Not sending greeting cards is top choice for budgeting during Japan vacation: survey

TOKYO — Not sending New Year greeting cards is the most common option used by Japanese to reduce spending during the holiday and New Year holidays, according to a survey by a research company private.

Tokyo-based Intage Inc. on Dec. 25 released survey results on how people plan to cut spending this holiday season. It was conducted between November 29 and December 2, targeting 5,000 people aged 15 to 79 nationwide, with multiple responses allowed.

“New Year greeting cards” were chosen by 10.8% of respondents. The increase in the price of postcards from 63 yen (about 40 cents) to 85 yen (about 55 cents) in October appears to have accelerated the trend to reduce or stop this custom. This was followed by “lucky bag purchases and New Year sales” at 6.4% and “dining out” at 5.0%, indicating a tendency among respondents to focus their spending on necessities.

Intage also asked 2,731 people who had sent greeting cards for the start of 2024 and were not grieving, as people refrain from sending New Year cards in Japan, how many cards they planned to send for 2025. The most common answer was “about the same (as the previous year)” selected by 36.8%, followed by 31.6% who said that they would “reduce” the number, and 13.6% who “would not send just any.”

By gender and age, the intention to “reduce” the number of greeting cards was particularly visible among women in their 40s and 50s at 34.1% and among women in their 60s and 70s at 40. .7%. The intention to “not send” was highest among men in their 20s and 30s, at 20.4%. More than half of men and women in their 20s and 30s haven’t sent 2024 holiday cards.

Meanwhile, 42.8% of all respondents expressed a desire to eat “osechi” Japanese New Year celebration meals. The percentage was high among men in their 60s and women in their 60s and 70s, with more than half preferring traditional meals. Additionally, 47.1% of adolescent girls responded that they want to eat special meals, which is above average.

Regarding plans to return to their hometown or travel elsewhere during the year-end and New Year holidays, national holiday plans to undertake “one night or more” and “day trips” are remained the same as the previous year at 8.3% and 4%, respectively. On the other hand, “travel abroad” almost doubled, reaching 1.3% compared to the previous year.

(Japanese original by Kazuki Sakuma, Business News Department)