’80s Christmas cards with cute characters from TV & comic strips

Before digital greetings and social media distribution took over, a mailbox full of holiday cards was one of the highlights of December. And if you were a kid (or just a kid at heart) in the 1980s, chances are a few of those envelopes held something even more exciting than the usual glitter and pine trees: Christmas cards starring your favorite cartoon characters.

The 80s were big on branded character merchandise, and holiday cards were no exception. Companies like Hallmark and American Greetings knew exactly what tugged at kids’ hearts — and what made parents reach for their wallets. Familiar faces from Saturday morning TV and Sunday comics popped up in snow-covered scenes, wrapped in scarves, stringing lights or delivering heartfelt cheer.

Below, we’ve gathered a colorful collection of these original 80s Christmas cards featuring characters like the Muppets, the Care Bears, Holly Hobbie, Garfield and more. Scroll through the gallery to revisit the artwork and humor that made holiday mail a whole lot merrier.