With Christmas fast approaching, attention turns to the lights, the gifts, and the age-old tradition of showing good neighbourly spirit.
But just how much festive cheer is alive and well on our streets?
A new UK-wide survey, commissioned by NetVoucherCodes and conducted by Censuswide, set out to answer that question by asking residents in 17 major cities whether they would be writing Christmas cards for their neighbours this year. Nationally, the results show 50 per cent of Brits are keeping the goodwill tradition alive, but the results vary across the UK.
From the most cheerful city (where two-thirds of residents are writing notes) to the least (where barely one-quarter participate), the ranking reveals insights into community culture.
So, in the race for festive glory, where does Leeds place, and which cities top the ultimate “cheer-board”?
The findings were compiled using a UK-wide online survey commissioned by NetVoucherCodes and conducted by Censuswide in October 2025. The study gathered responses from a sample of one thousand UK adults aged 16 and over, with the final data weighted to accurately represent the UK's adult population.
The ranking is based purely on the percentage of residents in each city who agreed they were planning to write Christmas cards for their neighbours.
1. Cardiff (40%)
The Welsh capital slips into the lower section of the rankings. Just four out of ten residents are planning on writing cards for their neighbours this festive season. While famous for its vibrant community feel throughout the year, Cardiff residents appear to be prioritising other parts of the festive to-do list over the tradition of neighbourly notes. | w Horwood/Getty Images
2. Belfast (43%)
In 14th place, Belfast finds itself just slightly below the national average for spreading Christmas cheer via card. While the city is celebrated for its warm, welcoming atmosphere, fewer than half of its residents are committing to the local card exchange, suggesting that perhaps other newer traditions are taking precedence in Northern Ireland's capital. | Stephen Davison/Pacemaker Press
3. Sheffield (44%)
The Steel City proves to be slightly less focused on the letterbox this Christmas. With only 44% of residents planning to send cards, Sheffield finds itself just one percentage point ahead of Belfast. It seems that while Sheffield residents enjoy a great sense of local community, their festive cheer is expressed through means other than the traditional handwritten note. | Tony Johnson
4. Leeds (45%)
And here is where we find the answer for West Yorkshire! Leeds ties for 11th place with Nottingham, sitting just 5% below the national average for Christmas card-writing. 45% of residents here are planning to send cards, placing the city firmly in the middle of the UK's cheer rankings. While this suggests Leeds is not quite the most card-focused city, the majority of residents are clearly focused on community-building in other ways. | Steve Riding
5. Nottingham (45%)
Tying with Leeds, Nottingham also sees 45% of its population committing to the neighbourly tradition. Given Nottingham’s reputation for being a friendly and welcoming city, this result confirms that nearly half of its residents are ensuring the festive spirit is acknowledged right next door. | Visit Nottinghamshire
6. Birmingham (46%)
The UK's Second City just nudges itself into the top ten, with 46% of residents planning on sending cards. While the percentage is close to the national average, it's clear that the West Midlands city still retains a solid commitment to this traditional form of Christmas cheer among its diverse communities. | Sophie Mei Lan