Goth Christmas Cards: Krampus, Victorian and Creepmas by Recipient

The right goth Christmas card depends on how dark the recipient likes their holidays. Vintage-style Krampus cards suit horror and folklore fans, Victorian-style macabre cards suit history lovers, black-and-gold designs suit people with subtle dark taste, and cute bat or black cat creepmas cards are the safe pick for coworkers.

Goth Christmas cards matched to each recipient

Goth Christmas cards work best when the darkness level matches the person opening them.

Vintage-style Krampus cards for horror and folklore fans

Vintage-style Krampus cards copy a real tradition. The Public Domain Review says Krampus cards have been exchanged in Europe since the 1800s, were especially popular in the early 20th century and often carried the caption Gruss vom Krampus, meaning greetings from Krampus. Many show him carrying naughty children away.

That dark joke is exactly what a horror fan wants on the mantel. For a folklore fan, time the card for Krampusnacht, which the South Tyrol tourism board places on December 5, the eve of St. Nicholas Day. Mail it a few days ahead so it arrives before December 5. Our Krampus decorations guide explains who Krampus is and how the cards fit beside figures and ornaments.

Victorian-style macabre cards for history lovers

Victorian-style macabre cards copy or reproduce designs that really were sold in the 1800s. The commercial Christmas card itself began in 1843, when Henry Cole commissioned the artist John Callcott Horsley to design one; the Victoria and Albert Museum says 1,000 were printed and sold for a shilling each.

Strange imagery followed as the market grew. The London Museum, which holds over 800 Christmas cards, says competing makers chased novelty, which produced cards of cats playing banjos, rats and mice, clowns, and flies sitting on a sugar lump. The V&A’s own collection includes dancing Christmas puddings and a lobster snipping at a child.

The best known oddity is the dead bird. Hyperallergic reports that robins and wrens appear lifeless on some Victorian cards, possibly as a call to sympathy, or as a nod to the old Irish custom of hunting a wren or robin on St. Stephen’s Day, December 26.

A history fan will enjoy a card like this with a line inside about where the design came from. Pair it with ideas from our Victorian Christmas tree guide for someone who decorates in period style.

Skull, bat and black cat creepmas cards for friends and coworkers

Skull, bat and black cat creepmas cards cover the widest range of recipients, because the same motifs come in both cute and grim versions. A grinning skull in a Santa hat suits a friend who keeps Halloween decor up into December. A round-eyed bat or a black cat in a scarf suits the office card list.

For coworkers, keep the card spooky-cute and the message ordinary. Our goth gifts guide has matching ideas for a Secret Santa that stays work-friendly.

Black-and-gold Christmas cards for subtle dark style

Black-and-gold Christmas cards suit people who like dark style without skulls or monsters. Gold foil stars, a crescent moon, a plain black tree or a deep velvet-look finish read as elegant to anyone, and as quietly goth to the people who notice.

This is the safest dark choice for in-laws, clients and anyone whose taste you are unsure of. The same palette carries through a home, as our goth Christmas decor guide shows.

Nightmare Before Christmas cards for Jack Skellington fans

Nightmare Before Christmas cards work for fans of the film because the story is already about Halloween meeting Christmas. Look for the studio’s copyright line on the card or box if you want an official licensed design rather than an inspired one. For more of the same world, see our Nightmare Before Christmas decorations guide.

Boxed sets versus single goth Christmas cards

Boxed sets of goth Christmas cards give you many cards in one or a few designs, which suits a long list or a whole office. Single cards usually cost more each and suit the two or three people who should get something chosen just for them.

Black envelopes look striking but can make a handwritten address hard to read. A white or silver address label solves that.

Writing a message inside a goth Christmas card

A goth Christmas card message should match the darkness of the front. A Krampus card can carry a joke, such as a note that the reader made the nice list this year, just barely. A Victorian oddity can explain the design in one line. A coworker card needs only a warm, plain greeting and your name.

Sign it by hand, keep it short, and save the inside jokes for people who will get them.