Christmas Cards UK: The Complete Guide
Christmas cards: when to post, who to send to, what to write
Christmas is the one week of the year everybody writes cards, and the one week the post is slowest. This hub keeps the whole thing in one place: the list, the timings, the wording and the awkward cases.
Our Christmas cards are drawn and printed in the UK, blank inside, and posted first class - usually the same working day you order.
Christmas cards, printed and posted from the UK
Blank inside so the message is yours. Singles or however many you need, no fixed packs.
'tis the season to drink Guinness Christmas Card
£3.87
Let's drink (Guinness) and be Merry Christmas Card With Tree
£3.87
Let's drink (Guinness) and be merry Christmas Card
£3.87
Wishing you an Electrifying Christmas Greeting Card
£3.87
Merry Christmas Nanny (Christmas Card For Nan)
£3.87
Lying Down Black Santa Christmas Card
£3.99
Christmas card messages you can copy
- Merry Christmas from all of us. Hope it's a slow, warm one.
- Wishing you a Christmas with good food, bad telly and no work emails.
- Thinking of you this Christmas, and hoping next year is kinder.
- Happy Christmas - thank you for everything this year, genuinely.
- Merry Christmas. Let's actually see each other in the new year.
Posting and timing
- First Class is usually next working day, including Saturdays - a target, not a guarantee.
- Second Class is meant to be two working days but can take up to five anywhere in the UK.
- Post UK cards in the first week of December and last posting dates stop mattering.
- Overseas cards go in late November: about a week for Europe, two to three weeks further afield.
- Square or thick cards cost more to post than a standard letter.
The list
- Count households, not people.
- Add five spares - you always forget someone, and spares keep until next year.
- Got a card from someone not on your list? Send one back the same week.
- Dropping names is normal. Almost nobody keeps count.
Where to shop next
- Christmas card etiquette
- Who to send Christmas cards to
- How many Christmas cards do I need?
- Charity Christmas cards explained
- First Christmas cards
- Christmas card messages
- Christmas gift ideas
- Christmas stocking fillers
- Black Friday deals hub
- Card hub
- Shop Christmas cards
- Shop cards
- Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
- How to make a balloon arch
- Photo booth prop ideas
- Gifts to make someone smile
- Thinking of you gifts
Frequently asked questions
When should you post Christmas cards in the UK?
Post UK cards in the first week of December and overseas cards in late November. Second Class can take up to five working days, so late posting is a gamble.
How many Christmas cards should I buy?
Count households rather than people, then add five spares. Most UK households send between 15 and 40 cards.
What do you write in a Christmas card?
One warm line plus one specific line about the year. Anything longer gets skimmed; anything shorter reads like a signature.
How fast do the cards arrive?
Orders placed on a working day are usually posted the same day. First Class is normally next working day; Second Class is meant to take two working days but can take up to five.