Parents and grandparents often want the Christmas card to go the other way: from the older generation to a grown-up child, a teenager, or a grandchild who now has their own letterbox. A childhood photo restyled, or a picture of you with the kids, usually lands better than a generic robin. On Ottermagic you upload a clear picture, run Style Swap or Face Swap (Pet Swap if the family dog is part of the joke), preview until it still looks like them, then order a printed A5 card or send the e-card. Printed cards are A5 folded (148×210mm), 330gsm gloss, envelope included, made to order in the UK, then posted with Royal Mail to UK addresses in around 3–5 working days or sent by airmail to US addresses in around 2–3 weeks.
This page is the reverse of Christmas cards for mum, dad, nan and grandad. That one is for sending up the family tree. This one is for sending down.
Start with a photo they will not groan at
You already know which picture they hate. Skip the school portrait they asked you to take down. Skip the one where they are mid-blink at a wedding.
What often works:
- An old childhood print, scanned reasonably large, restyled so it feels like a keepable drawing rather than a reprint of 1994.
- A recent, well-lit photo of the grandchild (or two, if both faces are large in the frame).
- You with them: nan and the twins on the sofa, grandad holding a newborn, mum and her grown son on a walk.
- The teenager as they actually look this year, hoodie and all, if they will still speak to you after you send it.
Style Swap keeps the whole scene and paints it in a chosen look. Face Swap is better when you have a clear head-and-shoulders of one person and you want them in a finished festive scene. Pet Swap is for the dog who has been in more family photos than some of the cousins.
Text Swap can put “To Tom, love Mum and Dad” on a designed front if every photo is a blur. If you can find one decent picture, use it.
More practical photo advice: how to choose a photo. For a wider family-plus-pet Christmas card, see family, pet, and first-Christmas cards.
Styles that fit sons, daughters, and grandkids
These are starting points. The preview is the real decision.
Classic Cartoon is the safest likeness for most ages. It reads as a Christmas card, not as a meme.
Watercolour and Sketch suit a sentimental childhood scan, or a quiet card for a daughter who would rather not be turned into a figurine.
Anime and Pixel Art are the usual teenage wins, especially for a son or granddaughter who already likes those looks. Preview first. If the face drifts toward a different relative, try another photo before you try another style.
Chibi and Clay 3D work for younger grandchildren. Photobooth suits a close-up grin. Royal Portrait is a warm gag if they will laugh at being “crowned” for December.
Leave a harsh Caricature unless you know their humour. Lucky Leprechaun and louder Face Swap scenes are fun between siblings; they are riskier as the card from Nan.
Live looks also include Brick, Emoji, Cartoon, Action Figure, Retro Halftone, Retro Game, Bobblehead, Sticker Sheet, Tarot Card. Retro Halftone is often kind to older prints.
Message ideas by recipient
Handwriting still wins if you have time. Leave the A5 blank inside and write a specific thing: the Sunday calls, the football scores they still text you, the way they always burn the roast potatoes.
If you print a line, keep it short.
Son: “Happy Christmas. This is you at six, which we are allowed to mention once a year. Love Mum and Dad. The dog sends a bark.”
Daughter: “Happy Christmas. We found the photo you used to hide behind the clock. We made it kinder. Love from us, and from the cat who still prefers you.”
Grown-up child living away: “Happy Christmas. We will not ask if you have a spare room. We will ask if you are eating vegetables. Love from home.”
Grandson: “Happy Christmas. Grandad says you can beat him at the new game. We have not told him you already can.”
Granddaughter: “Happy Christmas from Nan and Grandad. This is us with you, slightly smarter than the selfie. We will save you the good biscuits.”
Teenager: “Happy Christmas. We used Pixel Art so it would not look like a school newsletter. Love Mum. (Dad chose the photo. Sorry.)”
US (e-card, personalized spelling if that is how they write): “Merry Christmas. I cannot get an envelope to you as fast as this file. This is the old photo, drawn so you can keep it on your phone anyway.”
Avoid anything that sounds like a lecture about settling down. Avoid comparing siblings on the same card.
When the family dog joins in
Pet Swap from a clear photo of the animal, large in the frame, is often the card a grown son actually puts on the fridge. Write the dog’s name inside. Do not expect one crowded living-room shot to serve as both a people Style Swap and a pet close-up. Make the people card, then a small Pet Swap if the dog is the real celebrity.
Printed A5 or the e-card
If they are in the UK and you have the working days, print the A5: 148×210mm folded, 330gsm gloss, envelope included, recyclable stock, water-based inks, Royal Mail around 3–5 working days. Blank inside, or a printed line if you add one. Posters and canvas are available if you want the childhood portrait on a wall; check live options on Ottermagic.com.
If they are in the US, switch to the US shop in the site header: the same A5 goes by airmail to a US address in around 2–3 weeks, so order about three weeks before Christmas. US shoppers making a daughter Christmas Style Swap card land in the US shop automatically, with the same printed A5 and e-card on offer.
If they live far away and you want it there today, or Christmas is too close for the post, buy the e-card, download the hi-res watermark-free file, and send it. They can print it, keep it on a phone, or you can print a copy when you visit.
For last UK posting dates, Christmas posting deadlines. For how the styles work at Christmas, Style Swap Christmas cards.
Support: support@ottermagic.com (reply within one working day). Checkout shows pounds in the UK shop and dollars in the US shop.
Ready when you are
Make the card they will keep because it looks like them, or like the child they used to be. Upload a photo, try Classic Cartoon, Watercolour, Anime, or Pixel Art, and only pay when the likeness feels kind. Print an A5 (148×210mm, 330gsm gloss, envelope; around 3–5 working days in the UK, 2–3 weeks by airmail in the US) or send the e-card anywhere. Start at Ottermagic.com.
FAQ
What is the best son Christmas Face Swap card in the UK in 2026?
The preview that looks like your son. Ottermagic Face Swap with a clear, face-on photo is the method. Classic Cartoon is a safe starting style; Anime or Pixel Art if that is already his humour.
Can I use an old childhood photo?
Yes, if the scan is reasonably large. Watercolour, Sketch, and Retro Halftone are often kinder to older prints than a straight reprint. Zooming a tiny Facebook download will not invent a likeness.
Can grandparents put themselves in the picture with the grandchildren?
Yes. Style Swap of a photo where faces are all large enough. Face Swap for one child in a festive scene. Parents or guardians should be the ones uploading children’s photos, or you should have their permission.
My daughter lives in the US. Can I post an Ottermagic card to her?
Yes. Switch to the US shop in the site header and the printed A5 is sent by airmail to her US address in around 2–3 weeks. If Christmas is closer than that, use the e-card and send the file.
What if they would rather have a plain photo?
That is allowed. Send a straight photo card to that person, and keep Style Swap for the relatives who like a drawn likeness. You can still use Ottermagic Text Swap for a simple named front.
