Custom Christmas Cards 2024
Every November I work on a few custom Christmas cards for families who want a personalised card without going down the family-photo-card route. Last year I worked on four - three for repeat customers, and one for a new one. And all in different styles!
The first card was for friends. I’ve been doing their cards since before they had kids, and it’s been lovely to watch the cards grow with their family. They used to be more realistic, but a couple of years ago it was requested that I switch to my children’s illustration style. These days the kids dictate the theme, and this year it was ‘rollercoasters’, with the added parameters of the unicorn and face icons.
Sadly, this is the last card that will feature their first dog, the black and white one, who passed away just before Christmas. It was nice that the cards were finished and printed early enough for her to feature one last time. 12 years ago the cards just featured her alone!
The second card was for a couple who like their cards to reflect the travel they have done that year. In 2024 they went trekking in Nepal, and gave me some photographs for me to work from, and the theme of ‘Nepalese donkeys’ and ‘trekking’.
Thirdly, a returning customer who likes her children and dogs to look quite realistic, but also for her cards to have a fashion illustration feel. Her theme this year was ‘Abbey Road’. I was sent some general photos of the kids, and examples of the outfits she wanted them to be wearing.
And finally, a new customer, who contacted me in December. Fortunately she lives in the UK, so it was possible for her to have cards illustrated, printed, delivered, written in and sent out before Christmas. Here in Western Australia we have to leave more time! Even so, it was a rush, so I’m not quite as happy with the finished result as I would like to have been, but considering the quick turnaround I think I did pretty well. Understandably the background and concept had to be kept pretty simple, because I was so conscious of the deadline.
Of course, I also did cards for my own family, which have their own separate blog post, which are in a different style yet again! November was definitely a time for switching styles as fast as I could!
If you are after custom Chrismas cards for 2025 or beyond, I’m happy to help. If you like you can contact me and ask to be put on my Christmas card mailing list - and I’ll send you a reminder about the approach of Christmas in October, to see if you want a card designed.