Value 4 Money

Christmas Cards

Hallmark Christmas Card, €6.75 for one. Available from: multiple outlets

Highs: This comparatively out-sized, vaguely three-dimensional card is Hallmark at its cheesy best. From the faux-Victorian children frolicking in the snow on the front, to the sweet little ribbon and the sugary pair of rhymes inside (yes, there are two!), it is the ideal card for a granny from a cunning grandchild, angling for an expensive present.

Lows: At €6.75 it is ridiculously priced yet, judging from the amount of similarly priced Hallmark cards on offer in shops around the country, there does seem to be a demand for costly and kitsch silliness over the festive season. With all the fussy frills this is the Liberace of Christmas cards. The little rhymes are pretty dreadful too.

Verdict: Too dear and too fussy.

Star rating: **

Formosa Design Christmas Cards, €10 for 10. Available from: Howth Sunday market or www.formosadesign.com

Highs: Irish made and home made, these are the coolest of the Christmas cards reviewed. They come in a range of sizes, are good quality and are contemporary without being unChristmassy. A card like this will stand out among the mass-produced fare normally to be found cluttering people's mantelpieces. The company also offers a personalisation service, allowing you to design your own cards.

Lows: They're not cheap or easy to come by. And while some may view the fact that the cards are left blank as an opportunity to write personalised messages, others may feel under pressure to up the sincerity levels of their Christmas wishes.

Verdict: Original but hard to find?

Star rating: ****

Charity Christmas Cards €2.79 for 20 cards. Available from: Aldi

Highs: Costing less than three cent a pop, these are the cheapest cards by a substantial margin, and if you have a lot of friends you'll struggle to match these for good value. Each packet contains two types of card and three different designs, offering a choice of "Season's Greetings", "Merry Christmas" and "Christmas Wishes", which covers all the bases. Children's charity Barnardos gets 70 cent from each packet sold (although it should be noted that many other charities also have cards for sale). These offer a contemporary take on the card and introduce a note of minimalism that will appeal to some.

Lows: Others might find the minimalism just a bit too minimalist. Where's all the pizzazz? All the ruddy faced Santas and smiling children? All we get are silver trees and stars on these plain-as-can-be cards.

Verdict: Cheap and charitable. But Christmassy?

Star rating: ***

Avant Garde Design Christmas Cards €6 for 20. Available from: Easons

Highs: This box of 20 cards is comparatively cheap and nicely presented, offering a single word message along the lines of "snow" or "star" on the front, in an effort, presumably, to inject a bit of understated class into the tradition. This is the only card to add a Christmassy touch to its envelopes in the form of sprigs of gold holly. There is also glitter in abundance here, although it does have a tendency to leave the card and attach itself to your hands and face, something which some might find delightful.

Lows: Others might find the glitter's persistent attention irksome, however. The colours used on the cards reviewed were not bright and bold enough to truly capture the spirit of Christmas cheer (although the company does offer a wide array of alternatives). These are also quite narrow and might not be able to stand up for themselves on a heavily crowded mantelpiece.

Verdict: All that glitters, and some gold.

Star rating: ***