17 Super Cute Family Christmas Card Photos You Can Take Right at Home

Making cookies over the holidays is a popular holiday tradition in many households. What if you photographed that event for your annual year-end greeting card? This casual approach to getting a perfect Christmas family photo will showcase the natural fun your family shares together during the holiday season. Don’t worry if the kids or counter get dirty because it’s all part of the authentic photo look! We even have some adorable holiday-themed kids' aprons that will pair perfectly with your photo shoot.

Another Christmas photo idea can center around the act of decorating the tree once it is home. Everyone has their favorite ornaments, and someone always receives the honor to top the tree with a star or special topper. Photograph this family event and share it with your close friends and family in 2025.

Is your household brimming with energy, fun, and lots of hijinks courtesy of your kids? Let all of that love and laughter take center stage in your holiday photo by snapping a candid shot of your kids doing what they do best — causing chaos. To keep things feeling special, do your best to get your family into coordinated outfits (you can check out our full guide to planning Christmas photo outfits for a few ideas) and then let your kids run wild in your chosen background!

If your kids spend December impatiently counting down the days until Santa arrives, this is a great Christmas family photo idea for you. Get your family dressed up in holiday sweaters or pajamas, and have them pose underneath the stockings hung up on your mantel or by the tree, holding up a calendar with a few days crossed off. The more excited they can look in the photo, the better!

The fireplace is the heart of the home any time of year, and especially during the holidays. So gather your family around the mantel for a traditional at-home Christmas photo. To keep this feeling modern, you can create a more candid scene by having your family pose as if they’re spending an afternoon cozy by the fireplace, or you could go more formal by having everyone stand around the fireplace. Bonus points for swapping out your usual mantel decor for a holiday-themed art print!

Why limit holiday decorating to the living room? Your hallway or entryway can become a festive backdrop perfect for snapping a Christmas card photo. Drape garlands along stair rails, hang twinkling fairy lights, and add some personalized stockings to set the scene. Everyone lining up or casually gathered in this cheerful setting will create a picture-perfect moment.

The kitchen is the heart of holiday hustle, and is often full of hilarious chaos! Capture the fun (and maybe a little mess) of your family prepping festive meals or whipping up seasonal treats. Don’t worry about perfect smiles; the real laughter, spontaneous taste-testing, and flour-covered faces are exactly what will make your photo memorable and charming.

If family game nights are a beloved part of your holiday traditions, consider using them as inspiration for this year's Christmas card. Cozy up around your favorite board or card game in the living room or by the fireplace, and let the camera capture all the genuine reactions, friendly rivalries, and joyful moments. Matching holiday pajamas are optional, but highly encouraged!

Let’s be real — kids love Christmas because of the pile of presents that await them on Christmas morning. So have fun with it by staging a fight around the Christmas tree! You could instruct kids to play tug-of-war with one of the gift boxes, or have one get caught in the act of trying to steal a present from the other. The possibilities are endless.

Capture the hilarious moments of holiday mischief with faux candid photos—like kids sneaking cookies, peeking into gift bags, or getting tangled up in Christmas lights. These playful scenes add a touch of humor and personality to your family’s holiday card and are sure to bring smiles to everyone who receives it.

Looking for an easy, casual, and fun family Christmas photo idea? Look no further than your own phone. Taking a selfie can be as simple as using your arm, or if you truly want a bit more height, purchase an inexpensive selfie stick (elongating the distance between the camera and your family will also allow you to capture more of the background). A more casual selfie pose may also work well if you want to use a non-photo holiday card and place your family photos on the inside or back of the card.

Try looking inside your home with a new perspective to find fun Christmas card picture ideas. Have a favorite chair, a cozy couch throw, or a large plant? Put those three items together into a scene, and you have a great setup for a family photo.

Why waste a bunch of time this holiday season searching for the perfect setting? Just head to your front porch to get the perfect shot (and then watch your favorite Christmas movie as a family with the time you saved). To give this photo setting a bit more holiday flair, make sure to decorate your porch with a few festive touches like poinsettia plants, a beautiful wreath, or even a cheeky bit of mistletoe.

Posting on your front porch or in the front yard of your home is also a perfect photo idea if you are moving during the holidays. Combine your moving announcement with your holiday card seamlessly by shopping our holiday moving announcements for a chic “we’ve moved” holiday card. It can be a creative juxtaposition to showcase a simple picture taken on the front porch inside the card and an elegantly framed gold foil card design on the front.

Sometimes the perfect photo-op is right in your bedroom. Gather the family for a cozy photo shoot in the comfort of your own bed. This is a great option if you are announcing a new addition to your family this holiday season. Combine your holiday card with your birth announcement by showcasing your new little bundle in the safety of your home. We can help you find the perfect holiday birth announcement for your growing family.

Channel your kids' boundless energy into an unforgettable holiday card by letting them jump gleefully on the bed in festive pajamas. Capture parents playfully pretending to “catch” them mid-air—this spontaneous, energetic snapshot perfectly embodies holiday joy, laughter, and family fun.

If your children are in the phase of life where they seem to grow out of their clothes overnight, use your holiday card to showcase their growth! For this Christmas family photo, have your child pop on a festive outfit and line up against the wall or door where you keep track of their height at home, making sure the place that marks their height from the previous year is clear. If you have multiple children, you could take the same picture of each child and pick a card design that features slots for multiple photos.

Taking photos at home lets you capture natural, relaxed moments in your daily environment, without the stress of planning a location-based shoot. The location is also stable, meaning you don’t have to worry about the weather, or if it is open, if it is crowded, etc. It also lets you be creative with familiar spaces and everyday decor that reflect your family's unique style.

Natural daylight near windows creates beautiful, flattering light for indoor holiday photos. If natural light isn't available, use soft, warm-toned lamps or string lights to achieve a cozy, festive atmosphere.

Hiring a professional photographer can be a good idea but you do not need one in order to take an amazing family photo. A modern smartphone paired with a selfie stick or tripod can do wonders. The key is natural lighting and letting the fun, candid moments shine through, rather than focusing on technical perfection.

Use your favorite room as your backdrop, whether it’s a bright kitchen, a sunny living area, or a cozy corner. Add festive touches like string lights, seasonal decor, or even create a themed setup with colorful props and DIY decorations that bring out holiday cheer.

For an indoor family Christmas photo, stick to a coordinated look that’s both festive and comfortable:

• Choose a simple color palette (warm neutrals with pops of red, green, or gold).
• Mix cozy textures like knits and velvet.
• Opt for timeless patterns and avoid large logos.
• Coordinate outfits so each personality shines while still matching the overall look.

Let your children be themselves by engaging them in simple, fun activities or something you know they would enjoy. In fact, many of the ideas in this list include an activity for that reason; for example baking, decorating a tree, or even playing a favorite holiday game. Your child’s or children’s genuine reactions and expressive moments are what make the photos feel truly special.