Let’s be honest, sending Christmas cards is not a fun holiday task. It’s time-consuming and can even be pretty expensive. Using AI to generate a Christmas card “from scratch” is tempting, but it’s a sure-fire way to end up in my trash bin.
There have been many attempts to modernize the practice of sending Christmas cards. Who among us hasn’t received a nightmarish JibJab video with your face plastered on a dancing reindeer? AI is an entirely different beast, though. There may be some situations when it’s genuinely useful, but Christmas cards should not be one of them.
No one is forcing you to be “creative”
Here’s the thing: It’s perfectly fine to just drop a picture of your kid or your pet into a pre-made Christmas card template. You don’t need to morph yourself into an elf or craft a caption that would fit a New Yorker comic. There’s nothing wrong with a simple selfie from a recent trip or a group photo of your family in matching pajamas.
It often feels like the people who use generative AI for these sorts of things are simply trying too hard. Not all of us have the Photoshop skills to whip up our own card from scratch—and that’s okay! Christmas cards are not meant to be the final exam in graphic design school. There’s no reason to burn through several bottles of water to impress your loved ones with faux creativity.
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Don’t even think about writing a message with AI
Generating images for a Christmas card is lame, but it’s not the worst thing someone could do. Using AI to write messages to friends and family is just sad. There’s nothing personal about it.
I would be personally offended if I found out someone cared so little that they used AI to write me a message. They couldn’t think of anything to say on their own? Somehow, it feels worse than simply signing your name on a store-bought card. At least they wouldn’t be trying to pass it off as their own writing.
No one is expecting a Pulitzer Prize-winning short story detailing the past year. I would rather someone simply say “I hope you have a great 2026!” than generate a soulless recap with AI. Knowing that someone took the time to write something on their own, especially if it’s handwritten, is so much more important than formatting and grammatical errors.
The effort is the point
All of this boils down to one thing that we’ve all been told a million times: It’s the thought that counts. Putting in the effort is what makes the process worthwhile. When you take that away, it’s the same as sending nothing at all. Looking back through months of photos, finding a pretty template, and crafting a heartfelt message is what it’s all about. Even walking down the greeting card aisle and picking out a card requires more thought than using AI.
As corny as it may sound, Christmas is a time of warmth, love, and togetherness for many people. There’s nothing colder and sterile than a card generated with a bot. The fact of the matter is, when it comes to Christmas cards, you are the content that matters. If it doesn’t have your personal touch, it’s not from you, and I don’t want it.
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