially lonely elders dotted around the UK. And that’s not including the ones in care homes who may not have family available to visit them.

Moving to younger demographics, students and the homeless are big sufferers from loneliness as they are often forgotten demographics.

Writing a Christmas card or festive well-wishing letter could make a world of difference to a person who believes they are alone in this world.

Christmas card on a table

 

Who should I send a card to?

When figuring out who to reach out to, start local. If you know of an older person on their own, you could send them a card.

You could give a homeless person you see when in town a card when you next go out.

If there’s a student house nearby and only one person is still there, you could send them a card.

We promise it would make someone’s day to know you thought about them.

If you want to branch out and contact someone outside of your community, you can opt to join an online outreach programme like Write To The Elderly

Where they will pair you with someone who doesn’t receive many letters. You may even end up with a nice elderly pen pal. There are so many outreach programmes depending on the demographic you are looking for.

 

Fountain pen writing

Why should I write at Christmas?

Christmas is the perfect time to reach out. Granted you can do so any time of the year. But, at Christmas, those who are lonely may feel their loneliest because the holiday is marketed as one to share with friends and family, which may be hard for those without family or no one close enough to just pop by and celebrate.

 

Christmas card being held up

How can I get involved?

All you need to do is get a pen, some paper/ cards and an envelope. It’s really that simple. You can start by surveying the neighbourhood and talking to the people around you. Maybe you can to make writing to lonely person a community effort to get in touch with all the people who are likely to spend the holidays alone.

You can send letters and cards. And if you’re feeling extra kind you can invite them over for a meal, so they know they have someone in the community looking out for them.

Let’s make this year’s objective to have one less lonely person. Even if it’s just on your street. We hope you have enjoyed this post and take us up this task and send a festive card to a lonely person.

Send a Christmas card to a lonely person

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