The number of options online can be overwhelming, but etiquette expert Karen Thomas reminds us of the real reason behind the sentiment. “The myriad of options of where to buy cards are endless,” says Thomas. “Some may choose cards based on personalized style or religious content. No matter what you choose, your handwritten good wishes are sure to delight your recipients.” We researched the best places to buy holiday cards online, considering the price, customization, and messaging options. Our favorites include Minted, which supports independent artists, Paper Culture for an eco-friendly option, and Quilling Cards, which features handmade textured designs that take an hour to complete. Here are the best places to buy your holiday cards online. Whatever holiday card you pick, you’ll have the option of choosing the background color, the finish, the color or design print on the back of the card, free recipient addressing, return address, envelope color and liner, and more. However, some of these features come at an additional cost. Minted also just released a collaboration with the Metropolitan Museum of Art that includes gorgeous new designs inspired by famous artwork. While the sheer amount of card options on Minted can be overwhelming, it offers various filtering methods for easier navigation, including organizing by sentiment and style. Papier is also a good choice for the environmentally keen as it uses plastic-free packaging and sustainably sourced papers from Forest Steward Council (FSC) certified forests. While you can’t customize every part of the design like other sites, Papier makes it easy to know your total cost upfront with their price calculator. If you’re looking for inspiration for holiday cards, the site offers many ideas, none of which will require you to decorate for the holidays to get the perfect photo. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, it also gives the option of a DIY card. The designs tend to skew more elegant and sophisticated, so this may not be the place for whimsical or colorful cards. In addition to searching by card category, you can sort by price—and since individual marketplaces make up Etsy, you’ll find a wide range from budget to luxury (don’t forget to factor in shipping costs, too). As your card will be hand-designed, the earlier you place your order, the better. But, by browsing Etsy and small shops, you support small artists and creators, which is worth a bit of extra wait time. The brand offers free domestic shipping on orders over $70, and you can order a single card or box set of eight cards. While you can’t add messaging online, these cards make the perfect excuse to write a handwritten sentiment to a loved one. In addition to being one of the greenest card options out there, its design staff is available to help you navigate the choices to find and design the perfect card, including layout and color. Be aware that Paper Culture offers limited non-photo options, so this is definitely the place to show off family photos. Another plus is each card highlights the designer with a small bio and link to other designs. The brand’s cards are incredibly customizable: You can cater all the fine details to your liking, right down to the paper type, type of fold, and foil color. Cards also come in standard card format or as a magnet. Zola’s options come at unbeatable prices from $0.99 each, plus free shipping. Designing your perfect card can be overwhelming with different paper, color, addressing, folding, and foil options. Luckily, you can order a free proof to ensure that all of your small customizations come out perfectly. You can also have your card and image printed on an ornament, mug, or pillow, which makes for a fun keepsake. Keep an eye out for sales and promo codes to save on your order. The price per card may be a bit higher than other sites, but the results are worth it. Perfect for everyday gifting, Sweeter Cards offers multiple designs ideal for showing someone you care despite the occasion. This site may not be the best destination for Christmas-themed art or allergy-friendly presents, but it’s a wonderful option for inspirational messages and adorable designs for every day of the year. Keep in mind the more cards you order, the lower your price per card will be. However, like with Shutterfly, Tiny Prints has frequent promo codes and sales—historically, the best deals are in November and on Cyber Monday—which helps justify the otherwise higher prices. The hardest part is selecting your card from all the brand’s adorable options. It has selections for Christmas, Hanukkah, general holiday themes, and Spanish-language choices. You can pick between mailing a postcard or an envelope. Even better, Postable prints all the cards and envelopes on recycled paper and there are no hidden costs, so you can figure out your budget right at the beginning of the process. This site has options for Christmas or Kwanzaa, including assortments of 15 cards. Though this company doesn’t cover shipping costs, your purchase contributes to the company’s mission to give back. The company donates a portion of its earnings to one of four charities that support Black communities. While more expensive than other options, each card takes one hour to complete by hand. Once they arrive, you can add a handwritten message and send the piece of art to a loved one. The brand also recently launched Create-a-Quill kits, where you have a part in every part of the construction of your card for a completely homemade feel. We love that you don’t need a family photo to customize many of the cards available. Add your family’s surname for the perfect touch at the end of a holiday greeting message. While the options can seem overwhelming, there are plenty of ways to narrow your search, including filtering by card size, orientation, or even number of photos. The website also highlights all of the artists and their designs and includes links to photographer portfolios from images featured in the sample cards. Though the prints are not as extensive as other retailers, we love that you can purchase invitations, gift tags, a notepad, and a holiday card all in the same cohesive print. While this service is pricier than alternatives, the site offers hundreds of designs to choose from and the opportunity to add special messages and family photos. Choose your design based on the color, holiday, shape, designer, and more, then customize it to your liking.
Price
The number of cards you will need to purchase depends on the length of your recipient list, but generally, customizable cards will run cheaper than pre-made greeting cards, which come in smaller box sets. If you are sending holiday cards to your large extended family, neighbors, coworkers, and more, you may need to purchase a set of 100 or more.
Messaging
Those who enjoy sending long, handwritten notes to friends and family during the holiday season may appreciate illustrated card sets, but others who seek to quickly and efficiently tackle a lengthy list of recipients will prefer ordering pre-made cards. Note that you can always add a brief handwritten message on the back of these cards, too.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This article was written by Julia Fields a lifestyle writer for The Spruce covering all things surrounding toys, gifts, and the holidays since October 2021. Before that, she covered similar topics including toy reviews, product round-ups, expert-focused articles, and more. Julia consulted etiquette expert Karen Thomas who provided expert advice about holiday card messaging and the best time to send them.
