Summer Christmas cards

Some of us eat Christmas dinner in thongs. The ham is cold, the pudding is a bit of a nerve, and somebody has to carry the esky down to the beach before the sun gets serious. A summer Christmas card should look and sound like that: bright, a little sunburnt, with no pretence of a snowy hearth.

Pick a card, add your own words inside, and send it as a link by email or text. It suits family in the southern hemisphere, friends who have swapped the cold for warm sand and relatives overseas who need reminding it is thirty-eight degrees here. You can schedule it for Christmas morning, before the heat sets in and the cricket starts.

5 things to write inside

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

  1. funny Merry Christmas, [first name]. It is thirty-eight degrees and we are eating hot roast in our swimmers. Tradition is a wonderful thing. Come and sit in the shade with us.
  2. sweet [first name], I hope your Christmas is full of cold drinks, good food and the sound of everyone laughing in the next room. I am thinking of you. Merry Christmas.
  3. funny [first name], the prawns are out, the fans are on and the dog is lying on the tiles like a dead man. That is Christmas down here. I wish you were with us.
  4. quiet Merry Christmas, [first name]. The light is long and gold tonight, and the house is quiet. I thought of you. I hope you have a good, slow, lovely day.
  5. sweet [first name], Christmas feels like summer holidays to me, and you are part of all of those memories. Thank you for that. Have a wonderful day, wherever you swim.

Questions people ask

What do you write in a summer Christmas card?

Write about the heat, the food and the people. Mention the beach, the cricket, the cold ham or the late sunset. A line about the weather makes the card feel like your Christmas, and it gives overseas relatives a small, sunny picture.

Can I send a summer Christmas card to someone in the snow?

Yes, and they usually enjoy it. A card from a hot Christmas lets a friend or relative in a cold place feel the sun for a moment. Add a line about the swimming, and they will probably reply with a photo of a snowman.

When should I send it?

You can send it any time in December, or schedule it for Christmas morning. The recipient opens it like an envelope. If your people are spread across time zones, an early send is kinder than a late one.