Holiday card trends we love   

We love prying open the door to great design. And there isn’t much that gets us more excited than holiday cards. After all, they’re still going strong for a reason – they’re an effective way to thank partners, re-engage customers, or showcase your brand values. 

Here’s our roundup of the six Holiday Card design trends worth your time this holiday season. 

In this guide:

1. Hand-drawn illustrations 

With AI shaping more and more of what we see online, people are crying out for things with a heartbeat. That applies to holiday cards as much as anything else. Where imperfect used to read as unprofessional, it now reads as reassuringly human. 

A hand-drawn illustration is not only charming, it’s also a great way to express the values of your brand. Because while those machines may be able to build you a website in 14 seconds, they cannot, could not, and will never out-human a human.

2. Nostalgia

From midcentury graphics to classic fonts, dialing up the vintage vibes is a great way to build some warmth. 

The key to making it work is to commit and keep it specific. Go all in on 1963 and you’ll create a mood. Assemble some vaguely retro clichés, and you’re looking at a half-hearted pastiche.

3. Texture for the eyes

Here’s another trend pushing back against pixel-perfect design: artwork with visible texture.

Think printmaking effects, grainy photos or halftone dots. Because even a perfectly flat Holiday Card can convince the eye it’s seeing physical depth if the artwork looks pressed rather than exported.

If you want to commit to this one, try sending your design on an uncoated matte Postcard. The exposed fibres let the ink spread slightly, creating a softer, warmer image that looks original, not reproduced.

4. Big type energy

Out with the busy festive layouts, in with a short message set large enough to be the whole design. And if you want to lift your type even further, try a Gold or Silver Foil finish. 

Try keeping your message as short as possible. The fewer there are, the bigger they get.

5. Unexpected colors

Now this is the Holiday Card trend for those who want to steer clear of the clichés and stand out against the sea of traditional red and green. And there are different directions you can take.

Route 1: tone it down. For seasonal warmth without the wreath, try muted shades on uncoated stock. Think terracotta, mustard and slate.

Route 2: tone it up. Bright colors stand out – and never more than during the holidays. Think cobalt, emerald and hot pink.

Whichever way you go, departing from the traditional festive colors is a smart way to capture attention.

6. Supersized motifs

Choose a detail and blow it up big. Really big, even.

And if you find yourself at the edges of your layout, why stop there? Going beyond the borders showcases your brand’s confidence, without ever having to say the words.  

There are lots of ways you can put your own distinctive mark on this one too. A piece of your logo or a silhouette of your most popular product are great places to start.  

So there you have it, six holiday card trends and plenty of inspiration to create your own cards this year. If you need some design support, fill out our short form below and we’ll be in touch to help you get started.

Ready to start creating now? You can design your very own Postcards and Greeting Cards with MOO. Or run with one of our templates, made by our professional in-house design team.

However you choose to do it, have fun getting into that festive feeling…