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Celebrating the art of making Christmas cards

What better way to spread festive cheer, than by sending handmade Christmas cards to your loved ones? Whether they are printed, embroidered, carefully crafted, or painted, each Christmas card becomes a unique piece of art, radiating love and joy in today’s digital age.

I proudly continue my mum’s tradition by designing my own Christmas cards each year, keeping alive a cherished practice that dates back to Victorian times.

Feeling inspired? In this blog post, I will share tips and creative ideas to help you craft your own beautiful Christmas cards, so you can surprise your friends and family.

INSPIRATION IS ALL AROUND US

From left to right: Christmas arch at the Chesil Rectory, a beautiful and delicious idea from @lowcarbwithjennifer, the cutest festive dog I spotted in a local café.

Inspiration can be found all around you, and with phones in our pockets, it’s easier than ever to capture and collect fun and creative ideas as we go about our daily lives. In this blog, I will share images of Christmas cards I have made over the years, along with the stories behind their creation, and the process involved in making them. But first, let’s go back in time.

THE FIRST CHRISTMAS CARD

In 1840 civil servant Henry Cole helped set up the Uniform Penny Post, which transformed the British postal system and made it cheaper to post letters and cards. In 1843 Henry asked his friend, artist John Callcott Horsley to illustrate the first commercial Christmas card, depicting three generations of the Cole family, with scenes of charity on either side.

The first Christmas card was printed lithographically and coloured in by hand.
A Merry Christmas’ card with paper lace 1860 – 80, England

With the invention of new printing processes and techniques, cards became hugely popular and the Victorians exchanged, displayed and collected Christmas cards in large numbers.

MY MUM’S LEGACY

When I was younger, every December I would watch – and often help – my mum create intricate Christmas cards, which over the years, turned into elaborate 3D works of art. Of course there was always the pressure to get it all done in time!

‘People, dare to live!’ My mum’s last Christmas card, which she made when she was already terminally ill.
The following year, I designed a Christmas card in the form of a bookmark, ‘A new chapter’ as a response to her important message.

Despite being terminally ill in 2004, my mum continued the tradition by creating small fabric Christmas banners with an embroidered message: “People, dare to live!” You can tell she was an optimist and a great example and inspiration to us all.

My aunt Carla told me:

Each year, we display Jet’s cards in a special place in our home, which means that she is always with us during Christmas. – Aunt Carla

The following year when my mum was no longer with us, I made handmade cards one last time on behalf of our family. I designed a bookmark using similar silk fabric featuring the words: “Dare to live people”, followed by the quote: “We are ready for the next chapter.”

Printing, stitching and cutting many bookmarks (I come from a very large family) was a therapeutic process and a way of coming to terms with the loss of my wonderful mum, who taught me how to sew and how to live life to the max.

MACHINE EMBROIDERY

At the tender age of 9, my mum taught me to sew and to this day, I absolutely love embroidery. For these cards, I used felt material, because it doesn’t fray and it is easy to sew and cut. Sometimes I cut felt with pinking shears to create a more decorative edge.

Decorative machine embroidery using felt and ribbon.

I recommend starting with a large piece of felt and stitching several rows of pretty embroidery stitches in different colours. Incorporating beautiful ribbon enhances the design and speeds up the process. Once you are happy with your design, use a ruler and rotary cutter to trim the material neatly to size. If you are concerned about the threads coming undone, simply dab a little clear craft glue at the ends. You should be able to create several cards out of one piece of stitching.

The star at the bottom of the card was created using a hole punch, while the edge of the card was cut with my guillotine which features a special blade for creating a wavy edge. Sometimes it is those little finishing touches that bring everything together.

CLIVEDEN HOUSE MAGIC

A few years ago, I painted live at a beautiful winter wedding at Cliveden House, where I was positioned near this magnificent, towering Christmas tree. In addition to painting guest portraits, the couple requested that I also paint the tree, and we reproduced the artwork for their Christmas cards. Every time I see these images, I’m transported back to that magical place, and I instantly feel Christmassy.

THE STORY – AND PERSON - BEHIND THIS XMAS CARD

One year, when I was struggling for ideas, my PA Natalie Tomkinson inspired me by sending a photo of her little daughter, Rosie, posting a letter. I had so much fun painting her and I added snow for festive effect.

The artwork was stunning—everyone could instantly recognise Rosie. The attention to detail and the handmade touches made the cards feel truly special and unique. – Natalie

Feeling inspired, I designed a second card, I depicted Rosie in a (made-up) Christmas tree outfit holding a star. To decorate the tree, I added white sequins and silver dots, and I glued a small wooden star to the card. While this approach is more time-consuming, it is more effective than printing and gives it that handmade feel.

WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL CHOIR

In 2018 I painted the probational choristers of Winchester Cathedral from the Pelgrims School. In addition to sending cards to my clients, friends and family, I also sold cards and prints to the parents, who were all very supportive and excited.

The Christmas card featuring the choristers was the inspiration and starting point for a special fundraising campaign in 2021. I created two new paintings of the choir, ensuring that the girls were also represented. All proceeds from the campaign went to the Winchester Cathedral Choral Foundation

It’s incredible to think that choral music has been an important aspect of Winchester Cathedral for nearly a thousand years. I highly recommend attending Evensong, which takes place from 17:30 – 18:15 every Tuesday, Thursday. Friday and Saturday. It is a truly magical experience, especially during the festive season.

ICE SKATING inspiration

I was born and raised in the Netherlands, where winters used to be much colder, allowing the canals to freeze over. I learned to skate with my friend when I was little, and it is a pastime I still enjoy today. Unfortunately, there’s no natural ice to be found in England, but the Christmas ice rinks are always a hit in our family.

The Winchester Cathedral Christmas market once featured an ice rink, and I have many precious memories of taking our children ice skating there. They offered a special toddler session every Friday morning, and with the parents’ permission, I painted some of the adorable children who attended that day. I never had a penguin to aid me as a child!

For the cards, I used a large hole punch to create a pretty border. It is time-consuming to do this by hand for each card, but the result is very effective and worth the effort. Of course, a laser cutter could achieve the same effect, but it comes with a price tag.

TIP: be mindful that most printers are exceptionally busy during the festive season. Plan ahead and don’t turn up at the last minute, expecting them to print your cards there and then.

CALLIGRAPHY FUN

I have been a member of the Hampshire Calligraphers for many years, and I always enjoy participating in the various workshops they offer. During one of these sessions, we focused on decorating letters with patterns, which inspired me to create these Christmas cards.

Calligraphy is a wonderful way to add a personalized message to the inside of your Christmas card. I created the tree-shaped message quite a few years ago, and since I like it so much, I have been using it repeatedly!

ROB VAN HELDEN’S WREATHS

A few years ago, florist to the stars Rob Van Helden commissioned me to design a Christmas card, based on one of his beautiful wreaths. I tried to include as much detail as possible to do his work justice. The following year, I created more cards for RVH, this time based on a lovely blue wreath. It is wonderful to collaborate with such talented and successful people.

KEV THE BIG ISSUE SELLER

For many years Big Issue seller Kev Collick would dress up as a Christmas tree, spreading cheer with his hilarious banter among shoppers in Winchester town centre.

One year, I asked Kev if he would be happy to feature on my Christmas cards. He happily agreed and as a thank you, I gifted him the original artwork.

A few years ago, Winchester’s own ‘Banksy’ Hendog created this fabulous street art at the local bus station. You can read more in the Hampshire Chronicle.

CATS AND DOGS IN INK

Cats and dogs bring joy and companionship to so many, making them perfect subjects for Christmas cards.

I used Sumi ink to create these cards. It is water resistant when dry and washes off easily, unlike Indian ink.

I enjoy adding stickers, ribbon, thread, felt and large reflective sequins to make the cards more tactile and bring them to life.

We woof you a merry ChristmaS

For over a decade, it has been my tradition to give handmade cards to the teaching staff on behalf of all parents. Not just for Christmas, but also as end-of-year thank you cards.

It is like running a small production line, but it is easier when you have a theme and experiment with that. No two cards will ever be the same.

With our youngest now in his final year of primary school, it will feel strange not to have to create at least seven large Christmas cards for the teaching staff each Christmas/summer!

“May your Christmas be furry and bright”

I hope my creative cards and the stories behind them have inspired you to start designing your own Christmas cards. It’s never too late, and I am sure your friends and family will appreciate the thought you put into it.

Happy crafting and happy holidays!

Article Tags

Christmas cards design ideas, crafting, handmade Christmas cards

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