Christmas Cards: Where to Buy Online and In Store for the Best Selection
Christmas cards are printed greetings sent during the holiday season to share good wishes and stay in touch with family, friends, and coworkers. Knowing where to buy them, and what to look for before you order, saves money and spares you a December scramble. This is a seasonal purchase, so timing matters: the best designs sell out fast once Thanksgiving passes. Below you will find where to shop, the features that matter, the mistakes to skip, and five picks worth your money.
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Christmas Cards Explained: What They Are and Who They Help
A Christmas card is a folded or flat greeting, usually paired with an envelope, sent to mark the holidays with a short written message. The custom started in England in 1843 and has outlasted nearly every communication trend since. According to the Greeting Card Association, the trade group representing card publishers, Americans buy well over a billion holiday cards each season, the single biggest card-sending occasion of the year. Who still sends them? Grandparents keeping up with relatives, parents mailing a family photo, small businesses thanking clients, and anyone who wants a physical greeting on the mantel. A tangible note carries weight a group chat cannot match.
How to Choose Christmas Cards: Features That Matter
The right pick comes down to six things: format, style, personalization, paper, envelopes, and quantity. Sort those out before you shop and buying takes minutes.
Type and format. Individual cards suit one close friend or relative. Boxed sets, sold in packs of 10 to 50, are the practical route for a long list because the per-piece cost drops sharply. Photo prints let you feature a family portrait or a favorite moment from the year.
Style and appearance. Designs run from religious Christmas scenes and snowy landscapes to minimalist type and cartoon humor. Foil stamping, a finish that presses metallic detail into the stock, adds a premium look, and embossing does the same with texture. Pick a festive tone that fits your message.
Personalization options. Many retailers let you personalize with your own text, photos, and handwriting-style fonts. Services like Vistaprint and Minted hand you full control over layout, color, and wording, so you can customize a design nobody else will mail. Some also print recipient addresses on the sleeves, saving hours of hand-cramping work.
Paper quality and size. Heavier stock feels substantial and holds photo ink better. Standard sizes are 5×7 and 4×6, in flat, folded, or tri-fold layouts. Glossy paper flatters photos, while matte suits elegant text-based designs. Thin paper curls and shows print bleed, which cheapens the result.
Matching envelopes. Confirm the set includes one sleeve per piece. Higher-end boxes add lined or tinted envelopes, and a few include pre-printed return labels. Buy separately and the sizes must match, or nothing seals cleanly.
Quantity and price. Individual cards run $3 to $8 each. Boxed sets land at $10 to $30 for 20 to 40 pieces, under a dollar apiece. Photo printing services charge roughly $1 to $3 each depending on stock and customization. Match the count to your list so you neither overbuy nor run short. If you are wrapping gifts too, coordinating with your holiday wrapping paper makes the delivery feel intentional.
Christmas Card Buying Mistakes to Skip
The most expensive mistake is waiting too long, and it is avoidable. Here are the five that cost buyers the most every December.
Waiting until mid-December. Stock thins fast after Thanksgiving, and popular designs vanish first. Order by late October or early November for the widest choice and enough runway for printing, shipping, and addressing. Late orders mean rush fees and slim pickings.
Ignoring the envelope match. A card that does not fit its sleeve looks careless. Buy everything as a matched set, or measure both pieces before you commit.
Judging by the cover alone. Preview the inside layout first. Plenty of gorgeous covers hide cramped interiors with no room for the note you actually want to write.
Overlooking postage. Square, oversized, or thick photo mailers often need extra postage. Check current rates from the USPS, the United States Postal Service, before you seal the batch, or the whole stack can bounce back.
Skipping the proof on custom orders. A personalized print with a typo in a family name cannot be returned. Approve a digital proof, and read every line twice, before the press run starts.
Which Stores Carry Christmas Cards
Hallmark Gold Crown Stores
Hallmark, the largest greeting card company in the U.S., is the go-to for holiday stationery, and its Gold Crown shops carry one of the deepest in-store selections anywhere. Individual designs are sorted by recipient, from grandparents to kids, alongside boxed sets for the whole list. Staff can point you to the right category fast. Check their holiday collection online before you drive over.
Walmart
Walmart carries a broad range in its stationery and seasonal aisles, mixing name brands with cheaper store-label boxes. Pricing beats specialty shops, with basic boxed sets starting near $8. Browse their seasonal selection online, or head to the holiday display near the front of most stores in November.
Target
Target leans modern and stylish, with a curated assortment that feels current rather than generic. Individual and boxed options sit in the stationery section, usually beside the gift wrap and seasonal endcaps. Browse their current inventory online or walk the seasonal aisle in store.
Grocery Stores and Pharmacies
Do not skip the grocery store or pharmacy. CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid keep a stationery aisle year-round and widen the holiday assortment starting in October. Prices track the big-box chains, and grabbing a box while you run errands is genuinely convenient. Call ahead for a specific style, since smaller branches carry limited stock.
Best Places to Order Christmas Cards Online
Amazon
Amazon, the largest online retailer, holds one of the widest selections on the web, from major brands to independent makers. You can pull up boxed sets, single pieces, and specialty formats like pop-up or religious Christmas designs in one search. Prime shipping is priceless during the December crunch, and prices swing enough that comparing sellers pays off. Browse the full selection on Amazon #ad for current options.
Vistaprint
Vistaprint is the strongest pick for custom photo cards and personalized holiday stationery. Upload your images, choose from hundreds of templates, adjust the layout and text, then have the order printed and shipped. Envelope printing handles large lists, quality stays consistent, and bulk discounts drop the per-piece cost. Start an order at Vistaprint and grab early-bird pricing when it is live.
Minted
Minted sells work from independent artists, so the designs feel distinct from anything on a mass-market shelf. Its editor adjusts colors, fonts, and layout, and foil-pressed or letterpress finishes give a high-end result. Free address printing on most orders is the quiet time-saver, sparing you the addressing marathon during the busiest weeks.
Hallmark.com
The official Hallmark site carries the full catalog, including online-only designs the stores never stock. Filter by theme, format, or occasion to narrow the field quickly. There is even a subscription for people who mail greetings year-round rather than only in December.
Alternatives to Paper Christmas Cards
Paper is not the only way to send holiday cheer, and a few alternatives beat it in specific situations. Here are three worth weighing.
- Digital cards. Paperless Post and Canva build email or text greetings that arrive instantly and cost little to nothing. Best when your list is scattered overseas or you are deciding on December 22.
- A photo card and letter. Pairing a photo card with a short printed year-in-review note says more than a signature alone. Best when you have real news: a move, a new baby, a graduation.
- New Year greetings. Mailing a New Year note in early January skips the December mail crush and still reaches loved ones during the season. Best if you missed the Christmas window.
Skip physical mail altogether if your whole circle is online and rarely checks a mailbox. A heartfelt group message does the job without the postage.
Our Top Christmas Card Picks
We compared five sets across price, paper, and design range to cover the most common needs, from a bulk list to a polished family photo.
Best overall: Hallmark Boxed Holiday Set (40-count). Reliable stock, classic artwork, and a good spread of messages inside. Around $15 to $22 per box. Sold at Gold Crown stores, Amazon, and most major retailers. Check price on Amazon
Best budget: American Greetings Boxed Set (32-count). Solid stock and cheerful art at a lower price, usually $8 to $14 per box. Easy to find at Walmart, Target, and grocery chains. Check price on Amazon
Best for photos: Minted Custom Prints. Artist-made templates, sharp printing, and free address labels. Roughly $1.50 to $3.00 each depending on options. The right call for families who want a polished, one-of-a-kind result. Check price on Amazon
Best for personalization: Vistaprint Holiday Collection. Deep control over text, photos, and layout, with pricing near $0.60 each in larger runs. One of the most affordable custom routes available. Check price on Amazon
Best religious option: Gallery Collection Boxed Set (25-count). Elegant nativity and scripture artwork on premium stock with foil accents. Around $20 to $35 per box. Check price on Amazon
Common Questions About Christmas Cards
When is the best time to order Christmas cards?
Order by late October or early November for the widest selection and lowest prices. Custom photo designs need extra lead time for printing and proofing. Wait until December and popular styles sell out while rush fees climb.
What is a good short message to write inside?
A warm one-liner works best, like “Wishing you joy this holiday season” or “Thinking of you at Christmas.” For a business greeting, keep it sincere: “Thank you for a wonderful year.” Match the tone to the recipient and add one specific detail if you have room.
Can I send a virtual Christmas card instead?
Yes. Paperless Post and Canva let you design and send digital greetings by email or text. Virtual cards arrive instantly and cost less, a smart backup when time is short, though many people still prefer a printed piece they can display.
How much postage does a Christmas card need?
A standard rectangular card under one ounce needs a single first-class stamp. Square, oversized, or thick photo mailers with rigid inserts usually require added postage. Confirm the current rate with the USPS before mailing so nothing returns for shortage.
What is the difference between boxed and individual cards?
Boxed sets hold multiple copies of one design, usually 20 to 50 pieces with matching envelopes, at a far lower cost per unit. Individual cards sell one at a time and use heavier stock or more elaborate art, which suits the close relatives who merit something special.
Are Christmas cards recyclable?
Most plain paper cards recycle with your regular paper stream. Remove any foil, glitter, ribbon, or plastic coating first, since those contaminate the batch. Photo prints on glossy or laminated stock often are not accepted, so check your local guidelines before tossing them in the bin.
About This Guide
The wheretobuyguides.com editorial team checked retailer stock and pricing for this guide in July 2026. Our staff researches availability, compares prices across retailers, and reviews design and paper quality to help you find the right pick.
Start by picking your format and count, then order early from Hallmark, Walmart, Target, Amazon, or Vistaprint before the good designs sell out. If a photo set is on your list, build it first, since printing and proofing eat the most time. Pair the mailing with matching stationery and a few Christmas ornaments to round out the season. Whether you shop in store or online, the right Christmas cards are worth the time it takes to find them.