Wild Lines' funny and sweet Christmas cards all feature stunning wild animals. There are two main collections: the British wildlife collection, which includes a whole range of popular animals, like the badger and hedgehog, as well as less-known British species like the natterjack toad and great crested newt, and the exotic animal collection, where you will find animals from all over the globe - from the Australian koala to the Andean bear.
The eco-friendly wildlife Christmas cards are designed with a focus on the festive-themed animal; each card is a miniature work of art and, as such, the designs are always free from text. It is the greatest compliment to regularly hear from customers whose card recipients have chosen to frame their cards and display them as part of their holiday decorations year-on-year!
I add new festive card designs to the shop every season so, today, there are tonnes of characterful and fun hand-drawn animal Christmas cards to choose from. To help you choose the perfect holiday cards for family and friends who you know will appreciate the unusual designs (but perhaps don’t have a specific favourite animal that simply must be featured), here’s a list of the top choices.
1. Otter Christmas card
The otter Christmas card has been the stand-out bestseller every year since its launch. The combination of the colourful watercolour snow globe and the sweet hand-drawn otter artwork make for a heartwarming - and completely unusual - holiday card design. If you aren’t sure which animal Christmas card to go for, this is the one most likely to be treasured!
2. Cute owls Christmas card
This cute pair of Christmassy little owls is the longest-standing favourite. In fact, it’s probably the oldest Christmas card in the animal-themed collection. An adorable option for your partner, couples or owl lovers, the cute owls Christmas card is a truly special card that your loved ones will find difficult to pack away after Christmas.
3. Long-eared bat Christmas card
A popular card for wildlife lovers, ecologists and bat enthusiasts, this sweet brown long-eared bat Christmas card (featuring a little bat species native to the UK) brings buckets of festive charm as it peers through the centre of a Christmas wreath. This bat design and the fruit bat Christmas card are both popular every year; customers often mention how unique they are in their product reviews.
4. Hedgehog Christmas card
Arguably the cutest Christmas card in the festive British wildlife card collection, the hedgehog card is often the bestseller at Christmas markets. The sweet design stands out from the display, and who doesn’t love a hedgehog?! It’s hard not to be charmed by a little hedgehog dressed up as an elf for the holidays.
5. Tortoise Christmas card
The funniest of the bunch, the tortoise Christmas card is a not-too-Christmassy card guaranteed to bring a smile to the recipient’s face. The endangered ploughshare tortoise is sporting a pair of dress-up reindeer antlers, like the kind you probably wore once or twice in your childhood! It is a totally charming design that will surprise the recipient when they pull it from its envelope - no robins or holly here!
6. Panda Christmas card
New for 2023, the panda Christmas card has sprung up the Christmas card rankings! The design pops thanks to the big brightly coloured, festively decorated Christmas tree that the panda is clinging to. It is a lovely design with a touch of fun that you simply can’t go wrong with - everybody loves a panda bear.
7. Newt Christmas card
In at number 7, we have a much more niche design (though I’ve been surprised to find that newts have a serious fanbase out there): the newt Christmas card. The great crested newt - a threatened species in the UK - is something of a symbol for garden biodiversity in Britain. It is a beautifully unusual pond animal, and I’m so pleased that people love them enough to want newts on their Christmas cards!
8. Frog Christmas card
Simple but striking, the frog Christmas card is another design that continually makes the bestsellers list. Frog cards are wildly popular, and I like to think this one does well, in part at least, for the surprise element. It’s quite possible that the recipient won’t be expecting a golden bell frog in a little Santa hat on their Christmas card this year.
9. Beaver Christmas card
Another funny addition, the beaver Christmas card is perfect for sending to families. I originally imagined this beaver to be chopping down a Christmas tree to take with him to decorate his home, but have since found that many customers interpret it quite differently - in their eyes, he is a naughty beaver who couldn’t resist the temptation of munching down the community Christmas tree. Either way, it is a delightful card that tells a fun story.
10. Grey seals Christmas card
Last but not least, we have the adorable grey seals Christmas card, featuring two seals - one little, one large - sharing a moment under the mistletoe. The card is perfect for sending to your mother or child, but has proven a popular choice for sending to a partner, too. This card is very sweet and is a lovely option for framing.
Conclusion
And so that concludes the Wild Lines bestselling animal Christmas cards awards! Have I missed any from the list that you would have expected to trump the other designs? Let me know in the comments. I should add that the new lemur design is also creeping up the list - I expect it will make it into the top 10 next year. I hope I’ve helped your Christmas card decision-making - it isn’t easy when there are so many magnificent animals to choose from. If you simply can’t decide, why not take advantage of the multi-buy discounts? You can get a multipack of four animal Christmas cards of your choice for £9.99 or, for even bigger savings, eight cards for £17.99 - both with free UK delivery.