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To order custom holiday cards online, choose a card style and provider, upload and crop your photo, personalize the design, select paper and mailing options, then confirm the total and delivery estimate for your address at checkout. The same basic process applies to photo gifts, though each product has its own design and shipping options.
1. Choose the card or photo gift that fits your plans
Start with the format and the job the item needs to do. For cards, decide between flat and folded styles or a specialty format. For gifts, choose an item that suits the recipient and how they might use it.
Compare providers by the specific design you want: card size and shape, minimum order quantity, photo-editing flexibility, paper and finish, envelope options, proofing, address printing, direct mailing, total cost, and delivery estimate. Options can differ by both provider and design.
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Shutterfly’s 2026 seasonal page reports more than 1,000 holiday card templates and lists five paper types. Those are Shutterfly’s own catalog figures, not market-wide counts. Its page is a starting point for exploring designs and options: Shutterfly holiday cards.
#1 Best Overall
- PERSONALIZED HOLIDAY CARDS - Create unique Christmas cards or Holiday cards with your own photos, messages, and designs for a truly personal touch.
- PREMIUM 18PT CARDSTOCK – Printed on thick, smooth 350gsm cardstock for a polished, professional presentation. The smooth surface produces crisp photographs, clear text, and vibrant full-color designs.
- SIZING - Standard size holiday cards. Each card measures 5x7 inches.
- ENVELOPES INCLUDED - All cards come with matching envelopes.
- MULTIPLE QUANTITIES - Quantities range from 15 to 200 cards. Choose the perfect number of holiday cards to suit your needs.
Minted may suit shoppers looking for artist-designed layouts, foil-pressed or letter-pressed options, and a digital proof. Shutterfly lists multiple cardstock choices, back-of-card customization, address printing, direct mailing, and related photo gifts. CVS Photo is another place to compare card formats and seasonal options. Verify what is available for the exact design you select:
Shutterfly also publishes a comparison of several card companies, including Minted, Snapfish, Vistaprint, Walgreens, Walmart, and CardsDirect. Because it is a provider-authored comparison, use it to identify features to check, then confirm details with the provider you may order from: Shutterfly’s holiday-card company comparison.
2. Prepare and preview your photo
Choose a clear, high-resolution image that works with the design’s layout and intended crop. Before ordering, inspect the preview for cut-off faces, awkward spacing, or important details near the edge. If the image is cropped automatically, adjust its position where the editor allows it.
Rank #2
- PERSONALIZED HOLIDAY CARDS - Create unique Christmas cards or Holiday cards with your own photos, messages, and designs for a truly personal touch.
- PREMIUM 18PT CARDSTOCK – Printed on thick, smooth 350gsm cardstock for a polished, professional presentation. The smooth surface produces crisp photographs, clear text, and vibrant full-color designs.
- SIZING - Standard size holiday cards. Each card measures 5x7 inches.
- ENVELOPES INCLUDED - All cards come with matching envelopes.
- MULTIPLE QUANTITIES - Quantities range from 15 to 200 cards. Choose the perfect number of holiday cards to suit your needs.
Check that the photo’s orientation and subject placement suit the card format. A portrait image may fit one layout better than a wide group photo; if the design crops out a person or key detail, choose another image or template.
3. Personalize the design, including the back
Review the greeting, names, spelling, punctuation, colors, and type size. Check the front and back before moving on. Shutterfly says its cards include free back-of-card customization, which can add another photo, a holiday message, or a coordinating design. Confirm the options shown for your selected product on its holiday card page.
If you select a Minted design with a digital proof, review and approve that proof before the order is finalized. Proofing is useful for catching layout or wording issues, but it does not replace checking the final product details and delivery estimate.
Rank #3
- PERSONALIZED HOLIDAY CARDS - Create unique Christmas cards or Holiday cards with your own photos, messages, and designs for a truly personal touch.
- PREMIUM 18PT CARDSTOCK – Printed on thick, smooth 350gsm cardstock for a polished, professional presentation. The smooth surface produces crisp photographs, clear text, and vibrant full-color designs.
- SIZING - Standard size holiday cards. Each card measures 5x7 inches.
- ENVELOPES INCLUDED - All cards come with matching envelopes.
- MULTIPLE QUANTITIES - Quantities range from 15 to 200 cards. Choose the perfect number of holiday cards to suit your needs.
4. Select paper, finish, and envelope options
Paper and embellishments change the look and feel of a card, and availability varies by design. Shutterfly lists Standard Smooth, Signature Smooth, 100% Recycled, Pearl Shimmer, and Luxe Double-Thick cardstock. Minted lists paper options including recycled and DoubleThick papers, as well as foil-pressed and letter-pressed finishes. Check the product page for the exact design: a finish offered by a provider may not be offered on every card.
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Review envelope choices alongside the card options. If you are ordering cards to mail yourself, make sure the envelope setup works for your addressing and postage plans.
5. Decide how the cards will reach recipients
Recipient addressing or direct mailing can reduce the amount of work after checkout, but eligibility and requirements differ by product. Shutterfly and Minted describe services for mailing eligible cards directly to recipients; check the selected product page for availability and any assembly requirements. If you choose to have the cards delivered to you, you will need time to prepare envelopes, add postage, and mail them yourself.
Rank #4
- CUSTOM CHRISTMAS CARDS - Create unique Holiday cards, Christmas cards or New Years cards with your own photos, messages, and designs for a truly personal touch.
- PREMIUM QUALITY - Crafted on high-grade cardstock, our cards showcase vibrant colors and sharp details, delivering a professional and elegant look.
- SIZING - Standard size holiday cards. Each card measures 5x7 inches.
- ENVELOPES INCLUDED - All cards come with matching envelopes.
- MULTIPLE QUANTITIES - Quantities range from 15 to 200 cards. Choose the perfect number of personalized holiday cards that suits your needs.
For Minted’s Photo Mount design, the page says you insert the printed photos into the cards after delivery. Account for that assembly time in your schedule: Minted holiday photo cards.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.6. Check the total and delivery estimate before paying
There is no single holiday-order cutoff that applies to every product and destination. Minted says production and shipping times vary with customization, displays an estimated delivery date at checkout, and recommends ordering holiday cards by mid-November. Shutterfly says deadlines vary by product and delivery method; its help page gives general guidance and says the actual estimated arrival date appears in the cart.
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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Use the checkout estimate for your exact design, quantity, and destination rather than relying on a general seasonal deadline. Leave enough time for production, transit, any required assembly, and your own mailing. Shutterfly’s published guidelines are dated February 23, 2026, so check the current estimate in your cart when ordering: Shutterfly holiday shipping guidelines.
Best Value
- PERSONALIZED HOLIDAY CARDS - Create unique Christmas cards or Holiday cards with your own photos, messages, and designs for a truly personal touch.
- PREMIUM 18PT CARDSTOCK – Printed on thick, smooth 350gsm cardstock for a polished, professional presentation. The smooth surface produces crisp photographs, clear text, and vibrant full-color designs.
- SIZING - Standard size holiday cards. Each card measures 5x7 inches.
- ENVELOPES INCLUDED - All cards come with matching envelopes.
- MULTIPLE QUANTITIES - Quantities range from 15 to 200 cards. Choose the perfect number of holiday cards to suit your needs.
Before payment, confirm the card count, design proof or preview, paper and finish, recipient addresses if applicable, shipping destination, final total, and estimated arrival date.
What custom photo gifts can you order?
Shutterfly lists photo Christmas ornaments, photo books, canvas prints, photo mugs, photo blankets, and photo puzzles as related personalized gift categories. Consider the recipient and intended use, then check the product page for current designs and options: Shutterfly’s seasonal catalog.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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