Have the Wise Men got lost? Researchers find they've nearly disappeared from Christmas cards
A tiny number of Christmas cards this year will feature the traditional Three Wise Men, according to analysis by card retailer Clintons.
Once a staple of greetings cards, the Wise Men feature on only 0.6 per cent of cards sold.
In the original Gospel story the number of Magi is not given, but they have been depicted as a trio because they brought three gifts, of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They are frequently shown in the the stable with the shepherds and animals, though Matthew's story (2:1-12) puts their arrival in Bethlehem some time after Jesus' birth.
While the analysis of designs during the last two decades has not tracked religious cards specifically, the apparent decline in portrayals of the Wise Men is part of a wider change in how Christmas cards mark the season, reflecting customers' choices.
According to the researchers, global warming, diet-consciousness and popular culture are having a dramatic effect on what we have on our mantelpiece.
Robin redbreasts appear on fewer cards than ever before. In the last decade, Christmas card designs featuring robins have declined by 29.2 per cent, in contrast to their real-world equivalent population, which has grown by 49 per cent since the 1970s.
Wider analysis of the animals depicted on Christmas cards this year has yielded several surprises. There are virtually no donkeys. Reindeer have been unaffected by fashion shifts, appearing on 10 per cent of cards. But the surprise four-legged feature is the bear, which features on 32 per cent of cards this year.
Tim Fairs, a director at Clintons, said: 'It has not been a good year for Wise Men, according to our analysis. But each year brings fresh depictions that are add to the Christmas heritage. This year, for some reason, bears are popular. Snow has succumbed a bit to global warming, but with last week's fall, card artists for 2018 may be starting to think a bit differently.'
Christmas trees remain a prominent feature, appearing on 29 per cent of cards this year. Perhaps influenced by diet-consciousness, Father Christmas appears to have lost around 12kg in the last decade.
Victorian street scenes remain as popular as ever, with holly bushes, bells and stars all apparently here to stay.
