30 Handmade Christmas Card Ideas to Make for Friends and Family
Show off your DIY skills with these crafty cards.
Looking to get extra crafty with your gift-giving this holiday season? Up the ante with any present you give by including one of these creative DIY Christmas card ideas! No matter if the card contains heartfelt sentiments or a much coveted gift card (or even better, both!), they’ll be all the more delighted by the contents. Which is precisely why we’ve rounded up the sweetest, prettiest, and most creative cards for the 2022 holiday season. Added bonus: Each idea comes with easy-to-follow instructions and step-by-step tutorials so putting them together will be a cinch. Some of these ideas can be whipped up in under 15 minutes, leaving you time to do other things—like baking Christmas cookies or decorating your rustic Christmas tree.
Still, as easy as crafting is, you can be certain that every ounce of extra effort you put into these cards will be appreciated. After all, a hand-drawn Christmas card signals to its reader that you put time (even if it isn't a lot), thought, and care into its creation and it ultimately reminds them just how much you care. Whether it accompanies a sweet-smelling, freshly baked Christmas food gift or dangles off of an equally special homemade ornament, your holiday craft project will certainly get noticed.
And of course, you don't need to DIY every element of your gifts. Even a store-bought Christmas gift for Mom or an inexpensive best friend gift can get upgraded when you tack on a handwritten card. Not sure what to write? Check out our Christmas card message story for over 100 ideas.
Natural Wreath Card
Send greetings from the kids or the whole family by making this photo card with it's natural Spanish moss wreath accent.
To make: Cut a black-and-white photograph of the kids, pets, or the entire family in a circle; glue to the front of a plain card. Attach lengths of Spanish moss around the picture with hot glue to create a wreath. Attach a mini bow to the bottom of the wreath with hot glue. Add a ribbon and rick rack flair to the bottom of the card.
Greetings from Fido
Send love from your furry family member this year with this easy DIY photo card.
To make: Cut a small round hole in the front of a plain greeting card. Glue a picture to the inside of the card so that it is centered in the opening (you can glue a piece of corresponding color paper over the back of the picture to create a clean finish, if desired). Use a light gray watercolor marker to draw a snowy road around the picture. Cut out trees, cars, and truck from holiday-themed wrapping paper and glue to the card. Attach a short length of ribbon and additional wrapping paper decoration just below the picture.
Star-Topped Felt Tree Card
Soft just like the new slippers you got from Santa, this card is made entirely of felt with button ornament accents.
To make: Cut a rectangle from white felt; fold in half to make a card. Cut a tree from green felt and star from yellow felt; glue to the center of the front of the card. Cut letters (you can either freehand them or draw the letters on with a pencil first). Glue letters below the tree. Glue on colorful mini buttons to mimic ornaments.
Bird on a Perch Card
This sweet fella will chirp out a holiday greeting to all of your loved ones this season.
To make: Paint a branch on a plain card with brown craft paint. Tear a bird shape from red tissue paper and glue to the card just above the branch, leaving enough room for legs. Once dry, use a fine point black marker to draw on legs, a wing, an eye, and a beak. Glue a piece of ribbon along the fold edge of the card for extra flair.
Rudolf Sends His Greetings Card
Send a bright red greeting from Rudolf, everyone’s favorite spreader of holiday cheer.
To make: Half a small craft cork. Use a black marker to draw on eyes and eye lashes. Attach a mini red pompom with glue. Glue cork to the front of a plain card. Use a fine tip brown felt marker to draw antlers and add a greeting. Add a ribbon flair to the fold edge of the card.
Cute as a Button Card
Transform the humble button into a festive greeting by using them to decorate the outside of an easy-peasy DIY holiday card.
To make: Glue small buttons in the shape of a wreath or snowman to the outside of a plain card. Loop a mini scarf, trimmed if necessary, under the button body and head of the snowman before attaching buttons; glue down ends of scarf to the card. Attach a hat, made from black felt with glue. Glue a tiny bow made from thin red ribbon to the wreath. Write a seasonal saying, if desired.
Handmade Cards
A sweet alternative to store-bought cards, these greetings put your tree-decorating skills to work—on a small scale.
Send a bright red greeting from Rudolf, everyone’s favorite spreader of holiday cheer.
To make: Download our illustration, and print in color onto 8 1/2- by 11-inch card stock. Fold the stock in half lengthwise, creasing with a bone folder.
For the card at top left, attach small bugle beads and paillettes to the tree (use craft glue for all designs).
To replicate the middle version, cut out ornaments (made by tracing a button), a tree base, and a star from patterned fabrics and adhere.
Make the last card by zigzagging a length of ribbon across the tree. Fold the ends under and glue, then try other widths of ribbon to craft a base, star, and gift. Or use your imagination, and whatever supplies you have on hand, to make your own one-of-a-kind cards.
Christmas Cocoa Gift Card Holder
Say it with hot chocolate (and a gift card)! This adorable gift card holder is simple to make, and it's an easy way to elevate any last-minute gift.
Get the tutorial at Damask Love.
String Art Christmas Card
Got some yarn scraps lying around? Turn them into DIY Christmas cards with a few quick steps, and prepare to impress all your friends.
Get the tutorial at Hello, Wonderful.
Rudolph Christmas Card
Rudolph, the red-nosed...Christmas card! This sweet DIY will delight your friends and your kids—particularly if you let them in on the crafting fun.
Get the tutorial at Easy Peasy and Fun.
Pom-Pom Wreath Card
It doesn't get any more low-maintenance than glueing a circle of pom-poms on to a card! Thankfully, this easy-peasy Christmas card design is still super pretty.
Get the tutorial at The Joy of Sharing.
Washi Tape Card
The simple gift design of this DIY washi tape card takes mere minutes to make, but the effect is still so fun and festive.
Get the tutorial at Team Colors by Carrie.
3D Christmas Tree Card
When a flat design doesn't feel festive enough, give this easy-to-fold 3D paper Christmas tree card a whirl instead.
Get the tutorial at One Little Project.
Fingerprint Lights Card
This colorful Christmas card makes for a fun kid-friendly activity, as each bulb is painted with a fingerprint.
Get the tutorial at The Joy of Sharing.
Stamped Christmas Card
As if DIY-ing your Christmas cards wasn't impressive enough, this one features handmade stamps. That's right: Every single aspect is made by you!
Get the tutorial at Oh Oh Deco.
Photo Garland Christmas Card Idea
Here's a fun, quirky update to the classic family photo Christmas card. Paper doll-esque, cut-out versions of your family members make this version way more fun (and hilarious too).
Get the tutorial at Delia Creates.
Geometric Christmas Card Envelopes
Why limit your creativity to the card itself? Here, a geometric, fold-your-own envelope adds a fun, unexpected flourish to any handmade card.
Get the tutorial at Camille Styles.
Black and Gold Christmas Card
Christmas isn't all about the reds and greens, you know! Here, black and gold take center stage for a look that's as sophisticated as it is fun.
Get the tutorial at Fox and Hazel.
Magic Trick Christmas Card
This Christmas card doubles as a magic trick—a fact that's sure to delight the kids of your family friends. When you pull the line drawing of Santa out of the card, he'll "turn" red and white.
Get the tutorial at Hello, Wonderful.
Cut-Out Ornament Card
Send this beauty to your friends and family, and they can tear out the pre-cut ornament from its center to display on their tree.
Get the tutorial at The Postman's Knock.
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