Kwanzaa card deadlines
When to mail Kwanzaa cards in 2026.
Kwanzaa runs from Saturday, December 26 to Friday, January 1. Order by Thursday, December 10 and your cards will usually arrive before the first day.
Your Kwanzaa dates
First day
Saturday, December 26
Seven days, to January 1
Last day
Friday, January 1
Also New Year’s Day
Order by
Thursday, December 10
For cards before the first day
When to order
| Goal | Order with us by | We mail about | Usually arrives by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cards usually here before the first day (Saturday, December 26) | Thursday, December 10 | Monday, December 14 | Thursday, December 24 |
| Cards usually here by midweek (Tuesday, December 29) | Monday, December 14 | Wednesday, December 16 | Tuesday, December 29 |
| Cards usually here by the last day (Friday, January 1) | Wednesday, December 16 | Friday, December 18 | Friday, January 1 |
We usually mail within a few business days of your order; these dates assume two. A card usually arrives within 8 business days of mailing. Dates are estimates.
Cards for the week of Kwanzaa
Kwanzaa starts the day after Christmas and ends on New Year’s Day, so it falls in the part of December when mail can run slow. Ordering with your Christmas cards, by Thursday, December 10, is the simplest plan. A card that arrives during the seven days still reaches its holiday.
Sending several holiday cards from one list? Put the addresses in one spreadsheet and upload them once.
What the Postal Service says
The Postal Service’s holiday dates are set for delivery before December 25, so they matter most for Christmas. Checked November 10, 2026, for the lower 48 states: First-Class Mail, Thursday, December 17; Ground Advantage, Thursday, December 17; Priority Mail, Friday, December 18; Priority Mail Express, Saturday, December 19. For military addresses (APO/FPO/DPO), it lists First-Class Mail by Wednesday, December 9. The page notes that Hanukkah (December 4 to 12) falls early this year, and that actual delivery may vary.
Those are dates to hand your mail to the Postal Service, not dates to place an order with us. The page does not list cards separately, so we read the First-Class Mail line as the one that applies to cards. Source: usps.com/holiday/holiday-shipping-dates.htm.
Kwanzaa timing, answered.
When is Kwanzaa in 2026?
Kwanzaa starts Saturday, December 26 and ends Friday, January 1.
When should I mail Kwanzaa cards in 2026?
To usually arrive before the first day, order by Thursday, December 10. A card that arrives later in the week is still on time, and an order placed by Wednesday, December 16 usually arrives by the last day. These are estimates, not promises.
Is it okay to mail a Kwanzaa card after Kwanzaa starts?
Yes. The holiday lasts seven days, so a card that arrives during any of them is welcome.
Does the mail run on Christmas Day and New Year's Day?
No. The Postal Service observes Christmas Day (Friday, December 25) and New Year's Day (Friday, January 1), so we leave those days out of our business-day count.
Pick a design, add your list, and we take it from there.
Printed with each name and address, postage included.
Design your holiday cardPostage included. 4x6 cards from $2, or $1.50 each from 50 cards. 6x9 from $3. Sales tax where it applies.
Send to your whole listBrowse all holiday designsTrack an orderQuestions