Every November I sit down with a cup of coffee, open my design folders, and ask myself a familiar question. Do Christmas postcard trends actually change, or am I just imagining it because I spend too much time staring at snowflakes, cookies, and postal boxes?
This year I decided to look back at the past few seasons and compare them with the 2025 designs that just landed in my store. Spoiler: yes, something is shifting.
1. The return of calm colours
A few years ago, Christmas postcards were loud. Bright red, pine green, piles of glitter, as much sparkle as a tiny piece of paper can carry.
For 2025 I see a different direction. People want softness. Calm tones. Less “North Pole disco” and more “late evening with a warm blanket”.
My newest Christmas series reflects exactly that. Muted reds, gentle blues, and warm neutrals. They still look festive, but the volume button is turned down pleasantly.
2. Illustrations feel more personal again
At one point Christmas postcards were all about clean perfect graphics. Now people are choosing something that feels more human.
Hand drawn characters, tiny imperfections, cosy scenes, mugs of tea, quiet homes, pets watching falling snow. This style is very familiar to my store, so 2025 fits me well.
The truth is simple. In a busy world, clients want postcards that feel handmade, even when they are printed professionally.
3. Postal themes remain undefeated
Every year I think the postal theme will calm down. Every year I am wrong.
Mailboxes, stamps, envelopes, mail carriers, winter village post offices. This category will probably outlive us all. And I love it. My customers also love it. It connects Christmas with the simple joy of receiving something unexpected in the mailbox.
If someone ever asks me what Christmas postcard theme is truly timeless, this is it.
5. Small gifts are becoming a big deal
Postcards are often used as part of a gift or as a tiny standalone surprise. This trend exploded last year and is even stronger in 2025.
Many customers now buy postcards together with stickers, washi tapes, or bookmarks. Christmas is no longer only about sending cards abroad. It is also about cute, budget friendly gifts.
That is one of the reasons why I expanded my stationery section and added Christmas stickers and winter bookmarks.
A little mix of paper goods can feel more thoughtful than a big present.
So, do Christmas postcard trends change?
Yes, but slowly.
Christmas design evolves like a cosy winter ritual. Nothing dramatic, but enough movement to keep things interesting.
For 2025 I see three clear directions:
- calm colours
- human-drawn illustrations
- personal messages over generic ones
If you feel like exploring the newest designs, I just opened my 2025 Christmas stationery shop. And as always, you can mix postcards with stickers, washi tapes, and letter paper if you are building small gifts for your friends, Postcrossing partners, or your own mailbox joy.
And now I go back to packing orders and drinking tea, because both are essential parts of running a postcard shop in November.
