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Unusual virtual charity Christmas cards: a new way to give this season

Wednesday 13 December 2023
3 siblings laughing and laying on top of each other with Christmas presents

Alongside giving presents, sharing festive food, and enjoying mince pies, Christmas comes with the tradition of sending your loved ones a Christmas card.

This small token is the perfect way to wish friends and family glad tidings during the festive period. But Christmas cards can also carry a much more sentimental impact. Your Christmas card could give back and help a vulnerable child.

As Christmas comes around, you may find yourself looking for an alternative to the traditional Christmas card. Our virtual charity Christmas cards offer just that.

Curious about the story behind the first Christmas card?

Discover how the tradition of Christmas cards began (opens in a new tab)

What is a virtual Christmas card?

Secret Santa gift certificate example

Create a personalised Christmas card with our Secret Santa gift certificates

A virtual Christmas card is an e-card that you can send directly to a loved one or friend. They are paperless, meaning they can offer an eco-friendlier alternative to traditional Christmas cards. But their virtual format and the option to personalise your messaging also offers a unique twist on their handwritten counterpart. This makes a virtual card the perfect choice for those looking for a more unusual charity Christmas card this year.

How to send a virtual Christmas card

With Action for Children, you can send a virtual Christmas card by becoming a charity Secret Santa.

Becoming a Secret Santa is easy. You can simply visit our Charity Christmas Gifts page and choose a gift for a vulnerable child. Whether a teddy bear or a bed and warm duvet, your donation could help us reach more vulnerable children and young people.

You could also buy one of our exclusive Christmas baubles to add a touch of festive glamour to your home this Christmas.

Whichever you choose, you will become an Action for Children charity Secret Santa.

You can then dedicate your gift to a loved one and create a personalised gift certificate, which can be downloaded and gifted as a virtual Christmas card. Alternatively, you could print the dedicated certificate to leave under the tree for Christmas day.

Be a Secret Santa

Many children will wake up on Christmas to no stockings. No presents. No festive food. Your gift could change this.

Choose a gift

What are the benefits of virtual Christmas cards?

There are so many benefits to sending a virtual Christmas card this year...

  • As a paperless Christmas card alternative, virtual cards are easy to send. Without having to pay for stamps and postage, you can create your virtual card and send it quickly and easily to friends and family.
  • Giving a charity virtual Christmas card means you can send a card to a loved one this year whilst also donating to charity. So many people often wonder whether they should buy a charity card or donate to charity at Christmas. But with our unusual virtual Christmas cards, you can do both. Your Christmas card could help put the magic back into Christmas for a vulnerable child.

4.2 million children now live in poverty in the UK. That’s 600,000 more than in 2012. And 29% of all children.

Sad cold child wearing yellow jumper looking out window

Why send a virtual charity Christmas card this year?

Christmas is a time of magic and joy; of festive cheer and love. And we know that this magic begins in childhood. Hanging stockings. Sharing festive food. Presents under the tree. It’s a time for children to make precious memories. For them to feel happiness and love – the kind of magic that lasts a lifetime.

But we also know that childhood is short and precious. That there isn’t long to make happy memories. That for vulnerable children across the UK, Christmas is anything but magical. No stockings. No presents. No festive food - maybe no food at all.

"I was crying and stressed, if I hadn’t had the money from Action for Children then Christmas would have been ruined."

*Helen, who received help from Action for Children (*name has been changed to protect identity)

By becoming a Secret Santa and sending a personalised virtual Christmas card, you could help change that.

You could help a vulnerable child feel the magic of Christmas – a magic that will last them a lifetime.

You could help a child like Jess...

Jess with ice cream maker

Jess and her ice cream maker

Jess is a young person supported by Action for Children. She lives with her mum, Sarah, who suffers from complex health issues.

Sarah had no choice but to give up work. This made the cost-of-living crisis even more difficult. Thankfully, Action for Children were there to help.

Last Christmas, we gave Jess’ mum vouchers for food and presents. This meant they could have a Christmas dinner and Sarah could afford to buy the Christmas gift Jess had always wanted – her very own yoghurt and ice cream maker.

Sarah and Jess also got a surprise hamper packed with Christmas treats like mince pies, a Christmas pudding, and vouchers for fresh food.

What your support means

Thanks to the generosity of people like you, we were able to put the magic back into Christmas for Jess last year

Jess' story
Boy looking out of the window at Christmas.jpg

How we help

At Action for Children, we have thousands of frontline workers supporting children every day. We’ve seen children without a bed sleeping on the floor with just blankets. Families phoning us crying because they have no money to feed their children. We know missing out on essentials like these can quickly define a child’s whole life.

We’re there when families can’t afford the basics. We top up the gas meter when the house feels cold. Put food on the table so no one in the house goes hungry. Buy a Christmas present when a parent can’t. We’re a vital lifeline for desperate families with nowhere to turn.

Last year, your generous support helped us be there for 765,905 children, young people and families in the UK, through 426 services.

And with your help, we could reach even more families this Christmas and beyond. That’s why we need your support now.

Christmas cards are a wonderful tradition. A heartwarming way to spread cheer and show love and gratitude in the festive season. But by buying one of our charity virtual cards, you could also spread joy to a vulnerable child. You could help them feel the magic of Christmas too.

Be a Secret Santa

Many children will wake up on Christmas to no stockings. No presents. No festive food. Your gift could change this.

Choose a gift