If you want to take the perfect family photo that you can proudly share with your friends and relatives on your Christmas card, take advantage of these unique, straightforward Christmas card photo ideas that will inspire you to take some stunning, original pictures.
When it comes to Christmas card photos, posing is everything. It's important to capture the holiday spirit and create a memorable photo that will be cherished by family and friends.
If you want to take an intimate family portrait for a Christmas card, take the photo when everyone is opening presents. This way you can capture pure emotions – joy and anticipation. Let the kids hold the presents while you place all the other boxes around you. Try to keep all elements as close to each other as possible.
A wonderful family photo idea is to take a picture of the entire family while they’re having dinner. Try to capture the emotions, conversations, and laughter. Take a photo of everyone at the table once the food is already served and people are celebrating. You can also take some photos during the preparation when the mother is arranging the food and tableware and the kids are helping her.
Interested in Christmas photocard ideas that show how close-nit your family is? Then put on some identical costumes to pose together. You can take a creative photo by wearing green costumes and standing in a Christmas tree shape, wearing some baubles and other decorations.
Photos don’t necessarily have to be staged. Dress up all the adults, kids, and pets in matching Christmas pajamas, make sure they all fit in the shot, and take some candid pictures of them having fun. You can use Christmas-themed props that match the color of your clothes or place similar-colored presents under the tree.
If you want to take a romantic Christmas card photo, take advantage of cool couple photo ideas and focus on body language. Try to ensure the couple feels relaxed and forget they are being photographed. To ensure the photo looks natural, stand in a relaxed pose, as they sit or lie on the bed, hug, or hold hands.
If you don’t want the photo to feature something as intimate as a kiss, you can simply hug each other. Or try a creative approach and have your mugs kiss instead. Use candy canes or your hands to make hearts – it will look romantic and make sure you convey the warm feelings the couple has for each other.
What can be better than blowing the dust off your old storage boxes and taking out some Christmas decorations? Decorating the tree or the room is a fantastic family activity that will help bring everyone together and lift your spirits. To ensure the photo looks as natural as possible, make sure you’re actually putting the decorations on and not just pretending.
Stay engaged in the process to ensure the photo looks warm and realistic. Cozy up together near the Christmas tree, eat some food, read a book, or watch a movie. Take a shot of everyone talking and capture everyone’s raw emotions.
It’s easy to find beauty outside and snow always makes the mood of a photo more festive. Simply walk around while holding hands, hug each other, or take a picture near a Christmas tree. You can also use props like a Christmas wreath.
Don’t forget to wear warm clothing. Hats with reindeers will be a fantastic addition and you can also build a snowman with your kids or go sleigh riding. Take the photos while everyone is engaged in the process and having fun.
If you want to create a cute Christmas card, try using one of these Christmas photo ideas and having your kids stand near Santa or sit on his lap. Make sure they’re engaged in either telling something or listening to make the photo look more natural.
Most Christmas card picture ideas can benefit from everyone wearing clothing in seasonal colors – red, green, silver, gold, and white. Alternatively, you can simply dress up the kids in their best clothes and have them wear Santa hats.
If you’re working with a professional photographer or have a knack for editing, then you can make this idea even more creative. For example, instead of making a snow angel outdoors, you can perform image manipulations to make it look like kids are playing around in flour while lying on the table. Fill the scene with various bakeware and decorations and take a top-down photo.
Don’t be afraid to place the child in a box, picnic basket, or an improvised carriage. Children under one year of age will fit inside easily and you can decorate the box with baubles, strings, Christmas lights, etc.
Light up as many Christmas lights as you can and have them shine on the smiling faces of your kids. Add some lamps to the background and place the Christmas lights in front of the child. If the kid is a bit older, they can hold a lamp in their hands but always remember about safety first.
Make sure the light falls onto the child’s face and not behind them. If you have a Christmas tree in the background, turn the kid’s back to it to make sure the light is reflected on their face.
A creative Christmas baby photoshoot idea is to dress up a kid as an elf or Santa. If the child is still very young, you can simply sit or lie them down.
If the kid is on the older side, you can have them do some sort of activity – decorate the room, cut out snowflakes, wrap gifts, etc. If the children are engaged in some task, the Christmas card photo will look livelier and more natural. You can pick some matching clothes for the kids to help create a more coherent, intimate scene.
If you’re looking for cozy Christmas card photo ideas, take out some fluffy blankets, knitted sweaters, and warm socks. Wrap your kids in a beautiful soft blanket and have them sit next to the fireplace. Sit down next to them and hug your kids.
Regardless of whether you’ll buy a real Christmas tree or an artificial one, this seasonal symbol will make sure every photo looks festive. Simply climb inside the tree and stick your head out. There’s no need to fully decorate the tree with baubles – a simple minimalistic ribbon will do while you emphasize the people.
You can take a family photo to a tree farm that sell Christmas trees. Or, if you’re using an artificial one, take a couple of assembly pictures.
What to do when it’s not snowing but you still want to have it in your photos? You can add it later during the post-processing stage. Snow will make the mood more cheerful and festive.
If your area has snow, why not take some shots outdoors while implementing festive winter photoshoot ideas? Make a snow kiss, throw around some snowballs, and let the kids just have fun and goof around. The process of building a snowman is also the perfect subject for a Christmas card picture.
Christmas tree decorations aren’t usually chosen randomly, as you typically pick the ones that you’ve liked and have captured your attention. So why not take a close-up photo of your favorite decoration hanging on a tree or laying in your hand?
Another interesting idea is to take a photo of yourself reflected in the toy. This concept works best with baubles that are hanging on the Christmas tree. Such a shot will look creative and will certainly draw more attention to your Christmas card.
You shouldn’t limit the range of your subjects to people. A Christmas card can look festive without them. You can take advantage of Christmas tree photoshoot tips and take a minimalistic shot of a branch or a decoration against a beautiful background.
Not all family Christmas card ideas require a Christmas tree. You can simply blow up a firecracker or toss around some glitter to make a photo look more festive. Consider choosing some unusual locations like a bathroom rather than limiting yourself to your living room or bedroom. Glitter looks particularly fantastic against a white background.
Speaking of unusual locations, consider trying out some unconventional angles as well. For instance, you can stand behind a hanging Christmas tree toy. The soft diffused light of the shiny toy will make the photo look more endearing and cozier.
If you want to impress the people who will receive your Christmas card, consider experimenting with dog photography. It’s quite hard to make a dog sit still and look into the camera so stock up on treats and patience. Put some cookies in front of the pet and arrange a holiday dinner for it.
Another cool idea is to tie a festive ribbon around the dog’s neck or decorate it with an Elf hat for pet. You can have the pet sit near the tree, in the snow, or by the owners.
Take a photo with a candy cane while you’re walking around the street. These little sweet red-and-white treats can serve as a fantastic prop for a broad range of Christmas card photo ideas.
You shouldn’t limit yourself to candy canes, as gingerbread cookies and chocolate are also a great choice. Your kids will be especially happy about such props. They’re also easy to pose with. Simply have them eat the sweets or just hold them in their hands.
Spread around some tinsel, baubles, and other Christmas photo props on the floor and lie down in the center of the scene. To ensure the photo has a festive atmosphere, you can wear a seasonal sweater, pajamas, Santa hat, etc. Pick a look that matches the decorations around you, while giving preference to gold, red, and white colors.
You can also experiment with other poses – for instance, you can read a book, make a wreath together, drink some tea, etc. Grab some warm blankets and pillows that will make your experience cozier and more enjoyable.
If you want to create a festive mood, you can transform into reindeer. Doing so is incredibly easy – simply put on some reindeer antlers. You can even use a small ribbon instead of a red nose.
Use a car trunk as a background. Simply bring a blanket, place a mini Christmas tree, wear some warm clothes, and look at the sparklers in your hands. Hold them carefully and try to catch the moment when they start burning to avoid injuries.
You can hold a sparkler in one hand and a champagne glass in the other. Choose a convenient pose and simply smile while looking at the camera, sparkles, or your loved one nearby.
If you want to take an unconventional Christmas card, you can lie under the tree and take a top-down photo. Consider facing each other while holding hands or some beautiful presents.
You can also try a different angle – have one person lie on their back and the other on their stomach while both look into the camera. Feel free to experiment with both locations and poses.
