Christmas cards are a bulk buy, so the real questions are how many cards you need, how many designs you want and what is already printed inside. This page compares eight card packs on exactly that, from a 10 pack of Australian jokes to a 40 card box for a long list.
Every rating below comes with its count, and the thin ones are said plainly. If you are matching cards to gifts, our wrapping paper guide has papers to go with them.
Best all round boxed pack: Hallmark Image Arts Elegant Icons
Best all round boxed pack: the Hallmark Image Arts Elegant Icons box, because it gives you 24 foil accented cards in four designs with envelopes, from the pack with the most ratings here.
The Elegant Icons box is the one to buy if you want a good looking card without hunting through designs. The listing describes four designs of holiday icons, Christmas trees, ornaments, a wreath and a snowflake, all accented with foil, with a sentiment inside each card. The pack holds 24 cards, six of each design, plus envelopes, and each card measures about 12.2 by 17.8 cm. The listing says the paper comes from well managed forests. It holds 4.7 stars from 20,037 ratings, the most of any card pack on this page.
It suits anyone sending 20 or so cards to friends, neighbours and relatives who wants one box to cover the list. The honest catch: the designs are classic icons only, with nothing Australian or summery, so choose the Australian summer or Australiana picks below if that is the look you want. The rating is shared with the other assortment of this Hallmark Image Arts listing.
Best premium foil and glitter pack: Papyrus Peace and Happiness
Best premium foil and glitter pack: the Papyrus Peace and Happiness box, because the listing describes a Christmas tree with foil, glitter and deep embossing, with red gold lined envelopes and gold seals.
The Papyrus box is the card to send to the people who will keep it on display. The listing describes an elegant Christmas tree enhanced by foil, glitter and deep embossing, with a blank front message and the words "May Peace and Happiness Be Yours this Christmas and Throughout the New Year" inside. The 12 cards come with 12 red envelopes with gold lining and 16 gold seals, in a box with a protective plastic lid. Each card measures about 12.7 by 17.8 cm. It holds 4.8 stars from 5,320 ratings.
It suits a short list of grandparents, godparents and close friends. The honest catch: it is only 12 cards, so it will not stretch to a long list, and it is one design. Pair it with the 40 card Hallmark box if you need both a few special cards and a big pile.
Best bulk pack: Hallmark Red and Gold Snowflake
Best bulk pack: the Hallmark Red and Gold Snowflake box, because 40 matching foil cards with envelopes covers most card lists in one box.
This is the box for a long list, and the listing itself calls it a great value. It holds 40 cards with coordinating envelopes, each featuring an elegant red and gold snowflake accented with foil and the message "Christmas wishes." Inside reads "Joy, hope, and peace" followed by "Warmly wishing that for you." The listing says the cards are printed on high quality paper stock and measure about 12.7 by 18.3 cm. It holds 4.7 stars from 1,241 ratings.
It suits office cards, street cards and big families where the list runs into the thirties. The honest catch: it is one design only, so every card looks the same, and the printed message is fixed, so add your own line above your signature.
Best funny cards: Hallmark Shoebox Funny Festive Cartoons
Best funny cards: the Hallmark Shoebox Funny Festive Cartoons box, because it is 24 cards in four humorous cartoon designs, each with a short joke or wish inside.
The Shoebox box is for friends who like a laugh. The listing describes four humorous designs, six of each, with 24 envelopes. Inside, the cat and dog card reads "Merry Christmas.", the snowman reads "Happy holidays!", the aging Santa reads "You're never too old to have a merry Christmas." and the dreaming reindeer reads "May all your dreams come true this Christmas." Each card measures about 12.7 by 18.3 cm. It holds 4.7 stars from 1,178 ratings.
It suits mates, workmates and cousins who will enjoy a cartoon more than a nativity. The honest catch: the listing calls the Shoebox line edgy, irreverent and often inappropriate, so keep these away from the older or more formal relatives on your list.
Best charity pack: Hallmark UNICEF Peace On Earth Dove
Best charity pack: the Hallmark UNICEF Peace On Earth Dove box, because the listing says a portion of the sales from these Hallmark cards will be donated to UNICEF.
The UNICEF box lets the cards do a little good. The listing describes a colourful patterned dove holding an olive branch, with "Peace on Earth!" lettering accented with embossing and gold foil. Inside reads "Let all the world welcome this season of peace." The pack has 12 cards and 13 envelopes, and each card measures about 10.7 by 18.8 cm. The listing says a portion of the sales will be donated to UNICEF. It holds 4.8 stars from 4,438 ratings.
It suits people who want a card with a cause and a peaceful design for any recipient. The honest catch: the listing does not say how much of each sale is donated, the rating is shared across the Hallmark UNICEF designs, and with only 12 cards you may need a second box.
Best class pack for kids: Christmas School Cards Pack of 32
Best class pack for kids: the Christmas School Cards Pack of 32, because it gives 30 children's cards in four designs plus a larger card each for the teacher and the teaching assistant.
This is the pack for the school hand out. The listing describes a great pack for the school class, with all cards coming with envelopes: 30 cards for children in four designs, one card for the teacher and one for the teaching assistant. The children's cards measure 9.5 by 6.5 cm and the teacher cards 13 by 9.5 cm, and the greeting inside reads "Merry Christmas". It holds 4.6 stars from 68 ratings.
It suits a primary school child who needs a card for every classmate, with two bigger ones for the grown ups. The honest catch: it has only 68 ratings so far, and the printed greeting is fixed, so children add a name and little else.
Best Australian humour: Australiana Humour Christmas Cards 10 Pack
Best Australian humour: the 10 pack of Australiana Humour Christmas Cards, because the title calls out Australiana humour and the listing says an envelope comes with each card.
This is a small pack for people who want an Aussie joke on the card. The title reads 10x Christmas Greeting Cards and Envelopes Australiana Humor Religious Xmas, Dogs A. The listing describes assorted designs on premium cardstock with a matching envelope for each card, and says it is ideal for family, friends or business associates. Each card measures 11 by 16 cm. It holds 4.8 stars, from only 5 ratings.
It suits a short list where you want something more local than a snowman. The honest catch: only 5 ratings so far, the listing does not describe the individual designs, and the title says Dogs A and Religious, so check the exact design on the listing before you order.
Best Australian summer design: Hallmark x Christie Williams Australian Summer
Best Australian summer design: the Hallmark x Christie Williams 16 pack, because it is a boxed Christmas card pack from Hallmark with an Australian Summer design.
This is the pick for a Christmas that looks like an Australian one. The listing title reads Hallmark x Christie Williams Boxed Christmas Cards 16 Pack, Australian Summer, and the listing gives no further description. It is a boxed pack of 16 cards. It has no ratings yet.
It suits anyone who wants an Australian summer look from a known card brand and is happy to buy on the title alone. The honest catch: the listing has no ratings and no description beyond its title, so there is no card size, envelope detail or inside message to quote.
How to choose Christmas cards
Count your list before you choose a box
Packs on this page run from 10 cards in the Australiana pack, 12 in the Papyrus and UNICEF boxes and 16 in the Christie Williams pack, to 24 in the Elegant Icons and Shoebox boxes, 32 in the school pack and 40 in the Red and Gold Snowflake box. Write down every person you send to, add a few spares for the ones you forget, then pick the box that covers it.
One design or an assortment
The Elegant Icons and Shoebox boxes each hold four designs, with six cards per design. The Red and Gold Snowflake, Papyrus and UNICEF boxes are one design each, which looks tidy on a shelf but repeats if two relatives swap cards. The listing for the Australiana pack says assorted designs without naming them.
Printed message or your own words
Most card packs print a short message inside. The Papyrus listing gives a blank front message and a printed wish inside, the UNICEF card prints "Let all the world welcome this season of peace." and the school pack prints "Merry Christmas". Read the inside wording on the listing first, because it decides how much you still need to write yourself.
Card size and envelopes
The adult cards here measure from about 10.7 by 18.8 cm for the UNICEF box to about 12.7 by 18.3 cm for the Red and Gold Snowflake and Shoebox boxes. The school pack is the small one at 9.5 by 6.5 cm for children and 13 by 9.5 cm for teachers. Check each listing for envelope counts, because the UNICEF box lists 13 envelopes for 12 cards and the Christie Williams listing does not say.
Australian summer and Australian humour
Most boxed cards are snowflakes, trees and wreaths. The two Australian leaning packs here, the Christie Williams Australian Summer pack and the Australiana humour pack, are also the two with the thinnest listings, so there is little to compare. If you want local designs, treat them as a second box beside a proven all rounder such as the Elegant Icons.
Cards that give back
The UNICEF box is the only charity pack here, and the listing says a portion of the sales will be donated to UNICEF. It does not say how much, so read the listing itself if the amount matters to you.
Matching cards to the rest of Christmas
Cards tend to go out with a present or a class gift. Our teacher gifts guide pairs well with the school pack, and our Christmas decorations guide covers the mantelpiece the cards end up on.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best Christmas cards to buy in Australia?
For most people the Hallmark Image Arts Elegant Icons box is the best all rounder: 24 foil accented cards in four designs with envelopes, rated 4.7 from 20,037 ratings. The Papyrus Peace and Happiness box is the premium pick, and the Hallmark Red and Gold Snowflake box is the best 40 card pack for a long list.
What are some good Christmas card ideas?
Match the card to the person. The Elegant Icons box suits a general list, the Hallmark Shoebox cartoons suit friends with a sense of humour, the Papyrus box suits close family, and the school pack suits classmates. For something local, the Christie Williams Australian Summer pack and the Australiana humour pack are the two Australian leaning options here.
What should I write in a Christmas card?
Keep it short: a greeting, one line about them and your names. If the card already prints a message, such as the Red and Gold Snowflake box with "Joy, hope, and peace" inside, add a personal line above your signature. The Papyrus listing gives a blank front message and a printed wish inside.
Which Christmas card packs have a message printed inside?
Most of them. The Hallmark Shoebox box prints a different line for each of its four designs, the UNICEF box prints "Let all the world welcome this season of peace.", the Papyrus box prints "May Peace and Happiness Be Yours this Christmas and Throughout the New Year", and the school pack prints "Merry Christmas".
Are there Australian summer Christmas cards?
Two picks lean Australian. The Hallmark x Christie Williams 16 pack is titled Australian Summer, and the Australiana humour 10 pack names Australiana humour in its title. Both have thin listings, with no ratings yet for the Christie Williams pack and only 5 for the Australiana pack, so read each listing before you buy.
What is the difference between Christmas cards and holiday cards?
The two names are used for the same boxed cards, and listings mix the words. The Hallmark Red and Gold Snowflake box is titled Boxed Holiday Cards yet carries the message "Christmas wishes.", while the Elegant Icons box is titled Boxed Christmas Cards. Read the wording on the card if you want a Christmas message.
How many Christmas cards do I need?
Count the people and households you send to, then add a few spares. The Hallmark Red and Gold Snowflake box has 40 cards, the Elegant Icons and Shoebox boxes have 24, and the Papyrus and UNICEF boxes have 12. For a classroom, the school pack has 30 children's cards and two teacher cards.
Which Christmas cards support a charity?
The Hallmark UNICEF Peace On Earth Dove box. The listing says a portion of the sales from these Hallmark cards will be donated to UNICEF, though it does not say how much. It holds 4.8 stars from 4,438 ratings and comes as 12 cards with 13 envelopes.
What are the best Christmas cards for kids to give at school?
The Christmas School Cards Pack of 32 is made for it: 30 children's cards in four designs, one card for the teacher and one for the teaching assistant, with envelopes for all. It holds 4.6 stars, though from only 68 ratings, and the printed greeting inside is Merry Christmas.
