45 Best Christmas Card Photo Ideas to Send to Your Family and Friends
Stand out this year with these festive ideas!
It's the most wonderful time of the year—which means it's also time to gather your family, friends, and pets together for a holiday picture. It's not always an easy task, but once you do get that golden photo, you know you have to send it out on a Christmas card for everyone to see. This is a big tradition for Ree Drummond and her family, and in their book, there's no better way to spread holiday cheer than by dressing up for photos in matching Christmas pajamas! You, too, can capture a moment that's sure to put smiles on your loved ones' faces. We're here to help with a list of the best Christmas card photo ideas, according to a photographer.
You can also use your Christmas card photos as a chance to get all gussied up and have pictures taken by a professional photographer. Maybe for your family, holiday pictures aren’t just for Christmas cards. Instead, they’re pictures you’ll put into a photo album, or you’ll hang throughout your home, holding onto them for generations to come. You could even pop them in frames to make a few sentimental gifts!
But to make your Christmas photos look their very best, it does take a bit of planning—from the wardrobe to the location to hoping everyone will just sit still (including the family pets!). These 45 Christmas card photo ideas will undoubtedly offer inspiration, and you’ll gain some tips and tricks from professional photographer Paige Sovic that will make your family Christmas card photos shine their very brightest.
(After you're done taking photos, check out our suggestions for what to write in a Christmas card!)
Make a Snow Angel
For a lighthearted touch, one of the simplest winter traditions makes for an adorable Christmas card pic! Just bundle up in the cutest and coziest attire then head outside.
Read a Book in Front of the Christmas Tree
There are so many wonderful classic Christmas books out there so you can get creative with your next holiday photoshoot. Use stories like The Night Before Christmas or The Polar Express for a nod to nostalgia or have a little fun with a copy of How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Head to the Woods
There's no better backdrop than nature! Evergreen trees offer the perfect seasonal (and oh-so-whimisical) winter photo op.
Visit the Big City
Taking Christmas photos at home is a great go-to. But using the nearest big city as your backdrop can be even more dramatic! Bonus points if you set up your shot near twinkling lights and festive decorations.
Sweeten Things Up
Christmas calls for all things sweet. So why not add some of that magic to your family Christmas card? Bake a few cookies to use as props or snap a shot of your kiddos while decorating some sweets. You could even build a gingerbread house in the background!
Keep It Neutral
How classically cozy is this photo op? We love festive sweaters but a neutral theme and dress code will keep the focus of the picture on you and your loved ones!
Hold Candy Canes
For an extra sweet Christmas photo session with your partner, hold up a pair of candy canes in the shape of a heart—while grabbing a smooch, of course! If you want to get really romantic, you could even add some mistletoe.
Light a Fire
This one just looks like the epitome of the holiday season! A glowing, roaring fire—either in the fireplace or at a bonfire—is the surest way to add warm ambiance to your Christmas card photo. Make it even cozier by incorporating Christmas sweaters.
Do a Favorite Winter Activity
If your family is big into skiing or snowboarding, just head to the mountain and capture those favorite wintery moments in photo form! An iceskating rink shot would be beautiful as well. You can hire a photographer or ask a photography-savvy pal to come along.
Color Coordinate
Pick a theme color to carry throughout your Christmas card photos. For the holidays, red is always a home run! You can also get festive with green and gold or choose a unique color combo for your matching outfits.
Get Beachy
Whether you live in a sunny locale, or you’re planning on an upcoming beach vacation, get your toes sandy for your Christmas card photo. You can do this with Christmassy accessories or stick to your typical beach attire.
Put Your Heads Together
For a unique spin on your Christmas card photo shoot, you and your kiddos can lay head-to-head on the floor while a camera captures you from above. Christmas décor around the edges makes for the perfect added touch.
Take a Hike
To add a seasonal, casual feel to your Christmas card picture, allow your favorite hiking trail to act as a gorgeous backdrop. It really is a winter wonderland!
Make It Candid
Sure, posed pictures always look polished—but for something a bit more laid-back for your holiday cards, don’t pose. Showcase those moments when you weren’t all smiling at the camera.
Wear Festive Hats
You can’t go wrong with Santa hats for any Christmas card photo! Bonus points if you’re wrapped up in a blanket in front of a glittering tree.
Sit with Santa
Is there anything cuter than pictures of your little ones sitting on Santa’s lap? Nope! And they happen to make for lovely holiday cards as well.
Include a Beloved Stuffed Animal
To really include the entire family in the shot, ask your children to hold their favorite stuffed animals. It will be a sweet touch all of your recipients will love.
Make a Truck the Centerpiece
Ree would undoubtedly approve of a red truck as a backdrop for a Christmas photo! Kiel James Patrick and his family picked a beautiful snowy day to shoot this picture, making the red truck stand out even more.
Get Dressed Up
Photographer Paige Sovic says that “formal is coming back,” and dressing up can make for gorgeous Christmas card photos. She adds, “It’s the perfect time to get really done up and have fun with it, plus it lends to a more elevated Christmas card.”
Wear Your PJs
For an extra dose of fun for your holiday cards, make like Ree and her family and get in your jammies! Taking a few shots in front of the tree will look cute and casual. (Don’t forget to include your family’s furry friends, too!)
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