Christmas cards for a Christmas with a new baby

Nobody is sleeping, so nobody is sure what day it is, and Christmas has turned up anyway. A new baby changes the whole shape of the holiday. The baby does not know it is Christmas. The parents mostly want to know where the other muslin wrap went. Everyone else is waiting to hold someone who is six weeks old and utterly uninterested in them.

A card suits this house. It does not need a reply, a visit or a phone that is charged. Choose one, add a line for the parents or about the baby, and send it as a link by email or text. Schedule it for Christmas morning, and it will be there when they surface from the night shift, ready to be opened one-handed.

5 things to write inside

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

  1. sweet Merry Christmas to the three of you, [first name]. Your baby's first one, and your first as a family. It is a very good start.
  2. funny Merry Christmas, [first name]. I hope you get at least forty minutes of sleep in a row. I am not asking for a miracle, just something small.
  3. quiet Thinking of you all this Christmas, [first name]. No need to reply. Rest if you can.
  4. sweet A tiny person on Christmas morning, [first name]. I hope the day is slow and the baby is gentle with you. Love to all three of you.
  5. funny Congratulations on a Christmas where the guest of honour will be asleep for most of it, [first name]. At least one of you is getting the day right.

Questions people ask

What should I write in a Christmas card to new parents?

Keep it short and kind. They are tired and do not need a long note. Say that you are thinking of them, mention the baby by name if you know it, and tell them there is no need to reply. That last line is often the most welcome.

Should I send a card to a baby for their first Christmas?

You can address it to the baby and write it to the parents, which is what most people do. A line about the baby's first Christmas is easy to keep, and parents often save these for when the child is older.

Is it too much to send a card to new parents at Christmas?

Not if it asks nothing of them. A card they can open on their own time, with no reply needed, is easier than a visit or a call. Most new parents are glad of a kind word that does not come with an expectation.