THE silence of cyberspace rather than the clatter of letterboxes will herald the arrival of many Christmas cards this year as institutions increasingly choose electronic greetings over the conventional postal system.
Chief among organisations taking this route is Surrey Police, whose ingenious festive e-card spreads a crime-fighting message.
A Christmas tree superimposed on an image of a fingerprint contains ten "baubles", each containing security or personal safety advice. These include "keep presents and valuables out of sight", "don't drink and drive", and "don't leave your car keys in view".
The expense and logistics of sending Christmas greetings by post was a factor in Caterham School's decision to opt for e-cards.
School spokesman Alan Howe told the Mirror: "We send out hundreds of cards and, because many of them go overseas, it has been more practical in recent years to create electronic cards."
Each greeting features a school scene such as the impressive frontage of the Harestone Valley Road building under snow and its choir in full voice.
But not everyone has taken the decision to ditch printed matter. The Children's Trust at Tadworth Court plumped for a traditional domestic scene, featuring a decorated mantelpiece and a cosy hearth.
Trust spokeswoman Maria Coyle said: "It's a small gesture to say thank you to our contacts and supporters.
"Yes, it's a shame that the cost of postage went up but it's a small price to pay once a year. Not only is it tradition but it lets our supporters and contacts know that they are important to us."
The trust's 2012 card was designed by Jamie Walden, a student at its School for Profound Education.
Another of those opting for traditional cards is Reigate MP Crispin Blunt.
He said: "I am sending out cards, with a picture of Westminster, at my own expense. No doubt many other places are charging their own institutions for the cost of their cards."
Mr Blunt said it was "a private matter" how many cards he is sending out.
Many charities have also stuck to mailshots.
The Leatherhead-based Rainbow Trust has printed a cute card of a reindeer, drawn by Amy Beney who was nursed back to health after being diagnosed with leukaemia when she was just four years old.
A children's painting forms this year's design by Shooting Star CHASE, which runs a children's hospice in Guildford.
It is the work of a six-year-old girl whose brother was helped by the charity.
Tandridge District Council's chairman Sakina Bradbury will also send out around 300 printed cards this year.
Combining old and new, Mark Jones, the main organiser of Caterham's annual deFest music festival, has produced an e-card of a snowy scene incorporating the town's centuries-old cedar tree.
