It’s that time of year again when I have to decide whether this year, I send Christmas cards or send money to a worthwhile charity. I dread writing them and even though I like to receive them, I do dread them cluttering up my shelves and table tops.

If I could find some meaning in them then fine. But a bog-standard greeting accompanied by the frenzied scrawl of a harassed friend or relative who has been forced to sit down for hours on end writing them is not my kind of Christmas cheer.

I could well be in the minority. I know many women who love nothing more than writing Christmas cards along with a long letter telling me what a wonderful and eventful year they have had. Some will even take the time to count them and are overjoyed when they realise that this year has been the biggest haul yet!

I’m again sorely tempted not to send any this year, although I usually give in. I start to feel guilty if I don’t send a card to those who’ve been good enough to send my family a card.

But with the price of a second class stamp now at 50p and even worse a first class stamp at 60p the annual Christmas card sending is now an expensive business. This year it cost my mother a huge £57 to send hers!

Here at Proposito we are very proud to have saved 13 trees this year by securely shredding and recycling our paper and we chose once again to donate to charity rather than send out company Christmas cards. For the second year running we have chosen to support a local cause with a festive feel. Charlton Lights is the passion of local resident Michaela Swadling-Stickler, who has made it her mission to put on a superb christmas light show every year to raise money for Epilepsy Research UK

So this year, will I or won’t I – I haven’t decided but either way I, along with everyone here at Proposito, would like to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.