When it comes to expressing heartfelt Christmas wishes, nothing beats a handmade card. DIY Christmas cards bring a personal touch that store-bought and Canva-generated ones just can't match. It's an unexpected way to show the people in your life how much they mean to you during the most wonderful time of the year.
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Plus, making them is fun! Especially if you do it while listening to Christmas songs and sipping on hot cocoa.
DIY-ing your own holiday cards is a great tradition for kids, adults, and seniors alike. And you don't have to have a background in arts and crafts to whip up something beautiful. So long as you have a decent tutorial and the necessary supplies—along with a tablecloth you don't mind getting glue and paint on—you're good to go. Even if it's a little messy or ripe with imperfections, the effort and thought put into creating these cards make them all the more special for whoever they're addressed to.
From hand-stitched reindeer to holiday lights made out of fingerprints (yep, you read that correctly), the internet is ripe with inspiration for DIY Christmas cards. To help narrow down your options, we've compiled a list of 15 ideas that anyone can recreate.
These simple but effective designs will surely bring a smile to your loved ones' faces and make them feel extra cherished this holiday season.
Vintage Ornaments
Credit: The Wonder Forest
Painting a trio of vintage-style ornaments is a lot easier than you'd like, thanks to The Wonder Forest. You'll need to break out your paints for this one, but the results are worth the effort.
Greenery Wreath
Credit: Earnest Home Co.
Looking to get a little three-dimensional? Earnest Home Co. has laid out a super-simple technique for creating a minimalistic wreath out of twigs and leaves from your backyard. It's so simple, yet so cute!
Paper Christmas Tree
Credit: Easy Paper Crafts
Anyone can try their hand at drawing a Christmas tree. But with this step-by-step design from Easy Paper Crafts, you don't have to worry about getting those branches just right. This alternative to the traditional card is perfect for those who love a little bit of quirkiness.
Washi Tape
Credit: The Full Neste
Another super-easy way to recreate that classic Christmas symbol is via Washi tape. Using a variety of different colors and textures—we love the all-gold look from The Full Nester—you can DIY a tree that's as unique as the person you're sending it to.
Hand Reindeers
Credit: Simple Everyday Mom
You know those adorable hand-shaped turkeys kids make in school for Thanksgiving? Well, these hand-shaped reindeer are the Christmas version of those! Simple Everyday Mom has a quick and easy tutorial that's perfect for getting the kids involved in card-making.
Abstract Tree
Credit: Kwerner Design
If you want to aim for a design that looks like it could have been bought in a store, then try your hand at this watercolor card by Kwerner Design. It's simple to make, and the end product is a little masterpiece!
Falala Falala
Credit: Kwerner Design
Another winning DIY from Kwerner Design, this typography-style card is perfect for the modern recipient. It's bold and bright and will surely stand out among all the other cards on display.
Q-Tip Wreath
Credit: Pysselbolget
This card idea from Pysselbolget involves a simple home item that almost everyone has in stock: Q-tips. By securing a bunch of them around a toilet paper roll, you can create an effortless wreath design that kids will love to make
Watercolor Tree
Credit: Watercolor Affair
Embrace your inner artist by trying your hand at a watercolor Christmas tree. Watercolor Affair breaks down how to achieve different textures and color schemes for a truly unique card.
Leaf Print
Credit: Stay at Home Life
Forage your backyard for a perfectly shaped Christmas tree leaf, then dip it in paint and use it as a stamp on your card. Stay at Home Life has an easy-to-follow guide that will result in a stunningly simple design.
Stitched Reindeer
Credit: Family Chic
How adorable is this stitched reindeer card from Family Chic? You'll only need a few different colors of string or yard to create your own version, and it's much easier than you'd expect.
Button Ornaments
Credit: Homestead Herbs & Healing
Whimsical, homey, and vintage, this button ornament card idea from Homestead Herbs & Healing is equal parts fun and easy. You'll need a small twig from a pine tree, some festive buttons, and glue to make the magic happen.
Fingerprint Lights
Credit: Crafty Morning
Add a personal touch to your cards by using your—or your kids'—fingerprints to create little strings of Christmas lights. Crafty Morning has an adorable example that will surely warm the hearts of anyone who receives it.
Pipe Cleaner Tree
Credit: Crafty Morning
Another great DIY from Crafty Morning, this one involves creating adorable little pipe cleaner trees that add a little dimension (and faux greenery) to your card. Don't forget to add a tree topper for an extra bit of sparkle.
Paint Chip Forest
Credit: Beauty & The Beard
And finally, this simple card from Beauty and The Beard asks you to hit the paint aisle at your local hardware store. Grab a handful of paint chips in shades of green to create a minimalist forest scene that looks chic, modern, and oh-so-festive.
