iQ Cards Christmas 2026: New Products, Earlybird Dates and Everything You Need to Know

Another Year, Another Reason to Sign Up Early

The start of a new school year brings a familiar question for Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) – what are we doing for the Christmas fundraiser? Schools that have run iQ Cards before usually do come back the following year. (Yay!) For those who haven’t, or who are reviewing what they did last year, September is the right time to make a decision, because the earlier that designs are returned to us, the higher the funding payback.

If you register now and return your designs by the Earlybird deadline, your school can earn up to 25p extra per item ordered. It’s one of the easiest ways to increase what the project raises without any additional effort from parents or organisers.

In our Christmas 2025 campaign, 964 schools took part, raising over £180,000. We produced 916,000 Christmas cards as well as almost 150,000 gift items.

What’s New for 2026

The core range remains, with the same ordering process and easy online payment system that removes the need for schools to collect cash.

•  Christmas cards

•  Keyrings

•  Fridge magnets

•  Mugs

•  Coasters

•  Tea towels

•  Postcards

Notebooks

Sticky gift labels

And … two new products join the range this year!

Bookmarks

A practical keepsake that suits younger pupils and makes an easy add-on for families to include in their order. Children’s artwork is printed directly onto the bookmark, keeping the quality that makes iQ Cards products popular with kids, parents and grandparents alike.

A4 Art Prints

For families who want something bigger, A4 art prints give children’s designs more room. Printed on quality paper, they work on their own or in addition to other products in the range.

Alongside the new products, new value packs will be available, giving parents the option to order a combination of items at a lower price, useful where price really matters to families.

As well as the Christmas range, iQ Cards also offers year-round fundraising options including a tea towel fundraiser and both hoodies and leavers’ autograph books for Year 6. Visit our website or get in touch for more details.

How It Works

For those new to iQ Cards, the process is fully online and designed around the people running the initiative.

1. Schools register here and receive a free design pack in September.
2. Children create their artwork in class (designs don’t need to be Christmas-themed). The activity fits well into an art lesson.
3. Schools return the completed designs to us, we scan and process them, and printed order forms with unique codes go back to school for parents.
4. Parents order and pay directly online.
5. Orders are packed and despatched back to school, sorted by year and class.
6. Funding is paid in the new year. There is no cash to collect, no stock to hold and the school handles none of the fulfilment.

For more details on how the project works from start to finish, our previous iQ Cards blog covers everything schools need to know before getting started.

The Earlybird Opportunity

Schools that return designs early receive up to 25p extra per item – across a school selling several hundred items, that really adds up. Design packs go out in September. Getting artwork done in the first few weeks of term and returning it promptly *qualifies the school for the Earlybird rates. PTAs who have run the project before tend to plan it from the start of term.

Here are all the dates so you can take full advantage of the offers:

Standard funding – for designs returned to us after 3^rd October

Extra 10p funding – designs back by 2^nd October

Extra 20p funding – designs back by 25^th September

Extra 25p funding – designs back by 18^th September

Sustainability in 2026

The environmental commitments that have been part of iQ Cards for many years will continue through 2026 and beyond. Paper comes from responsibly managed forests, with carbon offset through Carbon Balanced Paper in partnership with the World Land Trust. In 2025, iQ Cards offset 11,765 kilograms of CO₂ and helped protect 2,247 square metres of critically threatened tropical forest.

A tree will be planted for every school that takes part in 2026 through our Switch2Zero partnership, and for every future year the school continues to participate. The Love Paper logo will again appear on the back of printed cards, as part of the campaign promoting responsible paper use and sustainable sourcing.

This year, we are making arrangements and finalising options to have all products packed either in cardboard or compostable materials, sealed with iQ Cards branded paper tape – taking another step away from single-use plastic in the fulfilment process.

What Schools Say

“We had a great experience with iQ Cards. Communication was clear and professional throughout and any issues we had were dealt with quickly and efficiently. Even with some late submissions on our part, everything was handled smoothly and the final Christmas cards looked absolutely amazing. We’re really pleased with the quality and service and would definitely recommend them.”

– Google Review

Register Now

Numbers are limited, so if your school or PTA is planning to take part in Christmas 2026, the best time to register is now.

The team is happy to answer any questions before you sign up. Get in touch and we will take it from there.