16 Cheerful Watercolor Christmas Cards to Send to Your Loved Ones

The festive season is almost here and it’s time to start thinking about sending holiday cards to loved ones. Whether you’re looking for a card design that’s bright and bold or something more soft and delicate, watercolor Christmas cards are a wonderful option.

To help you find or create the perfect watercolor Christmas cards, we’re sharing our best tips and suggestions. Discover a great way to get that watercolor look even if you wouldn’t consider yourself artsy, and get inspired by our existing collection of watercolor designs. 

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year for Watercolor Christmas Cards 

Design: Jamie Alexander

There are so many different types and styles of holiday cards out there to match every Christmas theme — elegant, funny, traditional, retro, or modern. All of these introduce some great design options and themes, but there’s another option that stands out to us — watercolor Christmas cards. 

Watercolor Christmas cards have a softness to them that fits so well with the warm and fuzzy holiday spirit. They’re made with joy and love, whether you created your own DIY watercolor masterpiece or you’re using a digital card (like this pretty watercolor poinsettias option) or printable card hand-painted by an artist. You can choose a traditional design with delicate watercolor florals or something more contemporary with a fresh color palette and bolder lines. Whatever your personal style, there’s a watercolor card design out there to help you wish your loved ones a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

An Easier Way to Create Watercolor Christmas Cards

Many of us love the way that watercolor Christmas cards look but don’t have the energy, time, or creative know-how to create our own versions, even with a step-by-step tutorial and all the materials. The great news is that you don’t have to get out the watercolor paper and paint brushes to create an original watercolor painting — you can use one of Greenvelope’s artist-designed cards instead for a Christmas greeting.

For some people, DIY Christmas cards are a fun Christmas project, but we know that’s not for everyone. Our templates let you create your own version of handmade Christmas cards in a digital format.

Browse our collection of watercolor Christmas cards and find one that makes you smile. We have designs with winter florals, festive wreaths with pine cones, Christmas decorations like stockings, and adorable wintry scenes, so there’s something for everyone. Once you’ve chosen your design, put a personal spin on it and customize the layout, colors, and fonts. Adorn the card with your own unique Christmas card greeting, and then mail it off to your loved ones. It’s a wonderful way to send easy watercolor Christmas cards with some personal flair.

16 Beautiful Watercolor Christmas Card Ideas

Thanks to our network of amazing artists and designers, Greenvelope offers hundreds of online Christmas cards. To help you find a dreamy watercolor card to send out this year, we’ve shortlisted some of our favorite card designs. Here are some of our most loved greeting cards to help you wish someone a very Merry Christmas. 

1. Watercolor Holly Christmas Card

Design: Cindy Reynolds Design

Give the classic watercolor floral a festive twist with a design like this watercolor holly card. The soft green leaves and sprinkles of berries catch your eye, with plenty of space in the center for a beautiful family photo. 

2. Elegant Watercolor Christmas Card

Design: Jessica Williams

Your Christmas card doesn’t have to feature trees, baubles, or a snowman to feel festive. This elegant watercolor card focuses on the winter atmosphere in an abstract way. With crisp metallic lettering set against a delicate watercolor washed background, this design is ideal for friends, family members, or business clients. 

3. Watercolor Poinsettia Christmas Card

Design: See That There

Poinsettias are everywhere throughout the festive season, but we don’t always see them like this. This watercolor poinsettia card portrays a close-up of the Christmas favorite, brought to life through rich colors and complementary gold lettering. 

4. Watercolor Presents Christmas Card

Design: Patrice Horvath Design

Christmas is a time for giving, and that often means sending presents to the people you love. Celebrate that tradition with this gift stack card that blends the whimsical touch of watercolor with a contemporary color palette and font. 

5. Watercolor Christmas Tree Card

Design: Lana’s Shop

The art of watercolor always makes trees look great — especially those evergreen trees that we always associate with Christmas. This sapphire grove card helps you celebrate the season with a blue color palette and beautiful illustrations. 

6. Candy Cane Stripes Christmas Card

Design: Ellis Design (photo courtesy of Amber Zbitnoff)

Take inspiration from candy canes with this adorable watercolor stripes card. It features those classic holiday colors, as well as space for a Polaroid-inspired snap of you and your favorite people. 

7. Ribbon Text Christmas Card

Design: Hudson Meet Rose

This year’s holiday card doesn’t have to be complicated or fussy to get the message across. Opt for something minimalistic instead, like this ribbon fa la la card. The festive message in deep watercolors is all you need, along with your message, name, and an adorable photo. 

8. Winter Scene Christmas Card

Design: LNZart

There’s something heartwarming and nostalgic about seeing a snow-covered lake, holiday cabins in the woods, or a festive town scene. If you want to put the focus on the art, choose a design like this painted peace card. 

9. Modern Minimalist Trees Christmas Card

Design: Erika Firm

When we think of watercolors, we often envision traditional colors, pastel backgrounds, and soft illustrations. This colorful firs card is a lovely reminder that watercolors can be bright, modern, and crisp. 

10. Winter Cabin Christmas Card

Design: frau brandt (Photo courtesy of Angela & Evan Photography)

Create a picture-perfect holiday card scene with this winter cabin card. The snowy landscape, classic red cabin, and sprinkling of snowfall is a great way to get your loved ones in a cozy mood. Add your family name on the front, and share your festive message on the reverse. 

11. 12 Days of Christmas Card

Design: Lisa Travis

If you’re a fan of the classic Christmas song, this 12 days card is a wonderful way to share that joy with the people you care about. It features charming detailed watercolor illustrations and a soft red backdrop to accompany your message of Christmas cheer. 

12. Gingerbread Christmas Card

Design: Patrice Horvath Design

Watercolor Christmas cards can often feel quite grown up, but this hand-painted gingerbread card is here to show you that they can be playful, too. We love this design for sending to kids or families, but it’s a great way to make anyone smile. 

13. Watercolor Animals Christmas Card

Design: Signature Greenvelope

Is there anything more adorable than a sausage dog in a Christmas sweater? This happy howlidays card is full of cheer, and it’s a perfect design to send to someone with pets or if you own a pet-related business (or a Dachshund). 

14. Christmas Wreath Card

Design: Lissa Anglin

If you’re looking for a way to put your adorable child(ren) or family front and center, this simple painted wreath card is a wonderful option. The delicate watercolor illustration frames the photo beautifully, with space for a festive greeting from you to your loved ones. 

15. Mistletoe Christmas Card

Design: Milk and Marrow (Photo courtesy of Alexandra Celia)

Swap the traditional red and green for a color palette of soft blues instead with this delicate pastel leaves card. The metallic accents and stunning illustrations give this card a classic and elegant feel while spotlighting your family photo.

16. Charming Snowflakes Christmas Card

Design: Erika Firm

Sprinkle some joy into your friends’ and family members’ holiday season with this charming snowflakes card. It makes perfect use of watercolors to add style and depth, with sweet snowflakes that remind us of the time of year. Stick with a blue or green for the holidays, or opt for a pastel pink to really stand out. 

Get Into the Festive Spirit with Watercolor Christmas Cards

Nothing gets you in the holiday spirit like preparing, personalizing, and sending Christmas cards to the people who matter most. Use this guide to help you find a fun and easy way to send watercolor holiday cards to your loved ones wherever they are.

Choose one of our favorite designs above or browse our full collection of watercolor Christmas cards to find your ideal card. Switch up the layout and fonts, add your own photo, and craft a personal Christmas card greeting before hitting send.