20 Classic Christmas Cards to Delight Your Friends and Relatives
The whole family can agree on these sweet designs.
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Christmas cards already have a nostalgia factor baked into them — after all, these days there are so few times of year when people actually send letters through the postal mail. If you want to go all in with your retro greeting, consider foregoing the usual customized photo card and instead choose one of these classic Christmas cards. They’ve got homey touches, like gold foil. They’ve got timeless images, some of which come from actual illustration archives or vintage postcards. They’ve got all of the heartwarming holiday messages you need when you want to send a little peace, love, and joy out into the world.
Next, you'll want to think about hand-addressing them — or printing a label, if that's more your style. We also respect those who have the creative talent to DIY their Christmas cards (now’s the time of year to show off those craft skills!) Oh, and be sure you find a cute way to display all the Christmas cards you get, too!
This poinsettia-festooned card from Paper Source features vintage artwork from the Cavallini & Co. archives.
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If this isn't the quintessential Christmas tree, we don't know what is. The card comes stamped with gold foil, and is printed on recycled paper.
Joy, love, and peace: That just about covers it! The inside says, "Wishing you all the joys of the season."
Send a card that looks like your favorite cozy Christmas sweater.
These boxed cards are printed in Sweden on high-quality cardstock. The inside message says: With warmest wishes for a Merry Christmas."
Now here's a greeting you can send to kids from 1 to 92.
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This hand-illustrated card looks just like a print from Currier and Ives. You can also add a custom message on the back!
Really spread good cheer: A portion of the proceeds from this card goes to UNICEF.
A little retro flair feels just right for a holiday full of traditions.
'Tis the season to put buffalo check on everything! Yes, that includes the Christmas cards.
Nothing is better than an illustration that'll remind your kids of their favorite part of the holidays: the surprises in their stockings.
With Christmas trees as far as the eye can see, the holidays really do feel a lot more festive.
Nothing says classic like a red pickup truck with a tree in the back! You also get your choice of red or kraft-paper envelopes.
This 24-card seat features modern reprints of vintage Christmas postcards.
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This shopper feels straight out of Miracle on 34th Street, and her packages look much more quaint than a dozen Amazon boxes.
Since we all know what happens when you cross paths with some mistletoe ...
This one is perfect for new homeowners, since it doubles as a change-of-address card. You can even match the color of the front door to your real-life entryway.
You don't need red and green to evoke a classic Christmas — this Art Deco card is festive in Gatsby-ish colors of black and gold.
These cards have a painterly feel, and also recall those beautiful mid-century ornaments.
Can't choose one classic card design? With this set, you get 10!
Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; previously, she wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother. She lives with her toy-collecting husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found helping out her team at bar trivia or posting about movies on Twitter and Bluesky.
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