The new Anglican Bishop of Liverpool, Rt Revd Paul Bayes, says sending messages on sites like Facebook and Twitter is not the same as handwriting a card and sending it in the mail.
Bishop Bayes has pledged to hand write all 600 cards he will send and to hand deliver as many as possible.
He told the Telegraph: "There is nothing wrong with social media, I have a Facebook account and I really enjoy myself on Twitter but a hand signed and - even better - hand-delivered card conveys personal intention.
"At Christmas I believe something has been lost by the trend away from sending cards.
"E-cards or a group email are OK, but they're no substitute for a hand-signed card through the letterbox."
He'll write 60 cards a day for the next 10 days to make sure he reaches his target.
The bishop added: "I know a lot of people including myself really value being able to write with a fountain pen, it feels personal.
"It is about quality now rather than quantity.
"There is that phrase when asked 'are you still in touch' -'only Christmas cards'.
"That is a start, better than nothing at all and if 'only Christmas cards' ensures we do not lose touch with people completely that is good.
"But I think there is added value in handwritten messages."