How to Make a Batch of Handmade Christmas Cards
Handmade Christmas cards have a way of turning into a December 22nd project. You meant to start early, then the month got full, and now you're at the kitchen table at midnight trying to make thirty cards by hand.
What helps is making your cards in a batch and starting in November, when you still have time to enjoy it. Making cards in a batch means you do each step for every card at once, so you're not switching supplies and cleaning brushes thirty times over.
At HobbyScool, we've hosted free online craft summits since 2022, and this year's Elves' Workshop Summit gives a whole day to cards, paper and paint. Here's how to make a batch of handmade Christmas cards, plus the workshops that teach each style.
The Batch Method, Step by Step
Whatever style of card you make, the same four stages work.
1. Pick one design and count your cards
Choose one design for most of your list. You can always make a handful of special ones for the people closest to you, but having one main design is what makes a batch go fast. Count how many you need and add a few extras for the people you forgot.
2. Make all your backgrounds in one sitting
Paint, stamp or print every background at once, and let them all dry together. This is the step that takes the most setup, so doing it once saves the most time.
3. Cut and prep all your pieces
Cut every card base, every mat and every topper in one go. If you're using a cutting machine, this is where it earns its keep.
4. Assemble, then sign
Set up an assembly line on the table and put the cards together. Then sign and address them in a separate sitting, maybe with a cup of tea and a holiday movie on.
Check your envelope size before you cut your card bases. A standard A2 card is 4.25 x 5.5 inches and fits an A2 envelope, which is the easiest size to find.
Watercolor Cards
Batch-friendly watercolor backgrounds
Watercolor is made for batching, because you can paint a whole sheet of backgrounds and cut it into card fronts. Loose washes of color, a soft wintry sky or a wet-in-wet snowy blend all look great, and no two come out the same.
Linh Van teaches Holiday Cards in a Hurry: Batch-Friendly Watercolor Backgrounds Made Easy. She covers two watercolor background techniques, two ways to use them, and one recipe for making a batch of holiday cards fast.
A watercolor Christmas tree
A tree is a forgiving first watercolor subject. It's a simple shape, and it looks charming when it's a little loose and imperfect, so it's a good choice if you're new to painting.
Elyse Dean teaches Oh Christmas Tree: Paint a Watercolor Christmas Tree, a whimsical tree for handmade cards or seasonal wall decor. It's quick and easy to customize, and it suits beginners and seasoned crafters.
A winter tree scene
Jackie Partridge teaches Paint It, Gift It: Create an Easy Watercolor & Acrylic Winter Tree Scene. You'll paint a winter landscape of birch trees and snow with watercolor and acrylics, then turn it into a gift or a card. It's a nice one for the few special cards on your list.
Paper Cards
Eight holiday tree cards
If you want variety without starting from scratch each time, a set of tree designs is a smart approach. Einat Kessler teaches 8 Holiday Tree Cards, eight different tree designs for your holiday cards, including trees made from paper scraps, interactive trees and folded paper trees. Pick your favorite for the big batch and use the others for the cards you want to stand out.
Printable cottagecore cards
You don't need a lot of supplies to make cards that feel special. Janet Trieschman teaches A Printable Cottage Core Christmas: Create Charming Cards Without Expensive Craft Supplies. She shows how to turn simple printables into nostalgic cottagecore Christmas cards using easy layering and embellishing techniques and supplies you may already have.
An "open when" card set
For one or two people on your list, a card can be the whole gift. Corinne Schmitt teaches More Than a Christmas Card: Create an "Open When" Gift They'll Reach for All Year, where you write a set of notes for specific moments and package them together.
Cricut and Cutting Machine Cards
If you have a Cricut or another cutting machine, a batch of cards gets a lot easier, because the machine handles the cutting while you work on something else. If you're still getting comfortable with your machine, Cricut's own getting-started guide is a good place to begin.
An interactive snowman surprise card
Elena Anderson teaches Interactive Snowman Surprise Card with Your Cricut. The snowman has a surprise hiding under his hat, and she walks through every step in Cricut Design Space, plus a few hand-drawn touches and the full assembly.
Tags and treat toppers with any cutting machine
Terri Johnson teaches Create Festive Christmas Tags and Treat Toppers with Any Cutting Machine. You'll work with SVG files and specialty papers, and it's beginner friendly. Tags and toppers are great to batch alongside your cards, since you'll need them for every gift you hand out.
Don't Forget the Tags
While you've got your paper and paint out, make your gift tags too. A few Day 1 workshops cover tags and wrap that pair well with your cards:
- Adeline Ma teaches Create a Vintage-Style Christmas Tags Bundle.
- Nicola Brown teaches eco printing on paper to make botanical tags, cards and gift wrap, suitable for complete beginners.
- Patti Dolan teaches a fun fold gift card holder you can make for any occasion by changing the papers.
A Few More Paper Projects on Day 2
Two more Day 2 sessions are worth a look if you love paper and lettering. Brittany Bly teaches Think You Can't Letter? Create a Charming Holiday Chalkboard in Less than One Hour, a beginner-friendly chalkboard sign with templates, supplies, lettering and chalkboard paint all covered. Allie Trumpower teaches From Holiday Chaos to Christmas Keepsake, a Christmas binder that's part holiday planner and part mini scrapbook, which is a handy place to keep your card list and addresses.
A Simple Card Plan for November
- Before November 11: register for the summit, look over the supply list and count how many cards you need.
- November 11: watch the card workshops and pick your main design.
- Weekend of November 14: make all your backgrounds and let them dry.
- Weekend of November 21: cut, assemble and make your tags.
- Early December: sign, address and mail them, right on time.
Make Your Cards Along with Us
Every card in this post is taught at the Elves' Workshop Summit, 32 free holiday workshops from HobbyScool, November 10-12, 2026. Day 2, Cards, Paper & Paint, goes up Wednesday, November 11 at 9:00 AM ET and stays free to watch until 9:00 AM ET Thursday. Nothing is live, so you can paint and cut along whenever you have time that day.
When you register, the supply list comes in your confirmation email right away, so you'll have time to gather paper, paint and card bases before the summit.
Make Your Christmas Cards at the Elves' Workshop Summit
32 free holiday workshops, November 10-12, 2026, with a whole day of cards, paper and paint.
Save My Free Spot See the Full ScheduleFrequently Asked Questions
How do I make a lot of handmade Christmas cards quickly?
Work in stages instead of one card at a time: make all your backgrounds in one sitting, cut all your pieces in the next, then assemble and sign. Linh Van teaches batch-friendly watercolor backgrounds and a recipe for making a batch of holiday cards fast at HobbyScool's free Elves' Workshop Summit on November 11, 2026.
What is an easy watercolor Christmas card for beginners?
A watercolor Christmas tree is one of the easiest, because it's a simple shape that looks good loose and imperfect. Elyse Dean teaches a whimsical watercolor Christmas tree for cards or wall decor at the Elves' Workshop Summit, suited to beginners and seasoned crafters.
Can I make Christmas cards with a Cricut?
Yes. Elena Anderson teaches an interactive snowman card with a surprise under his hat, with every step in Cricut Design Space, at the Elves' Workshop Summit. Terri Johnson also teaches Christmas tags and treat toppers that work with any cutting machine.
How can I make Christmas cards without expensive craft supplies?
Printables are the most budget-friendly route. Janet Trieschman teaches how to turn simple printables into cottagecore Christmas cards using layering and embellishing techniques and supplies you may already have, at the Elves' Workshop Summit on November 11, 2026.
What Christmas card designs work for a big batch?
Designs with one repeated element work best, like a tree, a painted background or a single stamped shape. Einat Kessler teaches eight different holiday tree card designs at the Elves' Workshop Summit, including trees made from paper scraps, interactive trees and folded paper trees.
