Materials for DIY Christmas cards

Of course you'll need different crafting supplies for each tutorial. But with a a 'basic kit' of materials can already create a lot of great ideas & DIY Christmas cards.

Materials

• Cardstock in various colors, for Christmas typically red, white, green, brown, optionally black

• Tissue paper

• Felt buttons

• colored crepe paper

• Craft felt

• Cotton wool

• Gift ribbon in various styles

• Christmas embellishment & decoration materials such as adhesive stars, gold and silver powder, small stick-on snowflakes

• Googly eyes & beads

• Optional: tracing paper (if you want to trace a design from a template)

• Stamps & ink pads

• Stickers

• Craft templates

Craft supplies

• Craft scissors

• Craft glue

• Pens/pencils for sketching

• Acrylic & watercolor paints

• Felt-tip pens, wax crayons, or colored pencils (depending on the child's age & preferences)

• Finger paints

• Needle & thread

Make Christmas cards: with younger and older children

Even toddlers can design their own Christmas cards. A personal greetingfrom the children is especially appreciated by friends and family. Whether on its own or as an addition to your handmade Christmas gifts. Because when something isn't quite perfect, it holds even more love.

Crafting with toddlers works best when you prepare the cards and perhaps even several designs beforehand: Cut simple cards or folded cards from colored cardstock. If your child wants to paint directly on the card or glue things on, you should choose cardstock in a light color.

If you also want to prepare the designs, draw them first and cut them out. Your child can then either color them in, paint them, or afterwards glue them onto the Christmas card.

Older children usually make the Christmas cards independently; you should let the little artists get on with it. However, always keep an eye on your kids while crafting and help them with tricky crafting steps, which they cannot do themselves yet.

Inventive craft ideas and instructions for every age

The most beautiful Christmas cards are those that combine familiar motifs with new, unexpected materials. Children also enjoy transforming simple everyday items – make use of that for imaginative DIY Christmas cards!

Craft idea 1: Christmas cards with fingerprints

For these Christmas cards you need:

• pre-cut cards made from white cardstock

• Craft paints (e.g., poster or finger paint)

• a brush & watercolors or felt-tip pens

Here's how:

1. First apply a little paint – but not too thick – to your child's thumb or index finger. Now they can press the finger onto the paper so that great prints are produced.

2. When the fingerprints have dried, you can further decorate them: For example, paint small elf faces with pointy hats and beards from the prints. Or first draw a Christmas tree on the card and let your child's fingerprints be the colorful tree baubles.

3. Once you get started, you're sure to come up with many more fun and creative ideas. There are no limits to your imagination.

Craft idea 2: Make Christmas cards with potato prints

For these Christmas cards you need:

• colored cardstock

• 1 to 2 medium-sized potatoes

• small kitchen knife

• cutting board

• thick white paper (slightly smaller than your card size)

• water- or acrylic paints

Here's how:

1. Cut the Christmas cards from the colored cardstock (the shade is, of course, up to you).

2. Halve the potatoes (you, as parents, should take care of this part) and then, together with the kitchen knife, carve a stamp from the flat side – for example, a Christmas tree, a star, a reindeer, a snowflake or the outline of a Santa hat.

3. Press the cut surfaces of the potato stamps dry on kitchen paper. Now your little ones can also take over without support: Have your child apply paint to the stamp with a brush and press it onto the paper.

4. The prints should dry thoroughly. Only then can you glue the paper to the front of the folded cards. If you like, you can write a greeting or decorate the prints with paint.

Also in the Autumn crafts with children potato prints are popular. In the guide you'll find inspiration and ideas that you can also use for Christmas.

Craft idea 3: Christmas cards with felt decorations

Felt is not only suitable for crafting beautiful Christmas decorations, it also looks especially great on Christmas cards because it provides a 3D effect.

For these Christmas cards you need:

• felt in many colors

• craft scissors

• craft glue

• colored cardstock

• decorative materials such as googly eyes, glitter, buttons or beads

Here's how:

1. Cut Christmas cards from colored cardstock and, if you wish, additionally cover them with decorative paper featuring Christmas motifs.

2. Then cut the desired motif from felt: Here your child can decide how the card should be designed or which motif they prefer to make. Whether stars in different sizes, Christmas trees, reindeer or Christmas stockings hung above a painted fireplace. Try out all ideas — there are no limits to your imagination.

3. You can then glue the motifs onto the cards and optionally spice them up with details like colorful ribbons or a drawing.

Craft idea 4: Creative Christmas cards with buttons

For these Christmas cards you need:

• various buttons

• craft glue

• colored cardstock

• craft scissors

• craft paints & brushes

Here's how:

• First cut the Christmas cards from the colored cardstock again. After that, your children may start crafting and decorating.

• Button snowmen: Glue white buttons of various sizes onto the card to make snowmen. You can glue a snowman hat from black cardboard or draw one with a felt-tip pen.

• Button tree ornaments: Paint or glue a Christmas tree on the card and decorate it on the branches with colorful buttons like tree ornaments. You can also paint candles on it.

• Button Christmas tree: Draw the outline of a Christmas tree in green marker first. Your children can then glue the variously sized buttons in different shades of green so that the outline of the tree is completely filled with buttons.

Image credits

Little girl wearing a Santa hat paints a Christmas card with watercolors © Halfpoint – stock.adobe.com

Christmas card craft ideas © Christine – stock.adobe.com

Greeting card - gifts - potato printing © S.H.exclusiv – stock.adobe.com