Who Should You Send Christmas Cards To?

Always begin your list with immediate family. Parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews should all be included. Although this group will be the least surprised to receive your card, they will also be the proudest and will likely save a special place for you in their holiday card display.

Next, consider extended family and distant relatives. The holiday season offers a perfect opportunity to reconnect with cousins, aunts, uncles, and family members you might not speak with regularly – a thoughtful card can help maintain those important family bonds across distance and busy schedules. When considering extended family and distant relatives, think about those special memories you've shared throughout the years. Short on cards? Send to the matriarchs and patriarchs only.

Think about your closest friends and “chosen” family. Start with long-term besties, school friends, and new friendships made within the calendar year. Don't forget those friends you stay connected with through social media – sometimes a physical card can strengthen bonds that mostly live in the digital world. If you have additional cards to send, extend greetings to friends-of-friends. Consider leaving some blank space on the back for a short, handwritten message, to make the card feel more personalized:

• For childhood friends: Reference a cherished memory or inside joke you share – "Still laughing about our camping disaster of 2010!"
• For newer friends: Highlight a specific moment from your time together this year – "So glad we met at Sarah's book club!"
• For long-distance friends: Acknowledge the distance while emphasizing the connection – "Though we're miles apart, you're always close in thought"

As your child progresses through pre-school, elementary school, middle school, and high school, consider the families that you’ve grown closest to over the years of your kid’s ever-changing friendships. Don't forget those special bonds formed on the sidelines of soccer games, during swim meets, or at dance recitals – these shared experiences often create lasting friendships that extend beyond the activity itself. Include families from recreational leagues, tournament teams, and seasonal activities where you've spent countless weekends cheering together.

It can be fun to hear from families who are in a similar life stage and whose children are experiencing the same highs and lows as yours. Be sure to include a message highlighting the milestones or achievements of each family member. (Minted’s clever year-in-review designs are the perfect way to show off everyone’s big moments from the year!)

From remote coworkers to office buddies, your work relationships deserve special recognition during the holidays. While Slack messages and emails keep business moving, a thoughtful holiday card can transform these daily connections into more meaningful bonds, especially with colleagues you primarily see on screen. Send wishes to those you collaborate with daily, whether they're down the hall or across different time zones. Think back on past coworkers and bosses you may have enjoyed working with at previous businesses and make 2024 the year you reach out.

Also consider special clients, vendors, and others within your professional network who you feel comfortable sharing a glimpse of your personal life with. When reaching out to your professional network, remember to maintain appropriate boundaries – keep messages warm but professional, acknowledge shared successes, and express appreciation for continued partnerships. Balance warmth with professionalism through these thoughtful approaches:

• Keep messages professionally appropriate while still being personal
• Consider sending separate business-focused cards to clients and vendors
• Time your mailings to arrive before holiday breaks begin
• Include your professional contact information subtly, without making the card feel like a networking tool

This is a thoughtful way to build upon relationships in your professional network. Minted's selection of unique business holiday cards will ensure you stand out from the stack.

Think of everyone you schedule appointments with on a regular basis. Consider your general practitioner, pediatrician, barber/esthetician, or even your favorite group fitness instructor. Below, we’ve outlined a few service providers to keep in mind when creating your list of who to send Christmas cards to:

• Doctors
• Dentists
• Teachers
• Babysitter/tutor
• Mail delivery person
• Vet, dog walker, or pet sitter
• Fitness coach
• Gardener
• Rideshare drivers
• Delivery service workers

Whether you share a hallway in an apartment building or a fence in the suburbs, neighbors play a unique role in our daily lives. For house neighbors, consider hand-delivering your card by leaving it on their doorstep or in their mailbox. In apartment or condo communities, spread holiday cheer to the families on your floor, the couple who always holds the elevator, or the neighbor who waters your plants when you're away.

Building connections can extend beyond your immediate neighbors too. Consider including those you've met at community events – the organizer of your building's book club, participants from neighborhood clean-up days, or families you see at the community pool or gym. Remember those special neighbors who make your community feel like home: the front desk staff who accept your packages, the maintenance team who keeps everything running smoothly, or the neighbor who organizes the annual holiday potluck.

A neighborly gift of a small homemade treat is always a fun and simple addition to a doorstep surprise. Think of both past and present neighbors, and leave room for a personal message that speaks to a memory you share. Historic neighbors will love hearing about how you are settling into your home.

Are you a member of a local running club, salsa dance club, or book club? Do you frequently volunteer at a particular organization? Don’t forget to share your season’s greetings with some friends you may have made through these networks.

This includes friends and family overseas or even friends you may have made while on past vacations. Show them that near or far, you’ve thought of them and wish them a warm holiday season from the United States. Shipping times vary greatly across different countries and mail can sometimes take as long as six weeks to arrive. Check online for how long it takes an item to ship to your country of interest and build in a buffer of 1-2 weeks in case of delays.

Do you know any firefighters, police officers, or active members of the military? The holidays are a great time to remind them that you are thankful for their services. You could even drop off a card at the local fire station to show your gratitude for keeping your neighborhood running smoothly. If you would like to thank active military members, we have a detailed post on various programs that will mail Christmas cards to soldiers.

Is there anyone who sent you a Christmas card last year that you didn’t think to send a card to? That can sometimes be awkward. Make things right in 2024 and practice good Christmas card etiquette by adding them to your holiday address list and sending them a family update, because chances are they will be sending you another card this holiday season.

This year, go above and beyond and include a few extra people on your Christmas card mailing list. A personalized holiday greeting may be the simple spark of joy needed to brighten a casual acquaintance’s day and remind them of the holiday spirit in us all.

• Persons living alone: Can you think of a friend who lives in a solitary arrangement or away from their family and would appreciate a friendly check-in? Consider including them on your address list this year.
• Favorite local merchant: Show a local business how much you value their service and how you consider them as a valuable member of the community with a heartfelt greeting card.
• Nursing homes: Do you have any relatives or older friends who may be in a nursing home or retirement community? A handwritten note and collection of personal photos could go a long way in brightening their day.

Now that you know who you want to send holiday cards to, digitally preserve all your important addresses in one easy-to-access location. Our free-to-use Address Assistant tool will not only save all your contacts, but it can also help collect them as well! Simply input email addresses into the tool and we will email each of your friends a stylish correspondence requesting their contact details. The information they provide will automatically be saved to your personal address book and can easily be printed when it comes time to complete your list of who to send Christmas cards to.