9 Handmade Christmas Cards Ideas to Spread Holiday Cheer This Year

This post is going to give you handmade Christmas cards ideas to add to any of your holiday gifts this year.

While creating a Christmas card through sites like Minted or Shutterfly to send out to all of your friends and family is awesome, it can also be a thoughtful touch to make handmade holiday cards for those you are really close to. This post is going to give you 9 handmade Christmas cards ideas to add to any of your holiday gifts this year.

Whether you recreate these designs or use them as inspiration, this post will help you create one of a kind Christmas cards for those who mean a lot to you. Making a card by hand really shows you care and adds a more personal touch then just buying a card at a store.

What supplies do you need to make these handmade Christmas cards ideas?

You don’t need a lot of expensive craft supplies to make these cards. Here is all you need for most of the holiday card designs in this post:

  • Cardstock paper (Plain holiday colors, festive patterns, etc.)
  • Scissors
  • Hot glue or other adhesive
  • Stickers (Letters, jewels, etc.)

Pro tip: If you are making several handmade Christmas cards for friends and family, it can really help to buy a holiday themed paper set, like this one.

9 Handmade Christmas cards ideas to spread holiday cheer this year…

Let’s get into all of the DIY holiday card designs you can make this year!

1. ‘Tis the Season for Ugly Sweaters

This card is perfect to bring to an ugly sweater Christmas party or as an addition to a Christmas gift this year. You can make this card by cutting out a sweater shape from a patterned piece of paper and using letter stickers to spell out the message. Adding a hanger to the sweater is an extra touch that makes it even more special.

2. Classic red Merry Christmas design

This card has a classic Christmas vibe that is perfect for any holiday gift. You can really personalize the design by using two different types of letter stickers and adding rhinestones to give the snowflake paper extra sparkle. And to make this card extra fun, it is larger than your typical card (12 inches x 6 inches).

3. The Santa hat

For a fun twist on a holiday card, make the card itself a Santa hat! Using white paper that has some shine to it will elevate the design.

4. The weather outside is frightful…with glittery snowflakes!

This card is for the recipient who loves all things sparkly. This handmade Christmas card idea uses glitter cardstock as the base, and then lots of applique snowflakes layered on top of each other.

5. Buffalo print x2

This handmade Christmas card idea uses two different colors of buffalo print for a fun holiday design.

Top tip: When mixing two patterns on a card, it always looks best when you either choose two different patterns in the same color scheme, or the same pattern in different colors.

6. A beautiful Christmas scene

This handmade Christmas card idea showcases a holiday cardstock with a really fun illustration of a Christmas scene. To give it some extra sparkle, use glitter letter stickers to showcase your holiday message.

7. Some plaid for your Dad

This classic Christmas printed plaid in festive colors is a great card base. And this doesn’t just need to be for your dad, you can customize it for any family member or name you want!

8. Winter wonderland

This handmade Christmas card idea is a beautiful design for any of your loved ones. Mixing patterns and textures like this but keeping it in the same color family allows you to create a unique design without any of the elements clashing too much.

9. A simple and rustic holiday card

This simple handmade holiday card design is perfect for anyone who has a rustic style. And this card is so simple to make – all you need is some cardstock paper and some ribbon!

Those are the 9 handmade Christmas card ideas to create for your loved ones this year.

Whether you are a long-time crafter or a beginner, these handmade designs are simple to make and will really show your loved ones how much you care. Use these designs as a template or as an inspiration to your own design.

Short on time? Print out your own cards at home.

If you are short on time and can’t make all of your cards by hand, printable Christmas cards can be a great alternative. Check out our printable Christmas card designs on Etsy to print out cards in minutes!

Comment below if you try out any of these card designs and let us know how they turn out!