Grandparents keep the cards that sound as if they came from the small people, even when a grown-up pressed send. A photo of the children in pyjamas, a sleeping baby, or a bump in a ridiculous jumper, restyled so it looks drawn rather than snatched, is a kind December habit. On Ottermagic you upload that picture, try Style Swap (or Face Swap, or Pet Swap if the dog is “signing” too), preview until it still looks like them, then print a UK A5 card or take an e-card. Printed cards are 148×210mm folded, 330gsm gloss, envelope included, made to order in the UK and posted with Royal Mail in around 3–5 working days.
This is the “from the children” job. For a wider family portrait, including baby’s first Christmas and newly married households, see family, pet, baby’s first Christmas and married cards. For cards aimed at mum, dad, nan and grandad as the recipients, use Christmas cards for mum, dad, nan and grandad. A bump on a Christmas card is just this year’s family picture.
From the kids
Use a photo they will not hate in ten years: faces visible, maybe a gap-toothed grin, pyjamas, a sofa, a school play leftover on the floor. You do not need matching tartan unless you already own it.
Chibi and Classic Cartoon are the usual winners. Watercolour is gentler for a quieter household. Clay 3D makes them look like little modelled figures, which children often like more than adults expect. Face Swap is optional; it helps when you want them in a finished festive scene and you have a clear, face-on shot of each child. Group Style Swap is simpler if you have one decent photo of all of them together.
Messages in a child’s voice (type what they actually say, then tidy the spelling only as much as you would on a fridge):
- “Happy Christmas Nan. I lost another tooth. Love from Maisie and the hamster.”
- “We made this. Dad helped with the computer. Love Joe and Sam.”
- “Please can we come for Boxing Day. I will eat the Brussels sprouts if there is pudding.”
- “From the kids, who ate the chocolate calendar too fast.”
If they can write, leave the printed A5 blank inside and let them. A wobbly “love you” beats a polished paragraph.
From the baby
Sleeping babies are allowed. So are slightly cross ones. The photo should show a face, not a bundle of muslin with a rumour of a nose. Scan an older print if the best picture is still on paper from the hospital visitor’s camera; a phone snap of a print can work if you flatten it in good light.
Watercolour and Sketch feel like keepsakes. Chibi is sweeter. Classic Cartoon keeps the likeness clear for relatives who “need to see the baby”. Clay 3D is playful once they have a bit of hair and a personality you can already tease.
Messages in a baby’s voice (keep them short; everyone knows it is you):
- “I cannot write yet. I can drool on wrapping paper. Happy Christmas.”
- “This is my first December. I am told the lights are for me.”
- “Love from the baby, who slept through the photo, unlike dad.”
US relatives: the US shop sends the same printed A5 by airmail to a US address, which takes about 2–3 weeks, so allow about three weeks before Christmas. Closer to the day, send the e-card so it arrives while the baby is still the same size. Personalized spelling on the inside is fine for them.
From the bump
A bump card is a Christmas greeting that happens to include a pregnancy, not a medical announcement. One photo of you (or both of you) in clothes you already wear is enough. You do not need a chalkboard of due dates on the card, and you do not need a scan image unless that is genuinely how you talk to this household.
Classic Cartoon and Watercolour are kind. Chibi if you are sending mainly to people who already know. Skip loud figurine styles if you are not sure who will open the envelope.
Messages
- “Happy Christmas from the two of us, and the small one who is already taking up the jumper.”
- “We will be four next year. This year we are still learning how to sit down.”
- “Love from us, and from the bump who kicked through carols.”
If the pregnancy is not widely known, do not use a card as the reveal to a wide list. Send the bump portrait to people who already have the news.
Photo tips that save a retake
- Scan or re-photograph prints. Lay the print flat by a window, no flash bounce. Crop in on the face afterwards.
- Sleeping baby. Side light from a window, face not buried in a chest. A ten-minute wait for a better angle is worth it.
- Kids in pyjamas. Fine. Hats that hide eyes are not. Take one frame without the hats.
- Bump. Face and bump both readable; you are still the person on the card.
- The dog signing too. Pet Swap with the animal large in their own photo. Then say so inside (“love from Ivy and the collie”). Do not expect one crowded family shot to serve as both a people Style Swap and a pet close-up.
More detail: how to choose a photo.
Styles at a glance
| Style | From the kids | From the baby | From the bump |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chibi | Excellent | Sweet | If the list already knows |
| Classic Cartoon | Excellent | Clear likeness | Safe |
| Watercolour | Quiet families | Keepsake | Kind |
| Clay 3D | Playful | Once they have a “look” | Only if you like novelty |
Anime, Brick, Photobooth, and Pixel Art are there if that is already your household humour. Caricature of a baby is almost always a bad idea.
Text Swap can put “love from the kids” on a designed front if every photo this week is a blur. If you can get one clear picture, Style, Face, or Pet Swap will usually make a card they keep.
Posters and canvas are available from the same artwork: a Watercolour of the baby, a Clay 3D of the siblings. Check Ottermagic.com for live wall-art details.
Print and e-card
UK A5: 330gsm gloss, envelope, blank inside or printed message, recyclable stock, water-based inks, Royal Mail around 3–5 working days. For posting dates, Christmas posting deadlines.
US A5: the same card from the US shop, sent by airmail to US addresses in about 2–3 weeks.
E-card: hi-res, watermark-free download after payment. Use it for anyone who will miss the post, including US grandparents once Christmas is less than about three weeks away.
Support: support@ottermagic.com (reply within one working day). Prices are in pounds in the UK shop and dollars in the US shop.
Ready when you are
Send the card the children would have made if they could work the site. Upload a pyjama photo, a sleeping baby, or this year’s bump picture, try Chibi, Classic Cartoon, Watercolour, or Clay 3D, and stop when it looks like them. Print a UK A5 card (148×210mm, 330gsm gloss, envelope, Royal Mail around 3–5 working days), take a poster or canvas, or download the e-card. Start at Ottermagic.com.
FAQ
Can the card be “from the kids” if I design it?
Yes. That is how most of these cards get made. Let them choose the photo if they are old enough, and let them scribble inside.
Can I include the baby and the older children on one card?
Yes, if you have a photo where faces are all large enough. Otherwise make two fronts and write one shared message.
Is a bump Christmas card the same as a pregnancy announcement?
It can be. Send it to people who already know, unless you mean it to be the news.
Can the dog sign the card too?
Yes. Pet Swap, clear pet photo, then name them in the message.
Will a printed card arrive for grandparents in the UK?
Allow around 3–5 working days with Royal Mail. If you are inside that window, use the e-card or print locally as well.
Which style is best for a newborn?
Watercolour or Classic Cartoon for a keepable likeness. Chibi if you want something softer. Preview before you print a stack.
