13 Christmas and holiday card design trends we love for 2024
If you’re the type of person whose stockings are already hung by the chimney with care, it’s only natural that you’d give equal attention to the graphic design of your holiday or Christmas cards. As a team of creative types, we can relate. Each year, while Santa is making his list and checking it twice, our design team makes its own list of holiday card inspirations. After all, they know a thing or two about graphic design trends.
So, what can you expect from our newest class of holiday cards? Creative Director Cat Chi describes our 2024 holiday card collection as “both a celebration and a reinterpretation of traditional holiday décor. Our designs embrace optimism and a cheeky holiday spirit with unconventional color schemes, witty hand lettering, and lush greenery.”
No matter what you’re searching for, Cat’s team has created something we know you’ll love. Discover the top 13 Christmas graphic design trends of 2024, and hear from our talented team of designers on their inspirations for our most-talked-about online Cards of the season.
Table of Contents
1. Gold foil
Burl Ives was spot on when he sang “Silver and gold, everyone wishes for silver and gold” in the holiday claymation classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Nothing makes our spirits brighter than a metallic sheen on everything we see at Christmastime, from our tree decorations to our holiday cards. That’s why this year’s gold foil trend fills us with warm memories of Christmas cheer.
Senior Designer Taryn Smith found inspiration this year in the elegance of antique book covers as well as the lush foliage of the holiday season. On her process for creating “Gold Greenery,” she explains, “I was inspired by the abundance of greenery during the holiday season. Even though winter brings a different kind of richness, I loved the look of vintage gilded book covers and the detailed ornaments from the early 1900s. I combined these elements with winter berries and greenery to create a festive gold-bordered design that captures the spirit of the season.” To browse more of the gold foil trend, seek out holiday cards like “Gold Stripe Border” and “Gold Leaf Holly.”
2. Vintage ephemera
When we dream of the Christmases we used to know, they’re often steeped in vintage ephemera. Sleigh bells ringing, eggnog in crystal glasses, and roasted chestnuts making the house smell unreal. Traditional Christmas celebrations are what this time of the year is all about. If you’re feeling a little extra nostalgic this year (like we are!), try a vintage-inspired holiday card like “Fanciful Ornaments,” or “Christmas Tree Viewing,” designed by Junior Illustrator and Animator Benny Kessler.
Speaking to the vintage-inspired printmaking technique that informed their process for the nostalgia-filled Christmas tree design, Kessler states, “We wanted to better understand how these iconic Victorian designs got those airy, soft washes of color. What we discovered was the highly intensive technique of pochoir, a style of coloring prints using intricate stencils and watercolor paints. Though I created this Card digitally and thus avoided the labor-intensive work of cutting stencils by hand, it was fascinating to learn about this approach to color and it very much informed my drafting of this image.”
3. Bows
Whether you’re adorning a present wrapped with care or accessorizing an outfit for a holiday cocktail party, there’s no better way to add festive flair this season than to put a bow on it. Timeless yet trendy, ribbons and bows on an invitation can add elegance to any merry celebration.
On her “Painted Bow Cutout” design, Creative Director Cat Chi explains, “I was inspired by the popularity of bows as celebratory décor and adornment, and the full satin bows I used on my own tree last year! I wanted this watercolor bow to look lush, full, and gestural.”
Decorate your holiday season in festive bows with our sweet “Holiday Bows” photo Card, the classic and minimal “Bow Impression” by Sugar Paper, or the lush florals of “Cottagecore Border” by Dogwood Hill.
4. Midcentury illustration
While tapping into holiday nostalgia, our design team was drawn to the confident linework and jaunty typography of the midcentury. Junior Illustrator and Animator Benny Kessler explains the Christmas morning-inspired joy they hoped to evoke with their midcentury-style “Unboxing” design. “When looking at present-themed Cards that we already had on-site, I saw a lot of Cards that shared a similar compositional approach: multiple boxes of presents, either gridded into a pattern or stacked atop one another,” Benny explains. “With this Card, I wanted to explore something different. The jaunty, singular silhouette of the present captured, for me, the excitement of opening a present, and fit with the midcentury stylings that we wanted to capture in this design.” Travel back in time with more midcentury-inspired designs, such as “Reindeer Sparkle,” for a dash of fanciful, nostalgic holiday cheer.
5. Painterly winter scenes
Snowy scenes just hit differently when they’re lovingly painted by hand. That’s why this year our in-house artists reached for their most delicate brushes to evoke winter landscapes with dabs and strokes reminiscent of everyone’s favorite frosty precipitation. Their mark-making is inspired by ’40s illustrators, such as Cecil Beaton, and their technique is loose, stylish, and gestural with washes in blue tones.
For peak holiday dreaminess, they channeled beloved holiday pastimes. “I love walking on the streets during the holiday season,” says Senior Designer Jin Xia. “The town becomes a winter wonderland with all the lights, décor, and snowflakes.” Embrace the snowy scenes yourself with designs like “Snowy Village” by Dogwood Hill and “Snow-Covered Forest” by Felix Doolittle.
6. Christmas greenery
The halls aren’t the only things getting decked with boughs of our favorite greenery. This classic-for-a-reason trend fills our noses with scents of pine and our hearts with holiday cheer. For an extra-special touch, try a design flecked in gold foil, or choose a photo Card to display a family photo.
Admire the lovely branches in designs like “Garland Frame” by Paperless Post or “Berry Garden” and “Longleaf” by Dogwood Hill.
7. Animal companions
This trend rides on the tails of our favorite Christmas tales, from Santa’s own misfit reindeer to The Grinch’s canine sidekick to the mice in “The Nutcracker.” Let’s be honest, there’s no cuter way to share your season’s greetings than with an elegantly illustrated animal companion. Depending on your preferred style, you can interpret this trend in so many ways, from the wining and dining woodland friends of Happy Menocal’s “Fox Party” to the playful childhood spirit of “White Elephant Cutout” by Cheree Berry Paper & Design.
8. Hand-lettering
For this trend, our designers leaned into the unexpected with playful proportions, stylized silhouettes, gestural line work, and painterly planes of color. Ligatures on hand-drawn or custom lettering are playful and bold.
It’s true that a picture may be worth a thousand words, but artistically-crafted words such as these can be even more impressive than any picture. So if unique, thoughtfully crafted lettering brings you holiday joy, choose a stylish, festive design like the ’70s-inspired “Oh Joy,” “Jolly Good Time,” or “Wishing You Cheer.”
9. Die-cut
Holiday presents under the tree come in all shapes and sizes, and so do festive invitations! Die-cut, or uniquely shaped designs, add a touch of individuality and creativity to the season’s festivities. From scalloped edges to novelty shapes, a die-cut invitation will surely leave a lasting impression on guests for many holidays to come.
For a fun, floral vibe, try Marimekko’s “Flower Cutout” design, or for a bubbly toast, send “Cup of Cheer,” by Senior Designer Taryn Smith. On her design’s inspiration, Smith recalls, “At my holiday party last year, I added a touch of cheer by tying ribbons to the stems of my wine glasses. It was a big hit with guests. To capture this festive detail, I used the art technique trompe l’oeil to create a realistic depiction of a Champagne glass with a ribbon, making it feel like the recipient is being invited to a classy celebration.” We’ll cheers to that!
10. Patterns
A patterned design can satisfy any number of stylistic preferences, from traditional to playful to retro. Whatever your taste, try a patterned holiday invitation to brighten up your festive fête this year, with patterns we’re loving right now, like stripes, florals, plaids, and more.
The floral design of “Sprig Pattern” feels like a retro wallpaper in the best way possible, while Marimekko’s “Meadow Border” uses her signature floral design as a stylish framing technique. For a classic look, “Coquette Ribbons” by Sugar Paper combines both stripes and ribbons for a preppy design that evokes a carefully wrapped gift.
11. Bold type
Give good tidings with expressively drawn lettering from our collection. Playful wishes of holiday cheer cascade across the Cards with hand-drawn letterforms that evoke a tactile quality, like “Bold in Gold,” or photo Card “Joyful Wishes,” for which Senior Art Director Mariya Pilipenko drew inspiration from retro album covers. She declares, “I loved the concept of subtly referencing a vintage holiday record with large retro letterforms and incorporating photos into the text, as if you and your family released the ultimate holiday album!” Perhaps this design will inspire some families to take their caroling careers to the next level this year!
12. Cheeky illustrations
This one’s for Santa’s little helpers who delight in levity, those who want their Christmas deliveries to be right on time and delivered with a bit of cheek. At least that’s how our designers approached these humorous and festive Cards. They’ve found inspiration in playful forms, sumptuous details, and visual storytelling—like the jovial dancing on display in “Santa Spectacular.” On this design, Junior Illustrator and Animator Benny Kessler remarks, “A Santa doing the cancan is so iconic! It was especially fun to work on the shape language of Santa as a jolly, carefree character. I would definitely want to be invited to this party.”
Embrace your cheeky side with witty Cards featuring clever illustrations like “Santa Cocktail” and “Dangle a Cocktail.”
13. Pink Christmas
Mix things up this holiday season by forgoing the classic reds, greens, silvers, and golds—and think pink! For a unique (but still festive) feel, embrace both pastel and vibrant hues from bubblegum to fuschia for a one-of-a-kind pink Christmas. Our design team and partners alike have created a range of pretty-in-pink designs that feel both modern and classic.
“Retro Christmas Tree” by Senior Designer Taryn Smith was inspired by the artwork of midcentury holiday cards. “I loved how artists from that era either used bold, graphic shapes for Christmas trees or meticulously illustrated every branch,” she explains. “I aimed to blend these two styles into a contemporary design that still pays homage to the original inspiration. I wanted the Card to feel like a fun and funky celebration, bursting with vibrant textures and colors.”
Get tickled pink this winter with designs like “Floral Fete” by Marimekko or “Winterland Cocktail” by Paperless Post.
Best-in-class Christmas and holiday card designs
No matter the graphic design trend that speaks to you, Paperless Post has thousands of options to make your holiday card ideas for 2024 come true. You can opt for a design by one of our in-house artists, or one of our design partners like Rifle Paper Co., kate spade new york, and so many more. Holiday cards have never looked better, or been easier to create and send.
Need help deciding what to write in your Christmas card or when to send it? We can help with that, too.
Now that you’re brimming with ideas and inspiration, find your perfect online holiday greeting card at Paperless Post.
Send season’s greetings with beautiful holiday designs you can email, text, or share.
