28 Fridge-Worthy Holiday Card Ideas

In the time of year where calendar pages slim, chillier temperatures arrive and those first few ever-so-sneaky seasonal greetings appear in your mailbox, the occasional thoughts of “already?!” are bound to bounce around.

If your camera roll + card-creating is proving to be more intimidating than inspiring, we’ve streamlined the seemingly endless selections so you can achieve a fridge-worthy card with ease.

Here, we approach the holiday card season as a space to honor the connections we hold close with card designs and their corresponding photos that are sure to be crowd-pleasers. From classic portraits to giggle-worthy moments, we've gathered our favorite tips and tricks to harness, helping you celebrate whatever the season means to you.

Keep It Classic

Embrace the beauty of tradition — there's no harm in staying true to a classic! Honor the connection you share as partners, pals, or family by putting it front and center in this season's send. Keep it simple by stepping out in front of the place you call home or go the extra mile by setting out in search of a winter wonderland.

Merry Christmas Bow Card

Modern Frame Holiday Card

Save the Selfies

No selfie shaming here! If formal photos aren’t your jam, we guarantee there are a few uncovered gems in your camera roll, just waiting to be shared. We love them (and shamelessly have hundreds!) for their spontaneity and unmatched joy. When a moment of delight or inspiration strikes, there’s no better time to get in front of that lens and snap.

Classic Greeting Holiday Card

Scrapbook Holiday Card

Let Kids Be Kids

When kiddos can be themselves, they're more than likely to bring a little whimsy into the scene! Let those wild imaginations lead — and you’re sure to find a plethora of ideas that will set your cards apart, bringing joy to each recipient. Bring them in on the brainstorming and make it a staple of fun family activities that everyone can enjoy.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Debossed Card

Classic Frame Christmas Card

Bring Furry Friends Into the Frame

Paws to honor the season with a little help from your furry friends. From cute Christmas card ideas with the cat to howl-worthy Hanukkah cards, it's a way to take the pressure off of yourself. After all, family holiday photo ideas can be hard to come up with! (Don't forget a few treats to get distracted doggos to look toward the lens.)

Marquee Lettered Card

Relive Your Best Day

Joyeux Noel Card

Get the Whole Gang Together

Wrangling the whole crew is easier said than done, but good things happen when the gang's all together. You may need a hand from a close friend or relative, a tripod to set your camera up on, or some scrappy finagling of the phone to prop it up against an object with the timer on. Then, let the family holiday photo ideas ensue!

Need more inspiration? Some of our photographer friends put together a list of tips for photographing your family that might come in handy.

Scripted Greeting Card

Half-and-Half Holiday Card

Make Room for Tender Moments

Celebrate love in its many forms by capturing the candid micro-moments that bring your bonds to life. A little one's love for their sibling, a mother's love for their newborn… the list goes on, but each is the stuff of cute Christmas card ideas and beyond. After all, melt-your-heart was made for merry.

Mood Board Holiday Card

Shine the Spotlight on Little Ones

If 98% of your photos are of the little ones in your life, this tip was made for you. Grab a handful of your favorite images and give family and friends a card they'll want to keep on the fridge year-round. With so many snaps of your young one on hand, we think it calls for a multi-image card — wouldn't you say?

Oh and if you need some help, don't forget to check out our tips for photographing children.

Merry & Bright Collage Card

Photo Captions Holiday Card

Goofy Does It

Skip to the top of the fridge-worthy pile by humoring your silly side, because let's face it, a little levity is always welcomed. Embrace those goofy faces and silly outtakes — your holiday cards are a chance to bring those bloopers to the forefront… and laughter to their mailboxes.

Retro Checkerboard Card

Retro Checkerboard Holiday Card

Celebrate Life in Motion

Poses have their place, but it's those authentic little moments of imperfection that showcase what the season is all about. Luckily, it's easy to get both pristine and playful images as you're making your photos. All it takes is a little snap-happiness to catch the in-between outtakes that you can't wait to put in print.

Backdrop Feature Card

Celebrate Life’s Milestones

Modern Trio Holiday Card

Props Have Their Place

Smiling faces are always in season, but often we overlook the creativity simple props can bring into our DIY holiday cards and photos. Look to wreaths, cookies, menorahs, or the many other objects that symbolize the season in your eyes. Each holds a wealth of playful possibilities for a good mail day (and a welcome out for those of us who are a little more camera shy!).

Tied With a Bow Holiday Card

Showstoppers: Set the Scene

Perennial overachievers, this one's for you. You know: those of you who chop down your own trees, deck the car with boughs of holly, wait for storybook snowstorms, sprinkling in any signs of the season. You've set the bar high — now give the people what they want. It's your time to shine!

Snowbank Holiday Card

Let Nature Do the Talking

Get your seasonal dose of dashing through the snow (or sand!) by adventuring into nearby landscapes for holiday card photos that give winter its due. Or, look through your camera roll for a landscape that you've been saving for some special treatment. Either way, it's sure to stand out on the fridge in the midst of all of those family photos!

Psst…have you caught up on our conversation with Chris Burkard? He’s offering some landscape photography tips that might be of help.