Every December, my husband and I do the unthinkable: we array our cat McQueen in holiday attire and take photos of her for our annual Christmas card. And as much as she frowns (and believe me, cats can indeed frown), she’s always eager to see us set up the lights and paper backdrop. Talk about a Christmas ham.
For those of you who don’t have a cooperative pet willing to pose for pictures, here are 4 places to buy weird holiday cards to send to all your friends and relatives. Whether they thank you or ask “Huh?”, you’ll all be smiling long into the New Year.
Edward Gorey Cards
Back before I had an adorable–and might I add photogenic–cat, I relied on Edward Gorey’s macabre illustrations to help me spread holiday cheer. With bemused and befuddled characters as well as a litany of felines of his own, Gorey often explored winter themes if only to heighten the morbid juxtaposition in his artwork. This year’s offerings from the official Gorey Store include a suspicious-looking Santa, families in tenuous holiday revelry, and of course, children in comical peril a la Gorey’s infamous Gashleycrumb Tinies. Disturbing? Maybe. One-of-a-kind? You bet.
CachedeStache
Perhaps you’re a devoted art lover, but Gorey’s stuff is just a little modern for you. In that case, consider purchasing this humorous Van Gogh card on Etsy. An off-color reference to the artist’s proverbial self-mutilation, this one is sure to unsettle that austere great aunt of yours. And a Happy New Ear indeed.
Paper Source
Paper Source knows how to toe the line between mainstream and weird. Interspersed with traditional holiday fare, you’ll find cards that pay homage to gnomes, ugly sweaters, and so-called “quirky candy canes”. Having already purchased the dog driving a Christmas tree-burdened car, I can personally attest the quality at Paper Source is great and more importantly, the offbeat humor has no bounds.
BeanDoll
Maybe you’ve already had it with all this winter cheer. In that case, check out this design dubbed the “Sarcastic Christmas Card”. Featuring a figure that could be straight out of a Tim Burton film, the handmade piece (also from Etsy) balances the December festivities with a sardonic dose of levity. And who couldn’t use that this time of year?
Happy haunting!