Now that the most wonderful time of the year is right around the corner, it's time to start thinking about holiday cards. Of course, the closer we get to December, the more stressful it becomes for a lot of us — and printing and sending cards can be one thing we dread adding to our to-do lists. Sure, they're absolutely not required, but if this is a tradition you and your family are planning to take part in, there's a lot of inspiration to be found from celebrity holiday cards.
Don't get us wrong — it's easy (and always looks good) to slap a current family photo on a card template you found online and send it out to your contact list. But in case you want to take it a step further and are feeling stumped, take a page out of a celeb's book and try something new this year. After all, the Kardashians' annual cards are legendary for a reason!
Here are all of the best celebrity holiday cards and photos to help spark ideas for your own seasonal greetings. If only these were the ones we got in the mail …
Snooki's Mini-Mes
Every time we see Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi's little ones, we're amazed at how much they look like her. The former Jersey Shore star and husband Jionni LaValle are parents to three kids: Giovanna, Lorenzo, and Angelo, who all look so sweet posing in this festive winter wonderland.
Tori Spelling & Dean McDermott Say Goodbye to 2020
Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott kept the humor alive as they said "good riddance" to 2020 in their holiday card. Since Dean was in Canada at the time they took the shot, they included him via a photo in a frame, which is a great way to make sure any family members who are missing are still a part of the card.
Shawn Johnson's First Family Card
When Shawn Johnson and Andrew East welcomed their first child, Drew, into the world, they celebrated with the sweetest Christmas card photo. They kept it all black and white, and instead of trying to get baby girl to pose for the camera, they just let her do her thing — so much less stressful!
Shay Mitchell & Matte Babel's Family Card
Speaking of celeb families celebrating their baby's first Christmas, here's another. How adorable are Shay Mitchell and Matte Babel, posing in their holiday sweaters and glasses with a sleeping baby Atlas? She's grown a lot since then, but this card goes to show how injecting a little goofiness can make a photo so memorable.
Thomas Rhett & Lauren Akins' Outdoorsy Snap
Country music star Thomas Rhett and Lauren Akins' family has grown since this photo was taken, but it's still so sweet to look back on. Here, Mom and Dad are posing with their daughters in the middle, giving each other a kiss. We love how a shoot like this isn't necessarily holiday-themed, so the photos can be used for all kinds of things.
Princess Diana & Prince Charles' Royal Card
Getting a peek at a Christmas card sent by Prince Charles and Princess Diana is really special — especially since we can see that the former royal couple signed it themselves! This refreshingly casual photo with sons Harry and William, taken in 1987, is such a sweet memory.
A Sweet 'Bachelor' Family Christmas
This was before Bachelor couple Catherine and Sean Lowe welcomed their daughter, Mia, but what a photo to remember their lives as a family of four! We love that they sat down to take this picture in their own home — it's a great way to freeze that memory of what that year in their lives looked like.
The Kardashians' 2018 Christmas Card
The Kardashians have had a lot of truly iconic Christmas card photos over the years, but this one definitely has to be one of our favorites. Though Kim Kardashian mentioned that Kendall and Kris Jenner were obviously missing, we love how she, Khloé Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, and Kourtney Kardashian posed with their kids — and everyone dressed in all white. One color scheme can make the photo look so cohesive.
Lauren Conrad & William Tell's Casual Couch Shot
Former Laguna Beach star Lauren Conrad's Instagram is always so dreamy, and her 2019 Christmas card definitely fit right in. Everyone looks so happy in this picture, including her oldest son, Liam, who's making a goofy face, and snoozing baby Charlie beside him.
Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's First Christmas Card
If you ever need inspiration for taking a holiday card photo with a crawling baby, this one is basically the gold standard! Here, baby Archie Harrison was front and center (as he should be), with parents Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sitting proudly in the background by the tree. Stunning!
Check out our Meghan Markle page for all the latest news about Meghan, Prince Harry, and their growing family.
Meghan & Harry's Second Christmas Card
Here's a totally unique twist on holiday cards: Turn them into actual artwork! For their 2020 card, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex had a family photo transformed into art. Not only was this something a little different, but it became a beautiful keepsake for years to come.
Jade Roper Tolbert's Card/Birth Announcement Combo
In December 2020, Bachelor alum Jade Roper Tolbert decided to do double duty with her holiday cards by wishing everyone a merry Christmas and announcing the birth of her son, Reed Harrison, all at the same time. If newborn photos have been done, this is a super simple way for multitasking new moms to cross two things off their to-do list.
Jessica Alba & Cash Warren's Pajama Party
Jessica Alba and husband Cash Warren have a tradition of taking photos in Christmas PJs every year, and in 2018, the family looked too cute in their matching ensembles. Looking for a cozy, low-pressure way to take an adorable family photo? This might be it.
Ashlee Simpson & Evan Ross Keep It Simple
Taking it back to 2018, Ashlee Simpson and Evan Ross kept it pretty low-key for their holiday card. The whole family (including the dog) posed on the fireplace for a cute pic together. This one proves that you don't have to go all out to end up with a really nice holiday card.
A Royal Christmas
This photo may not have been a holiday card, but it could have been. In 2019, Prince George joined Queen Elizabeth and the rest of the line of succession for a little holiday baking, and of course, it made for such a sweet moment. An action shot like this would be perfect for a card.
Reese Witherspoon & Ava Philippe's Mother-Daughter Pic
This also isn't an official Christmas card, but whoa — if it featured the whole family, Reese Witherspoon totally could have used it. We love their matching holiday sweaters, and the fact that they're both holding mugs of hot chocolate and wearing red lipstick. So much inspiration!
The Kardashians' 2015 Christmas Card
Don't feel like appearing in a holiday card photo this year? Don't worry — you don't have to! If it's good enough for the Kardashian parents to skip a year, it's good enough for the rest of us. And in 2015, when just North, Mason, Penelope, and Reign were in the pic in matching outfits, the results were too cute.
The Cambridge Holiday Card
For the 2020 holiday season, Prince William and Kate Middleton once again knocked it out of the park with a gorgeous family pic. There's something so cozy about the fact that they're posed in front of firewood — and of course, Prince Louis' huge smile really ties the whole thing together.
