Free Vintage Christmas Ephemera Printables: Whimsical Holiday Images for Your Crafts
Inside This Post
Download free printable vintage Christmas ephemera from early 1900s postcards.
Includes:
One sheet of 3.5” × 2” journal cards
One sheet of 3” circle embellishments
Features a variety of festive imagery: elves, sleighs, wrapped gifts, and even a holiday cat.
Ideal for junk journals, holiday scrapbooks, handmade cards, and festive mixed media projects.
Authentic vintage art to spark nostalgic holiday creativity.
A Whimsical Glimpse Into Vintage Christmas Celebrations
The Christmas postcards of the early 20th century are full of surprises. While many focus on traditional themes like snowy cottages, holly sprigs, and jolly Santas, some feature delightfully unexpected details: a festive kitty dressed for Christmas, elves painting holly berries, or dogs presenting holiday greetings.
This new set of free printable vintage Christmas ephemera captures that lighthearted charm. The artwork comes directly from antique postcards, lovingly restored to preserve their color, texture, and tiny details. When you print and cut these pieces, you’re not just adding embellishments to your crafts; you’re adding fragments of holiday history.
Each sheet is designed to be instantly usable in all sorts of projects:
The 3.5” × 2” journal cards fit beautifully in tuck spots or layered collage spreads.
The 3” circle designs make standout accents, tags, or focal points for handmade cards.
Together, they bring a playful yet timeless energy to your holiday creations.
Why Vintage Ephemera Feels So Magical
There’s something about vintage holiday artwork that stirs the imagination. Unlike modern stock graphics, these postcards were hand-illustrated, often printed with rich inks and embellished with metallic details. The muted reds, soft greens, and warm golden tones feel cozy and familiar, like stepping into a snow-dusted memory.
And then there are the unexpected characters: the tiny elves decorating for the holidays, the cat with a sled full of gifts, the bird delivering a Christmas message. These small details make your crafts feel personal and full of story.
Using them in your creative work adds not just decoration, but a connection with the makers who celebrated Christmas more than a century ago.
3.5” x 2” Journal Cards
Ideas for Using These Vintage Christmas Printables
Not sure where to start? Here are a few creative ways to bring these whimsical pieces to life:
Junk Journals & Art Journals
Add the journal cards to pocket pages or hinge them with washi tape to create flip-ups. Use the circular images as focal points on layered collage spreads.
Handmade Christmas Cards
Place one of the circles in the center of a folded card base, surround it with lace or ribbon, and add a stamped holiday sentiment. The vintage aesthetic makes even simple cards feel extra special.
Gift Tags & Ornaments
Print the circles on heavy cardstock, punch a hole, and add twine to turn them into tags or ornaments. The festive cat image is especially fun for cat lovers!
Holiday Scrapbook Pages
Use the journal cards as titles or journaling spots. Pair them with photos from your own family celebrations to create pages that blend past and present.
Mixed Media Layers
Combine the ephemera with stenciled snowflakes, vintage sheet music scraps, and metallic foil for rich, dimensional holiday spreads.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these authentic vintage images?
Yes, these designs come from original Christmas postcards from the early 20th century.
What sizes are included?
This download includes 3.5” × 2” journal cards and 3” circles, perfect for layering and embellishing.
What kind of paper works best?
I recommend printing on cardstock for durability when making gift tags, ornaments, or greeting cards. Use lightweight copy paper for layering in collages.
Can I sell crafts I make with these?
Yes! You can absolutely use them in handmade creations you sell, like journals, cards, or tags. Just don’t resell or distribute the digital files or printouts of them “as is.”
More Free Printables You Might Like
Once you’ve downloaded these festive designs, you might also enjoy exploring these other seasonal sets on The Art Scavenger:
Old-Fashioned Christmas – Classic illustrations that capture the warm glow of early holiday traditions.
Christmas Photo Ephemera – Vintage black-and-white photos of Christmas celebrations from decades past.
Snowflake Photos – Ethereal real-life snowflakes captured on film, perfect for frosty winter layers.
Acorn & Oak Printables – Woodland botanicals that pair beautifully with rustic holiday projects.
Final Thoughts
These free vintage Christmas ephemera printables bring together everything I love about antique holiday art like unexpected whimsy, rich detail, and heartwarming charm. Whether it’s the helpful decorating elves, the sleek sleigh rushing through the snow, or the gift box full of holly, each piece tells a tiny holiday story.
I hope these printables inspire you to slow down, savor the season, and fill your holiday crafts with personality and joy. After all, creating with vintage ephemera is more than just decoration. It’s a way to keep the magic of Christmases past alive in the present.
3” Circles
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.
