18 Eco-Friendly Alternatives To Christmas Cards

Are you Team Christmas Cards or Team No Cards?  It seems even the humble greetings card causes quite the heated debate these days!  Below we share 18 more eco-friendly alternatives to Christmas cards should you be in the market for a different approach.

Jo and I are both fans of Christmas cards.  We love sending them – thinking what to write inside – and receiving them.  And that shared moment of thought between us and the person/people at the other end of the card.

But of course we’re all much more aware now of the environmental cost of mass greetings card sending on an international scale.  And luckily these days there are lots of other ways to share Christmas wishes too.

So we decided to explore other options available and try to make our card sending more eco-aware.  And we wanted to share our discoveries with you.

While there will always be a place for thoughtful cards and handwritten messages at Christmas time (and any other time of year!), as with many things, perhaps a mixed approach is best.

So whether it’s environmental concerns, cost, time or anything else causing you to evolve your own Christmas card approach, scroll on down for these suggestions of 18 eco-friendly alternatives to Christmas cards.

Click Here To Jump Down To…

• 11 eco-friendly Christmas card ideas – still a physical card but more sustainable.
• 7 digital alternatives to Christmas cards. 
• 3 quick tips for recycling your Christmas cards here.

Before we start, a little background info.

According to research by Exeter University’s Centre for Business and Climate Solutions, on behalf of dontsendmeacard.com, the embodied carbon or ‘carbon footprint’ in a typical greetings card can be estimated at 140g CO2e*.  This is apparently the same as in a tea break with a friend.

This carbon footprint is built from a combination of paper production, printing, postage and even the decomposition of the unrecycled card at the end of its lifetime too.

Reducing any or all parts of this process will therefore have an environmental benefit.  Particularly since the UK as a whole send an estimated one billion Christmas cards between us each year!!!

Based on the figures above, if everyone in the UK reduced their Christmas card list by just 10% then 100 million fewer cards would be sent and we’d save 14,000 tonnes of CO2e each year!!!

So there’s no time like the present to revisit your Christmas card approach and see what tweaks you might like to make.  It could save you time and money as well as improving your ecological footprint.  It’s a win:win for all of us really.

* 140g CO2e is likely to be a lower bound as it assumes a 10g letter, printed upon recycled paper, posted and recycled within the UK.  Many cards are heavier, less recyclable/recycled and often posted further afield.  One cup of white tea has a footprint of 71 CO2e.

There is still something about the sending and receiving of physical Christmas cards, isn’t there?  We think there will always be a place for thoughtful considered greetings cards.  But perhaps the days of mass sending to contacts far and wide are behind us now?

If you’re looking for ideas of more eco-conscious alternatives to Christmas cards, check out these 11 ideas.

1. Eco Friendly Cards

If it’s eco concerns that are driving your search for alternative Christmas cards, start here!  Choosing your cards carefully can have a big positive environmental impact.

We’ve dug into the details and got the lowdown for you.  So here’s 4 things to consider if you’re looking to buy more eco-friendly cards. 

And we’ve included a few fab businesses where you can start shopping too.

No Embellishments!

As a general rule the fewer embellishments on your cards the better!  So get rid of that glitter, those little bows, star gems, etc. to improve the eco-friendliness of your card.  And try to opt for cards with an uncoated finish too (i.e. no plastic film layer) – they often look more expensive anyway as you can really feel the quality of the paper!

If you can’t resist a bit of festive bling (we get it!), look for cards with eco-friendly biodegradable glitter instead of the traditional plastic-based sparkle.

Paper

In terms of the paper itself, obviously the more recycled / recyclable the better.  The FSC Certified symbol gives reassurance that the paper has come from internationally certified sources (it’s not the only certification system but is the most well known in the UK).

But did you know that there are actually 3 different FSC labels?  The video below explains in more detail.  However it’s worth bearing in mind that only the ‘FSC Recycled’ label means it’s made from 100% recycled materials.

Don’t forget to check the envelopes too by the way!

Ink

Even the ink with which the card is printed can have an impact.  Many traditional printing inks contain mineral oils.  And common commercial printing techniques often results in alcohol evaporation, causing these oils to release unpleasant compounds into the atmosphere.

By selecting cards that have been printed with no or low alcohol techniques, and ideally usually plant-based inks, these nasty emissions will have been reduced.

Minimise That Packaging

And of course we mustn’t forget the packaging around the cards too.  Try to opt for brands that have thought through the entire process and have minimal and recycled/recyclable packaging.

Eco Christmas Card Organisations

Want to feel confident purchasing eco-friendly Christmas cards?  Here are a few organisations to get you started*:

• Full details of each card’s eco credentials are outlined at The Eco-friendly Card Company.
• Woodland Trust’s plastic free cards are printed in UK on FSC papers using vegetable inks and a water-based varnish.
• English Graphics have some wonderful designs all using eco-glitter and biodegradable cellophane.
• Earth Bits’ Tree Free cards can be purchased singularly or in packs and are available on a whole host of recycled or salvaged papers from tea paper to elephant dung!!

* This is not meant as an exhaustive list but just somewhere to get started.

If you’re looking to recycle the cards you receive yourself, here’s three things to bear in mind:

1. Extend your card’s lifetime where possible using the ideas above. Reuse parts of the card to create Christmas postcards / gift tags / shopping lists & notes / other homemade cards / etc.
2. Tear off any embellishments such as glitter or ribbons which cannot be recycled.
3. Place the remaining card and envelope in your recycling bin.

1. E-Cards

The obvious replacement for the physical Christmas card.  The e-card removes both the need for the card itself and the postage without removing the sentiment.

At first seen as the poorer cousin to the ‘more thoughtful’ physical card, the increase in beautiful and tailorable options has made them far more widely accepted these days. 

We have been fortunate to receive gorgeous e-cards from both Jacquie Lawson and Paperless Post and would highly recommend them both.

Should you wish to combine your e-cards directly with a charitable donation, organisation Don’t Send Me A Card is worth a look. 

2. Email Christmas Message

If you’d like to switch to digital Christmas wishes without the expense of a formal e-card replacement, then why not simply send an email?  As long as it’s a personal message, it’s sure to be warmly received.

Add a photo image to make it feel a bit more festive and memorable too.  There are some great templates available with the free version of design-tool Canva so you can create a really smart finish in a matter of moments.

3. Family Video Newsletter

A neat alternative to the written digital message above is to share a short family video message perhaps with a bit of a summary from the last year too.

We love the idea of asking the kids to prepare the video: increased cute factor, a fresh perspective and it removes one item from your to-do list!

4. Personalised Mini Dance Videos

Have you received or sent a JibJab or Elf Yourself video?   They are the perfect bit of light-hearted Christmas fun to enjoy whilst the kettle is boiling and always bring a smile to my face when they land in my inbox.

If you haven’t come across them yet, these are short animations featuring you and yours in a seasonal dance video.  They are seriously cheesy and all the better for it!  (See our Jibjab below if you fancy a laugh!)

Upload faces for as many family members as you want (pets included!) and the software (free for some video options with Elf Yourself) incorporates you seamlessly into the action.  No TikTok-style staging required!

5. Messages on Social Media

For an even more informal and further reaching digital Christmas message, simply add a post to your social media account of choice.  Again you’ll find fabulous easy-to-use free templates in Canva for every conceivable shape, size and media!

This option can be a nice way to share more widely if (and why) you’ve decided against cards this year should you want to let people know.  You may also choose to let people know if you’ve decided to donate the saved funds or time to a particular cause.  The downside of course is the lack of individual tailoring and thought but just get busy in the comments after you’ve posted the message!

6. Social Media Game / Challenge

If you have the time, you could invite your friends and family to join in for a seasonal challenge of sorts instead.

This two-way interaction will hopefully feel a little more thoughtful and personal than a generic message post. And it could be a great way to rekindle old friendships too.

A few ideas to get you started depending on your appetite and time availability:

• Host a Christmas This or That from your social media account?  We’ve got all sorts of question ideas and free templates ready for you here.
• Pose a handful of Christmas Would You Rather polls.  We have loads of ideas for you here.
• Share a festive family recipe and ask people to reciprocate.
• Share a photo of your favourite ornament with its story and ask others to share theirs.

Spread The Word!

Like what you’ve seen? Be sure to share with your friends.

Let’s sprinkle Christmas cheer far and wide!

So are you Team Christmas Cards or Team No Cards?  Which of these alternatives to Christmas cards appeal to you?  What other ways do you choose to share wishes with friends and family over the festive season?