Corporate Christmas cards that clients actually keep

Every December, the post room at every office in Britain fills up with the same card. A logo, a snowflake, "Season's Greetings from all at", and a signature nobody can read. It gets opened, glanced at and put in the recycling by lunchtime.

If you're sending Christmas cards for a business, you're spending money to be remembered. So send something worth remembering. I'm Luis, a pop artist with a stall in Covent Garden, and here's why companies are switching to art cards, and how to buy them in bulk without the hassle.

Why businesses still send Christmas cards

Email is free, so why post a card at all? Because a card is physical. It sits on a desk, on a reception counter, on a mantelpiece, for weeks. It's a tiny advert for your relationship, and it says "we took the time". In a month when every inbox is full of discount codes, a real card stands out.

The catch: it only works if the card is good enough to keep.

Why art cards beat logo cards

• People keep art. A card with a real painting on it gets propped up, pinned to a board and sometimes framed. A logo card goes in the bin.
• It shows taste. Choosing an independent artist over a printing catalogue says something about how your company does things.
• It supports a small business. Your clients notice that, especially local ones.
• It starts a conversation. "Where did you get these cards?" is a better opener than any sales email.

Which pack for which list?

The gold embossed pack is your client card. Four A6 postcards covered in my splashes of pink, red, green and gold, with Merry Christmas embossed in shining gold on the front and the back. Festive, colourful and completely safe for the finance director.

The vulgar pack is for the team. Merry Fucking Christmas and Fuck It's Christmas Again, hand-lettered in my big painted style. Perfect for the colleagues who survived the year with you. Hand them over in person, never through the post room.

Every card comes with a red or green envelope.

How many cards do you need?

UK delivery is £1.75 a pack and free once your order passes £80, which is seven packs. Ordering a lot more than that? WhatsApp Luis or email info@luisalvarezarts.com to talk through quantities and timing.

When to order

Order by 18 December for UK Christmas delivery, and by 10 December for international. I post every order within 3 days. But if you're writing 40 cards by hand, you'll want them well before that. Late November or the first week of December gives your team time to write, sign and post them.

Writing business Christmas cards that don't sound like a robot

1. Handwrite at least one line. A printed signature says nothing. "Thanks for a brilliant year on the Henderson project" says everything.
2. Name something specific. A project, a launch, a lunch. Specific beats generic every time.
3. Keep it short. Two or three lines is plenty.
4. Sign with a real name, not just the company.
5. Skip the sales pitch. A Christmas card is not the place for next year's price list.

Need wording ideas? See funny Christmas card ideas and what to write inside.

Add a gift for your best clients

For your top clients or a team that went above and beyond, pair the card with something to keep: an art print (£20), a notebook (£12) or a tote bag (£25). Ideas in Christmas gifts for colleagues and clients.

The Best Is Yet to Come is the perfect client print for the new year. The Random Crap Notebook is the honest desk gift every office needs.

Why buy from an independent artist?

Buying business cards from an independent artist means your money goes to a real person, not a print factory. It's a small, visible way for a company to support local creative work, and it shows in the card itself. Every design started as something I painted by hand at my stall in Covent Garden.

See the full range on the corporate Christmas cards page, both packs on funny Christmas cards, and every gift in the Christmas gifts collection.

Corporate Christmas card questions