Sending Christmas cards and Christmas photo cards is a simple yet beautiful way to let family and friends know you’re thinking of them during the holiday season. And finding inspiration for this year’s holiday cards doesn’t have to be stressful or time-consuming. To make your holiday season simpler, we’ve put together a list of our favorite unique and funny Christmas card ideas that will be mailbox-ready in no time.
So go ahead and get your Christmas cards one step closer to being done. Review our Christmas photo ideas below and set up a fun-filled day with your partner or family (and camera, of course!). Once you have your vision in mind, create a personalized design with our beautiful Christmas card collection.
1. Sibling Love
Let the kids take center stage on this year’s holiday card. Pair up siblings in a natural setting so they can interact in their normal fashion, whether that’s laughing together, acting goofy or showing each other love.
2. Design an Ornament Card
Give a truly lasting gift this year by designing an ornament as your holiday card. Use a cheerful, timeless photo, like this one of a precious newborn, so family and friends are eager to hang it on their Christmas tree for years to come.
3. Grab Your Santa Hats
Santa hats make for extra merry Christmas photo props. Get some for the kids or the whole family. Bring out the color from the hats by choosing a card design that offers a splash of red.
4. Make Your Child the Center
Demonstrate the love you have for your kids by arranging them to be at the center of your family photos. When you snap your photographs, head outside for the beauty of natural lighting and outdoor elements.
5. Go Candid
Family and friends enjoy seeing the real side of life. Capture a truly candid moment for this year’s Christmas card. Don’t be afraid to share a photo that’s goofy or fun, especially if it represents you and your family. These photos often make for great creative personalized Christmas cards.
6. Piggyback
Looking for adorable Christmas card ideas? Have your children ride piggyback in your photos, either inside your home or out on an adventure. The closeness sets an intimate family scene and offers a playful, upbeat side to your photos.
7. Dog Photo Shoot
Make your dog the VIP of this year’s family photoshoot. Add some holiday flair by dressing your dog in festive wear. Then, tie it all together with a message that rings true, like this Happy Pawlidays Christmas card.
8. Coordinating Outfits
You can’t go wrong with a timeless approach of coordinating outfits for your family Christmas photo shoot. And no, that doesn’t mean everyone matches. Choose colors that complement each other and don’t be afraid of signature accents like red and green for your luxury Christmas cards.
9. Taste the Season
The kitchen has long been a place of love and gathering. Accomplish two things at once: making Christmas treats and taking Christmas photos. Your cards will be filled with plenty of cheer.
10. Snuggle Up
Cozy up this Christmas and let your Christmas photo cards burst with love. Set the stage for you to be close with family, like in a living room, bedroom or on a porch swing.
11. Share Your Joy
Have a bundle of joy you’re thankful for this Christmas? Whether it’s a new addition to your family or special memories from the year, share a favorite moment with your family and friends.
12. Family Night
What does a typical night look like in your home? Share how your family spends time together, by capturing a natural moment, like reading books at night, playing board games or enjoying storytime by the fire.
13. Take a Holiday Hike
Spend a Saturday out on the trails and turn your photographs into creative nature Christmas cards and outdoor-themed holiday cards. Hike in an area with a beautiful backdrop like a lake, field, river or mountains and create a more green and elegant feeling Christmas card.
14. Use a Photo from Summer
Beautiful Christmas pictures don’t have to be taken in the wintertime. Choose a favorite shot from the summertime to share with your family and friends. Whether the photo is from a vacation, a camping adventure or just playing outside together, highlight a special moment on this year’s holiday cards. That special moment could be your first time snorkeling, which would make a perfect nautical Christmas card.
15. Be Sporty
Do your kids have a sporty side? Snag a photo of them with their equipment, whether it’s basketball, soccer or hockey. This type of holiday card lets your family and friends see a true view of your everyday life (plus you don’t have to set up a separate photoshoot!).
16. Introduce a New (Furry) Family Member
Show off the newest and furriest member of the family in their first official family Christmas card. It’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, and it looks great on any Christmas card display. Pro Tip: If you’re having trouble keeping Fido still for the photo, try encouraging obedience with a few treats.
17. Our First Christmas Together
You’ve recently said “I Do” and you’re still loving all those beautiful wedding photos. Include a favorite photo or two in your Christmas card to remind friends and family of your love-filled year.
18. Framed in Gold
This beautiful Christmas card idea helps you focus on what’s important: your family. Whether it’s your favorite photo of your little ones or a sweet picture of the entire family, a gold foil frame will help bring your card to life.
19. Scalloped Edges
Adding scalloped edges to your Christmas cards help give them a unique and visually interesting style. Additional cut styles include brackets, ticket style, and rounded edges. Each of these options is typically available for most card designs.
20. Personalized Foil
The personalized foil helps your family’s Merry Christmas wishes stand out from the rest. Use personalized foil for your family’s names, your Christmas greeting, or both. This special touch guarantees that your loved ones will want to display your card as soon as they receive it. They may even want to use your holiday card to add cheer to their Christmas fireplace decor.
21. Winter Portraits
Do you have young children in your family? If so, it’s a good idea to include portraits of the kids in your Christmas cards to friends and family. These photos help loved ones who aren’t able to visit often see how the kids are growing up, and they look great on anyone’s fridge.
22. Cozy Seasons Greeting
Get cozy with the whole family for this cute Christmas card idea. Include a mix of family photos, portraits of the kids, and warm Christmas patterns. And most importantly, include a sweet season greeting for all your loved ones.
23. Embarrassing Outfits
Creating the perfect funny family Christmas cards can be as simple as having the whole family get dressed up in fun and festive matching attire.
24. Family Snowflake
If you have a large family, you’re looking for Christmas picture ideas that include everyone. Create a family snowflake by having your family members lay on the ground with their heads in the center, forming a circle. Then, have each person make the motion of making a snow angel and together you’ll form a snowflake shape.
25. Tangled Up in Lights
Trimming the tree is a classic Christmas tradition. Give this holiday pastime a silly spin by getting the family tangled up in lights. Tie up the kids or the whole family near the Christmas tree to stage the photo for these funny Christmas cards.
26. Nestled All Snug in their Beds
Some of the best Christmas picture ideas can come from silly Christmas card sayings. Stage a photo of your family nestled all snug in their beds with everyone in their pajamas tucked under the covers.
27. Ugly Christmas Sweaters
For classic yet funny Christmas cards, start by looking in your closet–everyone’s got an over the top Christmas sweater tucked away on a shelf. Have each family member grab theirs for the perfect Christmas card photo. Christmas photo booth frames make a great addition for a festive finishing touch.
28. Don’t Get Wrapped Up in the Holidays
With a clever Christmas card saying, you can take almost any photo and create funny Christmas cards. Simply bundle up and wrap yourselves in cozy sweaters and scarves and add the caption, “don’t get wrapped up in the holidays”.
29. Gingerbread Cookie Family
You don’t have to stage an elaborate family photo to compose funny Christmas cards. Instead, have family members decorate a gingerbread house or cookie in their own likeness and take a gingerbread family portrait.
30. Naughty and Nice
Funny Christmas cards are the most amusing when your family members’ silly personalities get to shine through. Create your next holiday card using the naughty and nice theme and letting your family members’ mischievous side run wild.
31. Photo Booth Style Using Festive Props
A photo booth with props is an instant way to inspire a one-of-a-kind picture. For funny Christmas cards that are sure to be a hit, use festive props to create your own holiday photo booth.
32. Dress in Recycled Christmas Boxes
Repurpose a cardboard box to create a Christmas package your child can wear. Use wrapping paper, ribbon and bows to decorate the box like a Christmas present, and let your child be the wonderful gift inside.
33. Little Tree on a Kids Car
If you’re a parent of a young child or children, you need Christmas picture ideas that are fun and festive without being overly complicated. Take your child’s toy car and a small Christmas tree to recreate a miniature version of a family coming home from the tree farm. If you have a newborn, try dressing them in a fun outfit and turning your holiday photo into a Christmas baby announcement card.
34. Holiday Lumberjacks
Christmas card ideas that encompass a classic element of the season are both fun and festive. Have the whole family dress in traditional plaid and pose in front of the Christmas tree.
35. What We’re Dreaming of this Christmas
Using witty wording on your funny Christmas cards is the perfect way to make a typical Christmas photo more entertaining. Take one of your favorite holiday pictures and simply add a thought bubble to share what you’re dreaming of this Christmas.
36. Christmas Past
There’s nothing more entertaining than a family picture from Christmas past. Choose one of your family’s most memorable Christmas photos and recreate it with similar Christmas outfits, setup, placement of family members and even silly expressions.
37. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Sharing the love during the holiday season always makes for a fun family photo. Whether you’re kissing under the mistletoe or cuddling up near the trimmed tree, you can never go wrong with an affectionate family picture.
38. Rockin Around the Christmas Tree
Sometimes all you need to create a funny photo is the right Christmas card wording. Use a classic song, like “Rockin Around the Christmas Tree”, to inspire you. Take a picture of family members playing instruments around the Christmas tree and caption the photo with the song title.
39. All Lit Up Like a Christmas Tree
The right Christmas card wording can help you turn a simple photo into a funny family Christmas card. Use a classic Christmas song lyric, like “all lit up like a Christmas tree”, to inspire you. Wrap your child in lights or give them a silly pair of Christmas tree glasses to wear.
40. Cookies for Santa Gone Wrong
As you’re brainstorming Christmas picture ideas this season, give your friends and family a good laugh by staging a “Cookies for Santa” gone wrong photo. Have the whole family let loose and make a mess in the kitchen covering each other in flour, sprinkles or other ingredients.
41. Gone Tree Hunting
Take the kids to the local tree farm for a picture-perfect Christmas card photo shoot. Let the kids take turns cutting down the tree or get close together next to your favorite Christmas pine. Just make sure everyone is dressed warm enough for the trip or this silly photoshoot can quickly turn sour.
42. Show Off Those Yearbook Photos
Many kids don’t always love their annual yearbook photos, but parents and grandparents often can’t get enough of them. Include the photos in your Christmas card for a fun and sweet reminder of just how quickly the little ones grow up.
Resources Related to Christmas Card Ideas
Coming up with silly Christmas card ideas shouldn’t require a lot of hard work or a big budget. You can create an entertaining and one-of-a-kind card this season with a little creativity and your favorite family photos.
Once you’ve decided on a holiday card idea, you can pair your design with inspirational holiday wishes to complete your card.
