Christmas Card Etiquette

We draw and print our own Christmas cards in the UK and post them ourselves, so the timings and sizes below are the ones we work to every December.

Most Christmas card etiquette is common sense with a bit of December panic on top.

These are the rules worth keeping, and the ones you can safely ignore.

Signing

• Sign from the household, not the individual: "love from all of us at number 12" beats a list of four names.
• Handwrite the name at the top. A card that starts "Dear all" reads like a circular.
• Include the children's names if the recipient knows them, and the dog's only if you know they'd smile.
• One line of something specific is worth more than three lines of nothing.
• Print your surname somewhere if the recipient knows several people with your first name.

Timing

• First Class is usually next working day, including Saturdays - a target, not a guarantee.
• Second Class is supposed to be two working days, but it can take up to five days anywhere in the UK.
• Post UK Christmas cards in the first week of December and you never have to think about last posting dates.
• Overseas cards go first: a week for Europe, two to three weeks further afield.
• Square cards and anything thicker than 5mm cost more than a standard letter.

The awkward ones

• You got a card from someone not on your list: send one back, same week, and don't mention it.
• They've been bereaved this year: send the card, keep it warm, and don't wish them a merry anything without acknowledging the year.
• They've separated: send two cards, to two addresses, addressed to individuals.
• You've lost touch: a card is a low-pressure way back in. No apology needed.
• Work contacts: keep it neutral, sign with your full name, skip anything religious unless you know.

Rules you can drop

• You don't have to send to everyone who sent to you last year.
• You don't need a round-robin letter unless you enjoy writing one.
• You don't have to match last year's card count. Lists shrink, and that's fine.

Shop Christmas cards

Prints that post flat

A5, A4 and A3 art prints, drawn in house and printed in the UK.

How to write it so it lands

• Sign from the household, handwrite the name.
• UK post in the first week of December, overseas in late November.
• Got an unexpected card? Send one back the same week.

Where to shop next

• Who to send Christmas cards to
• How many Christmas cards do I need?
• Charity Christmas cards explained
• First Christmas cards: baby, home and marriage
• Christmas hub
• Christmas card messages
• Buy Christmas cards
• Card hub
• All guides
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Sympathy and bereavement cards
• Sympathy cards guide

Frequently asked questions

When should you send Christmas cards in the UK?

Post UK cards in the first week of December and overseas cards in late November. Anything after mid-December is a gamble on Second Class.

How do you sign a Christmas card from a family?

From the household, with first names: "love from Sam, Jo and the boys". Add your surname if the recipient knows more than one Sam.

Should you send a Christmas card to someone who is grieving?

Yes. Acknowledge the year in one honest line rather than skipping the card - being missed off the list hurts more than an imperfect message.