Holiday Card Ideas to Make This Your Best Mailer Yet

This is the year: the year loved ones make that coveted gasp-and-smile combo when they open your holiday card. It will radiate quality and creativity. It won’t look like anyone else’s. It will be so you.  

Pithy or preppy, funny or formal, elegant or edgy. Whatever your style, this is the year your card looks and feels like you jumped out of the envelope IRL to deliver a holiday hug. And if you plan now, it will arrive in style by being on time (swoon!). 

Crafting a statement-making card can feel daunting even for the most organized elf, especially during the hustle of the holidays. The message. The photos. The size, shape and design…even the envelopes are key to a how-did-they-do-this holiday card! But since holiday cards are your annual opportunity to show love and appreciation to friends, family and clients, you want a card that delivers more joy than an exuberant George Bailey running home through the snowy streets of Bedford Falls. 

Great news: Cheree Berry Paper & Design is renowned for our extraordinary holiday cards that stand out in the mountain of cookie-cutter cards that will soon fill our mailboxes. Even greater news: we have a one-stop shop with hundreds of showstopping holiday card designs and envelope accoutrements for you to customize and order with just a few clicks. But before you start contemplating your card color and envelope liner, let’s get your creative juices flowing with holiday card ideas and inspiration. 

Holiday-Specific Cards vs. Crowd-Pleasing Seasonals: Which is Right for You? 

There’s a reason why it’s called “the most wonderful time of the year!” The last two months of the calendar year are chock-full of happy holidays, festivals, parties, milestones and traditions to celebrate. So right off the bat you have a big choice to make: do you design your card around the holiday you celebrate or go with an all-encompassing tone? Rest assured that there’s no wrong answer.

When selecting your message, take your audience into consideration: 

• If your recipient list is diverse, universal seasonal greetings may be most warmly received 
• If most or all of your card recipients celebrate the same holiday as you, a holiday-specific message and aesthetic strongly resonates 
• If you are sending a card on behalf of a company, a sincere sentiment focused on the season and your prosperous future together registers well 
• If you just feel strongly that you want to lean in one direction, follow your gut 

At the end of the day, choose the message that feels most appropriate to you. Luckily, we have incredible holiday card options that translate across the spectrum of seasonal celebrations, as well as creative messages that feel fresh and festive. 

Strike the Right Chord with Your Holiday Card

Think of your Christmas card as a micro-party with your closest friends and family. If you were to welcome them into your home, what would you want them to see and feel? What would you talk about if you had just a few minutes to reconnect? Focus on these things as you decide the tone and design you want for your card. 

Attention-Grabbing 

Shop Sleigh Ride Surprise

If your life is a roller coaster full of laughter, chaos and an inexplicable coating of maple syrup on every surface, consider a card with: 

• Humorous language 
• Handwritten fonts 
• Playful family photos 
• Bold colors and pattern play 

Craveably Classic 

Shop All the Feels: Linen

If you’re always pulled together (or at least prefer to look like you are!), opt for a card with: 

• Contemporary or traditional style 
• Foil embellishments 
• Letterpress printing  
• Luxurious paper finishes 
• Formal family photos 

Full Throttle Fun 

Shop It’s a Vibe

If friends describe your crew as chic, trendy or adventurous, make a splash with: 

• Pop culture references 
• Unique die-cut shapes 
• Bold colors and patterns 
• Handwritten fonts 

Headline-Making 

Shop Garden Trellis Trim

If you experienced a major life change or changes this year, incorporate those exciting updates into your holiday card: 

• Share your new mailing address 
• Feature your wedding or engagement photos 
• Announce a new addition coming soon 
• Introduce a new family member (human or fur babies!)

If a Picture is Worth a Thousand Words, Your Holiday Photos are Worth a Million

Add a personal touch to your holiday card with a photo or multiple photos to showcase your family’s evolution over the past 365 days. Smiling faces make the very best holiday home decor!  

What’s more classic than a group photo to showcase your favorite people together in all of their gussied-up glory? And after all the planning that went into those carefully color- coordinated pics, you earned the right to show them off! Individual photos of each family member (or at least the kiddos) are a special way to highlight how each has grown and changed this year. Assuming, of course, you can actually get them to sit still and smile for the camera… 

If you have professional photos scheduled, try to select your holiday card (or at least narrow down your direction) beforehand so you can style your color scheme and give your photographer guidance on specific shots you want for your card, such as: 

• Solo shots of each family member 
• Playful pics holding signs, banners or other props 
• Posed, candid or comical photos

Not feeling more than one photo? No problem! Graphically-focused greetings can pack a powerful and unexpected punch. Custom illustrations highlighting milestones from the year can also tell an unforgettable story this holiday season.

If You’re Feeling a Little Extra (and aren’t we all, TBH?!) 

Want to channel your inner Moira Rose and positively bedevil those fortunate enough to be on your holiday card list? Lean into the unexpected extras. This holiday season, more is more!   

Bold envelope color with embellishments? Obviously. Patterned envelope liners and the thickest cardstock you’ve ever held? Double check. Die cuts, accordion folds and lots of formatting flair? Yes, darling. Yes! 

If you want your card to elicit texts and calls gushing over your paper masterpiece, we have high-impact customizations for you. And if you can’t find The One in our catalog of creativity, we’ll be accepting custom holiday card inquiries through October. Let us know you’re looking for something supremely special, and we’ll be in touch with you to make the magic happen. 

Get Started Now! Preparation is the Gift to Yourself That Keeps on Giving 

Lining the mantel with holiday cards from family and friends is one of the sweetest parts of the holiday season. Smiling faces, clever tidings and exciting updates warm hearts more than a Hot Toddy while snuggling by the fire! Make yours stand out with the right message, personal touches and unique embellishments that people will remember all year long. 

Our 2023 Holiday Card Collection is officially out and officially outstanding (if we do say so ourselves). These are front-and-center-placement cards with customizations to make them uniquely yours that will induce joy all season. By starting now, you’re setting yourself up for success as you surprise and delight your loved ones and clients. We can’t wait to see what you create!