How Digitalization Benefits Christmas

Hang on, before you bite my head off with my apparent Scrooge-like sentiment. There’s no doubt the thought and consideration behind traditional Christmas is something to be upheld. However, as digital transformation sweeps over the world, it touches even Christmas with surprising benefits. Here’s some examples of what is already happening, and what is to be expected over the coming years:

Global Communication

It just so happens that not everyone is driving home for Christmas. For many who are abroad, be it; family, friends, colleagues, digital transformation has offered an irreplaceable connection and solidarity to each other. Families that would have otherwise been parted are reunited once more through digital methods. This allows for all manner of relationships that have been separated by distance, to still partake in Christmas together.

Digital E-Cards

This year two of the three weddings I attended chose to use digital wedding invitations instead of traditional card invitations. Far from feeling this was a lazy attempt to announce their wedding, the e-card proved to me much more interactive, offering accommodation options and ‘confirm attendance’ without the hassle of resending a card. While there is no doubt a romance and tradition to a physical Christmas card, beyond its placement on a mantel or string for a week, it inevitably gives an identical impact to digital alternatives. The digital card saves stress and the environmental cost of transport and card (a recent waste study found that Britons will throw away 108million rolls of wrapping paper this year, 40million rolls of sticky tape, and 100 million black bags full of packaging from toys and gifts). And when you have big families like mine, half of whom I no longer know the address of (and live abroad), it is a way to reach out with the same message of kindness.

E-card suppliers also offer a personable approach, making it easy to include photographs and animations, increasing the relevance of the would-be generic card covers of snowmen and robins.

Same Day/Overnight Delivery

It’s no new news (no limerick intended) that digital retail offers over-night delivery. But the impact of this can once again be linked to living abroad or in situations that require either, fresh produce or immediate delivery. I find myself that sending gifts to my friend’s family in South America costs around £100 postage, luckily, you can now access retail and gifts locally sourced and deliverable. The future will likely put more priority on same-day-delivery, ASOS introduced same day delivery last year and saw saleS rise by 30%, results like this are not singular, and its driving interest in future courier options by drones and robots.

Digital Donations

Our culture has become accustomed to receiving gifts as an act of giving. But often the gift itself is returned or ends up in landfill in the not-too-distant future. As science proves more and more that greater satisfaction lies in giving rather than receiving, an alternative could be donating money on behalf of someone to charity. This becomes possible with digital transaction methods, due to the accessibility of the internet, there are ways to still give a gift but this time of thanks.

Digital transformation has done wonders in making the holidays accessible and enjoyable. Christmas can be a time away from screens, but as we’ve mentioned it’s not black and white, and sometimes it’s those screens that bring people together.

A final question: With the emergence of prominent A.I, wearable tech and drone-delivery among others, what does the holiday season look like in the future?