Christmas Gifts for Athletes
Every athlete already owns the gear. Almost none of them own a real trading card of themselves. Make one from a photo you already have, and it arrives as a printed card in a display case.
Design it in your browser first. No account needed to start, and nothing to pay until you order.
Who it is for
Anyone who plays, coached, or used to play - youth leagues through college, and adults who still talk about their season.
What it costs
$17.99 for one card, $49.99 for the poster-sized MEGA
When to give it
Christmas, and it does double duty as a senior-night, end-of-season or signing-day gift.
Why this beats another duffel bag
The problem with buying for an athlete is that the obvious gifts are consumable. Bats, cleats, gloves, compression gear - all of it is replaced within a season or two, and the person buying knows it while they are buying it. That is why the sports-gift aisle feels like a shrug.
A card of the player is the opposite kind of object. It is small, it costs less than most of the gear, and it is the only thing on the list that could not have been bought for anyone else. Kids put it on a shelf. Parents put it on a desk. Grandparents, reliably, put it on the fridge and then ask for one of their own.
It also solves the harder Christmas problem: buying for a teenager. A 15-year-old is impossible to shop for because they have opinions about everything except the one thing they cannot get - a professional-looking card with their own name on it.
Getting it there in time
Gift buyers are buying a date as much as a thing. Here is exactly what happens after you order, with no estimate we cannot stand behind.
Production
Cards go into production the same day you order and ship on the next business day.
Expedited
Priority and Overnight orders placed before the same-day cut-off on a business day ship that same day. The exact cut-off time is shown at checkout.
In transit
Delivery time on top of that depends on the carrier and the destination, and you see the carrier estimate before you pay.
Shipping cost
Free US standard shipping on orders $30+ — $5.00 flat under that. A Rookie Box of 5 cards is $31.99, which clears the bar on its own.
Order by December 16 for Christmas delivery
Cards go into production the same day you order and ship on the next business day. Delivery time on top of that depends on the carrier and the destination, and you see the carrier estimate before you pay.
What a Christmas card gift costs
Every option below is the same card design; what changes is how it is presented and how many you get. Free US standard shipping on orders $30+ — $5.00 flat under that.
$17.99
One card
A single custom card in a magnetic display case. The stocking-stuffer size of this gift, and the one most people start with.
$31.99
A 5-card box
5 cards in one box, so the player keeps one and hands the rest to grandparents, coaches and teammates. This is the first tier that clears the free US shipping bar on its own.
$39.99
The Slab
One card sealed in a graded-style slab with its own label. Reads as a trophy rather than a card, which is why it does well as a season-ending or senior-night gift.
$49.99
MEGA poster card
The same design blown up to 11 x 15.4 inches on card stock. It is a wall piece, and it is the version that gets an audible reaction when it is opened.
Free US shipping over $30. Made in Des Moines, Iowa.
How you make one
Upload a photo
Any photo of the athlete from your phone works. We cut the background out automatically, so a busy sideline shot is fine.
Pick a template
Choose a card design, then set the name, number, position and stats. You are looking at the finished card the whole time, not a mock-up.
Order the print
Cards go into production the same day you order and ship on the next business day. Delivery time on top of that depends on the carrier and the destination, and you see the carrier estimate before you pay.
Christmas gift guides by sport
If you know the sport but not the gift, start here. Each guide covers what players in that sport actually want, and where a custom card fits.
Guides by who you are buying for
Coaches, team parents, grandparents and the whole roster each want a different thing out of the same season.
More Christmas and holiday guides
Questions gift buyers ask
What do you get an athlete for Christmas who already has all the gear?
Gear wears out and gets replaced; a card of them does not. A custom trading card puts the athlete on the front of a real, professionally printed card with their own photo, name, number and stats. It is the one sports gift that cannot be bought off a shelf, because it does not exist until you make it.
How far ahead of Christmas do I need to order?
Cards go into production the same day you order and ship on the next business day. Delivery time on top of that depends on the carrier and the destination, and you see the carrier estimate before you pay. We have not published a Christmas order-by date, so order early and choose an expedited service at checkout if the date is tight.
Do I need an account to make one?
No. You can design the whole card in your browser without signing up, and you only create an account when you order. That matters at Christmas, when the person buying is often not the person who will use the site again.
What photo do I need?
A photo from your phone is enough. We remove the background automatically, so a crowded sideline or gym shot works. The photo the parent already has in their camera roll is almost always the right one.
Is this a good gift for someone who does not play any more?
Often it is the better version of the gift. A card made from an old team photo lands differently than one made from last weekend, because the person receiving it has not seen that image treated seriously before. Senior-night and retirement cards are among the most-ordered.
Can I order more than one card of the same design?
Yes, and for a Christmas gift most people do. Grandparents, coaches and teammates all want a copy, so a box of several cards of one design costs far less per card than buying singles. One card is $17.99; the poster-sized MEGA version is $49.99.
How much is shipping?
Free US standard shipping on orders $30+ — $5.00 flat under that. International and expedited services are quoted live against your address at checkout, so you see the real number before you pay rather than a flat estimate.
Put them on the front of a card this Christmas.
Upload a photo, pick a design, and see the finished card before you spend anything.
Start their cardFree to design. Free US shipping over $30.