Christmas cards for your dad
Dad's love language is checking your tyre pressure and carving the meat. He'll never say what a card means to him, but it'll sit on the shelf until February, and he'll pretend he's forgotten who it was from.
So a card for Dad works best when it's short, a bit dry, and has one line that gets past the armour. Add your own words, send it as a link by email or text, and let it arrive on Christmas morning, before he's found the good knife and started handing out instructions.
Sorry About the Pickle Run
Thank You for the 3 am Visits
It's Me. Obviously.
Who Rang on Sunday
Last Prawn
Thumbs Up
Best Seat in the House
The Wrapping Paper
Four Minute Voice Note
Santa Takes Credit
Midnight Window
The Hot Drive Home
Next Christmas I'll Be There
The Kicking Is Festive
Some Assembly Required
Grandmother’s Magical Recipe
One Lit Apartment
One Nice Photo
Lower Your Expectations
Filled with Family
Full Circle
Kitchen Table
Your First Christmas as a Dad
Your First Christmas as Grandparents
Rules Are for Parents
Party of One
Some Assembly Required, Dad
Porch Light
A Small Kindness
First Cup of Tea
Family Traditions
First Christmas in the New Home
First Christmas With a Kitten
First Christmas With a Puppy
Somewhere in the Boxes
Keep Your Weird
Midnight, No Pressure
No Grand Reinvention
No New Personality Required
No Resolution Police
Same Laugh, New Calendar
The Airport Reindeer
The Gift Card Summit
The Holiday Doorbell
The Holiday Parking Lot
The Leftover Strategy
The Midnight Toast
The New Page
10 things to write inside
Swap in their name. Change anything that doesn’t sound like you.
- sweet [first name], you taught me how to do most things, and how to pretend I knew the rest. Thank you. Merry Christmas.
- sweet Merry Christmas, [first name]. You do a lot without announcing it. I just wanted you to know someone notices.
- sweet [first name], wherever we are on the day, you're the person I want at the table. Love you.
- sweet I still hear your voice when I check the oil, or park badly. Thank you for all of it, [first name]. Merry Christmas.
- funny [first name], I've checked and yes, I have enough petrol, yes, I've got the right charger, and no, I don't need a lift to the station. Merry Christmas.
- funny Dear [first name], please enjoy this card. It can't be returned to the shed and it doesn't need assembling.
- funny [first name], I tell everyone you're a man of few words. Please don't prove me wrong by saying "ta" and putting this on the fridge. Actually, put it on the fridge.
- quiet Merry Christmas, [first name]. Proud to be yours.
- quiet [first name], thanks for always turning up. It meant more than I let on.
- rude [first name], you're a stubborn bugger and I wouldn't swap you. Merry Christmas.
Questions people ask
What do you write in a Christmas card for a dad who doesn't say much?
Match him. Two or three lines is plenty. Pick one thing he taught you or did for you, say thanks, and stop before it gets awkward. A dad who doesn't say much usually reads the card more than once, so make the one line count.
Can I send my dad a funny Christmas card instead of a sentimental one?
Yes. For a lot of dads, a joke is how the sentiment gets in. A dry line about his driving or his barbecue says you know him. If you want it to land softly, add a sincere sentence at the end, short enough that he can ignore it.
How do I send a Christmas card to my dad if we live in different countries?
The card goes as a link by email or text, so distance doesn't matter. Choose the date you want it to arrive, and think about what time of day it will be where he is. Add a message that mentions something from home he'll miss.