University of Limerick research reveals sending Christmas cards is ‘associated with lower symptoms of depression’

NEW UNIVERSITY of Limerick research shows that depressed people are less likely to send Christmas cards.

The study found that depressed people were less likely to send Christmas cards than non-depressed people, with evident effects mainly in those identifying as Christian.

Led by Director of the Study of Anxiety Stress and Health Lab at UL, Professor Stephen Gallagher, the study has just been published in the journal Cogent Psychology.

Curious to see if the Christmas cards offering might show any insight into the sender, Professor Gallagher said:

“While many of the behavioural characteristics displayed by people with depression are well known, here, for the first time, we demonstrate that a Christmas behaviour, or the sending of Christmas cards, is also affected.”

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“We found that approximately 55% of non-depressed people reported ‘always’ sending Christmas cards, compared to 46% of those with depression. And, when we accounted for gender, ethnicity, and religious affiliation, we find the decreased likelihood of sending cards was evident only for Christians and no other religions,” he explained.

As the festive period is often associated with parties, social engagement, putting up Christmas trees among other socially related behaviours, the researchers noted that people with depression can struggle emotionally during the Christmas period – this is often referred to as the ‘Holiday Blues.’

“For those who are already depressed, a Christmas season laden with these social behaviours is likely to be threatening, due to their anhedonia type behaviour, that is, not getting pleasure from their typical behaviours - in this case sending Christmas cards,” acknowledged Professor Gallagher.

Lecturer in psychology at UL and co-other on the study, Dr Jennifer McMahon, added: “If you do not hear from someone who regularly sends you a Christmas card, it might be worth checking in with them to spread some Christmas cheer.”