Christmas cards for a Christmas around the world

Christmas is not one day. It is a morning in one country while it is still a long, sleepy night in another. Family is spread across time zones, and a phone call might land at breakfast for you and midnight for them. A card for a Christmas around the world has to do a little more work, because it is the hand held out across a very long distance.

Pick a card, write your own words inside, and send it as a link by email or text. It suits siblings abroad, grandparents back home, friends who moved for work and the cousin who is somewhere with a different sky. Schedule it so it lands on their Christmas morning, wherever they are.

5 things to write inside

Swap in their name. Change anything that doesn’t sound like you.

  1. sweet [first name], it is a long way from here to there, but you are in my thoughts today. I hope your Christmas is warm and full of people who love you. Merry Christmas.
  2. funny Merry Christmas, [first name]. By my calculation it is already tomorrow where you are, and you are therefore getting my present first. I would like credit. Come home soon.
  3. quiet [first name], I know it is not easy being so far away at Christmas. I am thinking of you. The table has a place for you, in spirit. I love you.
  4. sweet Dear [first name], thank you for being the kind of person who stays close, whatever the distance. Merry Christmas. I cannot wait until we are in the same room again.
  5. funny [first name], you are in the future and I am in the past. We should compare notes. I will go first: the ham is excellent. Merry Christmas from the wrong time zone.

Questions people ask

How do I send a Christmas card to someone in another country?

Pick a card, add your words and send it as a link by email or text. It works in any country, since the recipient simply opens it like an envelope. Check the time difference if you want it to arrive on their morning.

What should I write to a family member far away?

Say you miss them, tell them one thing that is happening at home and mention a plan to be together. A specific detail, like the dish they usually bring, matters more than a long paragraph about distance.

Can I schedule the card for their Christmas morning?

Yes. You can schedule it for Christmas morning, so it lands at the right time for them. Work out the time difference first, then set it for a gentle hour, not the middle of their night.