Donal Hickey: Have polar bears and kittens replaced robins on our Christmas cards?

Donkeys and reindeer seem to have dropped off many Christmas cards but sleepy dogs are still popular

Thu, 15 Dec, 2022 - 10:18

Donal Hickey

One of our best-loved birds seems to have fallen down the pecking order when it comes to Christmas card design.

You may have noticed that robin redbreast images no longer appear as much on cards. According to the British greeting cards retailer, Clintons, Christmas card designs featuring robins have declined by about 30% in the last two decades.

It appears global warming is influencing public awareness and the polar bear is now the most often-seen character on these cards.

This could be due to a sympathy factor as the bear is endangered because the floating ice sheets from which it hunts seals and raises its young are melting. The bear appears on about a third of all cards, in Britain at least.

IWT Christmas Cards pack of 5, featuring a fox €6

Donkeys are now a rarity on cards, reindeers are on only about 10% of them, whilst images of snowmen have risen by 15%.

The retailer’s study, a few years ago, found that images of snow grew by more than 8%, but sleighs are not seen very much anymore.

It appears cute little kittens are holding their own, as are sleepy dogs sprawled before blazing fires, whilst squirrels and badgers make the occasional appearance.

Irish Wildlife Trust Christmas cards — Robin. €6

And environmental groups tend to remain loyal to nature. The Irish Wildlife Trust, for instance, has the robin prominent in its current Christmas card selection.

The other day we had a reminder of days long gone — a traditional card hanging over the fireplace in the servants’ dining hall at Victorian era Muckross House, Killarney, County Kerry.

You guessed it! The card had a robin perched on a snow-covered window sill, surrounded by ivy and feeding from a dish put out by the householder.

Meanwhile, the chirpy robin is a doughty survivor and continues to thrive in the real world. Last winter’s garden bird survey by BirdWatch found it to be our most visible bird, seen in 99% of gardens.

Now is the time when people are urged to put out food for birds. And the robin is certainly not shy about coming to people’s doors, or even having a peep inside. You’ll hear plenty stories about robins hopping into houses and even eating out of people’s hands.

An endearing little bird, brave and cheeky, it will fight to defend its territory. Most people seem to have a soft spot for the robin, probably because of the above-mentioned traits and its links with Christian beliefs.