Free Printable Cat and Dog Christmas Ephemera + Pet-Themed Christmas Craft Ideas for Journals and Scrapbooks
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Inside This Post
Download three free vintage Christmas collage sheets featuring adorable kittens and puppies from authentic early 1900s postcards.
Perfect for junk journals, scrapbooks, gift tags, greeting cards, and festive mixed media projects.
Learn fun and creative pet-themed Christmas craft ideas to brighten your holiday pages.
Get printing tips, inspiration, and additional free Christmas ephemera to explore.
Is there anything more charming than old-fashioned Christmas images featuring pets? The wide-eyed kittens, earnest little puppies, and Victorian toys have a special magic that modern holiday art just can’t replicate. These sweet vintage illustrations manage to feel both whimsical and nostalgic, which is perfect for crafters who love mixing antique charm with cozy holiday creativity.
Today’s free printables celebrate exactly that: three festive collage sheets of cats and dogs enjoying Christmas fun. These images come from early 1900s holiday postcards, complete with snow-dusted night skies, golden greetings, and classic Victorian children’s toys. They’re ideal for holiday junk journals, pet-themed scrapbooks, gift embellishments, mixed media cards, December Daily pages, or adding a touch of warmth to your winter crafting.
Let’s unwrap the details, explore creative ideas, and download your free Christmas pet ephemera!
About the Free Printable Cat & Dog Christmas Ephemera
You’ll find three free high-resolution collage sheets included in this post:
3.5 x 2-inch Journal Cards
This sheet contains eight vintage Christmas postcard images featuring kittens and puppies with toys, tree decorations, sleds, classic autos, and sweet seasonal messages. They’re perfect for pockets, tip-ins, tags, and layered collages.
5 x 3.5-inch Postcard-Sized Images
A set of four larger postcard-sized images adapted from original antique Christmas greetings. These work beautifully as small journal covers, tuck spots, festive greeting cards, or statement pieces on a scrapbook layout.
These sheets print crisply at 300 DPI and stay true to the original artwork’s soft colors, gold lettering, and snowy vintage charm.
Vintage Labels-Style Collage Sheet
This sheet features the same adorable Victorian kittens and puppies arranged in a decorative label shape, perfect for journal pockets, gift tags, belly bands, page headers, and layered embellishments. These curved shapes make them especially useful for tags and tuck spots in holiday junk journals.
Printing & Paper Tips
To get the best results from your Christmas ephemera:
Cardstock (65–80 lb) works wonderfully for tags and stand-alone cards.
Lightweight paper is great for layered collages.
Matte photo paper gives the most vibrant reproduction of the antique colors.
Sticker paper allows you to turn everything into instant embellishments.
Print at 100% scale for true postcard sizing.
If you want an even more authentic look, lightly distress the edges with a brown ink pad or brush.
Download the Free Printable Collage Sheets
Simply select the file format (JPG or PDF) you would like below each preview image, download, save, and print as many times as you'd like. These files are free with no email or login required.
3.5” x 2” Journal Cards
Pet-Themed Christmas Craft Ideas for Journals & Scrapbooks
Ready to bring these adorable animals to life? Here are some fun and festive ways to use the free ephemera in your December crafting:
1. Make a Pet-Themed Christmas Junk Journal Spread - Create a cozy winter page around your own pets—or simply enjoy a Victorian fantasy world where cats fly airships and puppies decorate Christmas trees. Add:
Tea-dyed lace
Vintage sheet music
Scrap fabric in reds and greens
A sprinkling of faux snow or mica flakes
Handwritten pet memories or Christmas quotes
The soft vintage palette pairs beautifully with warm neutral tones.
2. Create Vintage-Style Christmas Gift Tags - The smaller 3.5x2 inch images are the perfect tag size. Simply:
Print them on cardstock
Punch a hole in the corner
Add twine, ribbon, or baker’s cord
Glue to backing paper for extra sturdiness
They make adorable additions to pet treat bags, festive gifts, or homemade baked goods.
3. DIY Mini Postcards for Happy Mail - Cut up the larger printable sheet to create postcards to tuck inside:
Holiday swap envelopes
Pen pal letters
December Daily pockets
Christmas card bundles
Add postage-style rubber stamps around the edges for an authentic look.
4. Make a Pet Christmas Memory Spread - These images work beautifully next to:
Photos of your pets in holiday sweaters
Stories about past Christmas mornings
A list of your pets’ holiday “wish list” items
Paw print stamps or stickers
The illustrations feel playful and heartwarming, a great match for documenting holiday memories.
5. Turn Them into Printable Stickers - Print the sheet on sticker paper and cut around each shape by hand or with a cutting machine.
Great for planners, journal margins, or labeling holiday packages.
6. Create Layered Ephemera Clusters - Use the images as your focal point and build simple clusters with:
Vintage book pages
Corrugated paper
Scraps of wrapping paper
Buttons, charms, or jingle bells
Small bits of ribbon
These make gorgeous add-ins for journals or pockets for holiday swaps.
7. Use the Labels as Page Tabs, Pockets, or Layered Embellishments - The decorative label shapes make beautiful page tabs, tuck spots, embellishment layers, and small journal pockets. Simply print them on cardstock, cut around the curves, and layer with scraps of lace, book pages, or Christmas tissue paper for instant vintage charm.
5” x 3.5” Postcards
Other Free Christmas Printables You Might Like
Free Angel Ephemera Printables — ethereal Victorian-style angels that layer beautifully with your Christmas pet images.
Free Victorian Christmas Collage Sheets — classic turn-of-the-century Santa, children, toys, and more to deepen the nostalgic holiday feel.
Free Vintage Christmas Printables — Kids Edition — charming vintage children at play during Christmas — perfect for layering or as companion imagery.
Free Vintage Christmas Ephemera Printables — a broad mix of holiday ornaments, banners, and decorative elements to round out your seasonal crafting.
FAQs
What size do these print best at?
The sheets are designed at 300 DPI for crisp printing at their original dimensions.
Can I resize the images?
Yes! You can resize them smaller without losing quality, or enlarge slightly for tags and journal cards.
Are these original vintage postcards?
Yes — the designs are adapted from authentic early 1900s holiday postcards curated for clarity and print quality.
Final Thoughts
These charming Christmas kittens and puppies are sure to brighten your holiday crafting. Whether you're creating a festive junk journal, designing custom gift tags, or sending sweet mini postcards to friends, this vintage-inspired ephemera adds warmth and whimsy to any December project. I hope these little furry friends bring lots of creative joy to your holiday season!
Love These Printables? Support The Art Scavenger!
I love sharing free vintage printables, and if you enjoy them, there are easy ways to support my work so I can continue creating and offering more free designs:
You may also enjoy these free collage sheets.
Terms of use:
Free to use for personal or commercial projects. You may print the collage sheets as many times as you wish for your personal crafts or in your projects to sell, including: art journals, scrapbooks, junk journals, collage art, etc. You may not redistribute or sell the collage sheets “as is" in either print or digital form.
If you wish to share the files on your own website, please do not make the files available for download directly from your site. Instead, include an image with a link back to this site.
To the best of my knowledge, these are all royalty free images that are in the Public Domain in the US. However, you should always do your own research if you plan to use them commercially.
