Sassy’s Christmas Card Guide 2014!

Christmas comes around once a year, and thank goodness for that! There’s only so much wrapping, gift giving and card writing a girl can do before it becomes more of a chore than a pleasure… As frustrating as it can be rifling through those old address books and rushing off to the post office, there is something so meaningful about sending a Christmas card. Who doesn’t love opening a card or letter?! So we’ve rounded up the best places to buy Christmas cards in the ‘Kong, whether you want to buy in bulk in store or tailor-make your own with personalised options! And if you’re tempted to stay online, then we’ve found some fab e-card options too. But before you start licking those envelops, remember to check out Hong Kong Post’s official guide to the latest dates of posting and ensure your festive greetings arrive on time!

OFF THE RACK

Hallmark
Hallmark’s speciality is cards, cards and more cards, meaning their range is certain to cater to all your festive needs. They do some lovely Japanese pop-up Christmas cards that go down a treat with friends overseas, or if you’re into something even more cutesy, hit up their Forever Friends or Disney options… sweet!

Hallmark, various locations here, www.hallmarkhk.com

Prints
We love Prints’ colourful and contemporary selection of cards, and their Christmas ones are no exception. They also sell loads of coloured pens, including gold and silver festive favourites, to add that extra special touch to your season’s greetings. Stock up on gift tags and wrapping paper here too and get creative with their plain, high quality papers!

Prints, various locations here, www.prints-international.com

Papyrus
Papyrus is another great one-stop shop (though a little pricey) for buying Christmas cards a-plenty – and they’re especially good at offering cards personalised for dads, mums, siblings, grandparents and the rest of the family tree!

Papyrus, Shop 3315, The Gateway, Canton Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2175 4888, www.papyrus.com.hk

Marks & Spencer
Good old Marks & Spencer does a fantastic range of cards in box sets, great for buying in bulk if you have loads to send to friends, colleagues and acquaintances. You know you’ll get great quality and good value, and they refresh their range with new and gorgeous designs every year. Stock up on large rolls of matching wrapping paper here too and don’t forget to look out for their charity cards for that extra spirit of Christmas!

Marks & Spencer, various locations here, www.global.marksandspencer.com/hk/en 

Bookazine
Thought Bookazine was just for books? Think again! They’ve got a quirky range of Christmas items sprucing up their stores, and you can get in on the action too. Their range of Hong Kong-themed Christmas products, including greeting labels, cards and wrapping paper that feature Santa on the Star Ferry or squished into a red taxi, would be perfect for family and friends abroad! They also have a nice selection of cute novelty decorations such as Christmas hats for glasses and festive cupcake signs, that are certain to bring some smiles to any Christmas party.

Bookazine, various locations here, www.bookazine.com.hk

Etsy
Shop for unique one-of-a-kind holiday cards and matching gift tags at Etsy – you’ll find hundreds of handmade greetings made by Etsy artisans! Etsy shops have beautiful cards in a range of prices and designs, but if you don’t have the time to browse, a few of our favourites include Papette Boutique (shown in the top photo), LetterPressLight, Vandalia Street Press, Sweet Bella Stationery and HK’s very own Loopz and Kalo MakeArt (shown above – check out our review of Kalo here too)! Also available on Etsy is local brand Nocturnal Paper which we love. P.S. Need a bit of help with how to shop on Etsy? Check out our how-to guide here!

Thinq
Why not show off the best of Hong Kong when you’re sending a gift, especially to people who aren’t local Hong Kongers? Thinq’s wrapping paper is decorated with pictures of Hong Kong and its skyline (and is double-sided too!), so you can make your gifts extra special and not let terrible wrapping skills ever be an excuse! Don’t forget to check out their greeting cards too which are suitable for all occasions and great to keep stocked up in your cupboard.

Thinq products are avilable at Bookazine, among other book and stationery stores in Hong Kong. Check out where you can find them here.

Lion Rock Press
One of our fave greeting card and stationary companies, Lion Rock Press, has got everything HK-related for the holidays. One of their designs includes a festive Star Ferry (with pink dolphins in Santa hats!), which is a cute nod to the city’s cultural icons. Order from them directly by email, check them out at one of HK’s holiday fairs (our list of fairs is here!), or buy from any one of the Bookazine stores.

Lion Rock Press, [email protected], www.facebook.com/thelionrockpress

Ditto Ditto
Boutique stationery brand Ditto Ditto have got cute holiday cards perfect for the season. Each card is printed by hand and can be totally customised, so if you want to get something personal in there, you can. Check out their dainty creations, featuring snow, reindeer and of course, the big red man himself!

Ditto Ditto, www.dittoditto.net

Christmas Fairs
Many of the city’s holiday fairs and bazaars will be selling all sorts of festive bits ‘n’ bobs, including Christmas cards and wrapping paper. There are far too many to list here… but you’re in luck! We’ve already made a bumper guide to all this year’s festive fairs – check it out here.

Charity Christmas Cards
If you’re all about supporting a good cause, this is a great way to kill two birds with one stone! If there are any specific charities you’re passionate about, it’s worth contacting them to see if they’re selling charity Christmas cards this year, but here are a few definites for starters: The Society for the Relief of Disabled Children, Hong Kong Society for the Protection Of Children, and the The Society for the Promotion of Hospice Care Hong Kong. Angels For Orphans are also selling their charity Christmas cards at a few fairs this year so catch them if you can!

If your company wants in on the greeting card action, do a good deed and order customised Christmas cards from Red Cross, or bag some blank general greeting cards perfect for all occasions from charities like Child Heart Hong Kong, Hong Kong Breast Cancer Foundation and the Hong Chi Association!

TAILOR-MADE

If you want to add a really personal touch, here are a few of our custom-made favourites! Check the individual sites for pricing, shipping and minimum order details – but in general, the larger the order, the cheaper the price per card. Just remember, customised cards take longer to produce, so make sure you get your orders in early!

Elegancewonder
Love the vibe of DIY and handmade products? Then you’re going to fall in love with Elegancewonder’s customised, handmade and made-to-order cards. Choose from the sample designs on the website or Facebook page, or contact them directly for a completely customised and personalised design! (P.S. you can also buy their ready-made designs off the rack at the Bookazines in IFC and Prince’s Building). 

Fotomax & Kodak
Like the 7-Eleven of photo stores, these ubiquitous photo-printing companies are located all over the city, meaning you can easily order personalised cards, albums and calendars wherever is the most convenient! With wallet-friendly prices to boot, these two are definitely no-brainers for your one-stop shop to greeting card heaven.

Cheeky Monkey
Photo cards seemed like such a good idea… until we realised it was really hard to find the perfect photo to use! Why not use Christmas as the perfect chance to do a family photo shoot session, then have cards made from those photos all in one go? Cheeky Monkey does exactly that, and they’re having a special package for Christmas, which includes a photo book along with cards and a photo shoot sesh!

Blanksheet
If you’re not one to fuss over details and just want things done in a jiffy, Blanksheet is a good choice. Just pick from one of their many designs and submit an online order form, then email your photos to them and finish up the order from there. We also love that they can turn kids’ art (or your own!) into cards, which makes them that much more special.

Minted.com
We absolutely adore Minted.com’s range of classy, cool and beautiful holiday cards. You can personalise cards through the text, the colour or even by adding a photo.

Tiny Prints
Tiny Prints offers a colourful contemporary selection of Christmas cards, with a small minimum order quantity (so no huge stockpile left for next year!) and great photo personalisation options. If you’re feeling especially creative, try their fab DIY Christmas card section, where you create your own custom card totally from scratch!

Moonpig.com
This British-based company has a cheeky sense of humour; we love their spoof magazine cards, which you can personalise with photos and (hopefully!) witty captions. They also do classic cards, cute ones for kids, simple photo-based ones and discount multi-packs too. However, the best bit is that they deliver the cards for you – so if you’re sending to the UK, US or Australia, rather than paying international postage and worrying about dates, you can pay local shipping charges (generally peanuts) and know your mail will get there super quickly.

Scribbler.com
Another British-based company similar to Moonpig, you can choose from a dazzling amount of cheeky or classic designs, including some customisable photo upload options too. Check out their handy calendar for international delivery deadlines and submit your order accordingly; they’ll handle the rest of the fuss for you (like sending it to the receiver’s mailbox!).

Seesawsed
Want to get the best of the best this season? Known for their wedding-related designs, Seesawsed also has design and monogramming services available for other occasions, so get in touch with them for more information.

Two Takes
As the name implies, this personalising company have two different lines, the Luxury Line and the Cheap and Cheerful range. Two Takes has got something to suit everyone (and every budget!) and both lines use quality materials to create personal cards, canvases and even photobooks.

Happy card-hunting, girls!