Ethical retailer Traidcraft is asking people to ditch the e-card culture in favour of sending real cards this Christmas.

Sending cards via email and social media sites like Facebook has become increasingly popular in recent years.

However, in a survey last year Royal Mail found that 80 per cent of people would much rather have a real card than an electronic version.

Charities make around £50m each year in charity Christmas card sales but there is concern that their revenue is taking a hit as people opt to send social media greetings over paper cards.

The campaign to send real Christmas cards is being backed by the Bishop of Hertford, the Right Reverend Paul Bayes.

Bishop Bayes said: "I love technology and social media and I use it a lot. But it can be a bit impersonal and frankly sometimes a bit cold. It's so important to remember that human connection and reaching out to one another is a basic human need.

"That's why I think at Christmas nowadays something has been lost by the trend to either send no cards, or e-cards or a group email. Sometimes traditional is good, so why not write cards and deliver some of them yourself? Because it's not just the card, but it's that one to one connection - pastorally, there's nothing better than hand delivering a card, it's such a gift to the giver as well as to the receiver"

Mags Vaughan, CEO of Traidcraft said: "Facebook's great for sharing family news and the latest photos, but it's a bit more everyday than special these days. When it comes to Christmas, the pleasure in choosing the right card and the delight when it arrives is better than any e mail or post to a Facebook wall could ever be.

"Putting up a single card at the back of church or in the office for everyone to sign, or posting a greeting on Facebook sometimes works well. But if everyone did this, then some people would have an empty mantelpiece at Christmas – just imagine how that would make you feel."

"A charity Christmas card says so much more and you can trust Traidcraft and our partner charities to turn your good wishes in this country into good work in another."