Heirloom details, nostalgic motifs, unexpected color and candid photography define the season’s newest designs, while full-service mailing and concierge support make sending holiday cards easier than ever

Minted, the premium design brand powered by independent artists, has launched its 2026 Holiday Card Collection, featuring a new assortment of data-backed, trend-forward designs alongside expanded services that make it easier than ever to send holiday cards.

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Minted’s 2026 holiday collection brings renewed energy to nostalgic Christmas motifs, including classic nutcrackers paired with rich red and gold foil details. Shown here is Golden Nutcrackers by Anne Ciotola. Shop the full collection at minted.com/holiday. Courtesy of Minted.

Minted’s 2026 holiday card trends center on nostalgia, heritage details, unexpected color palettes and candid photography. From lace and embroidery to retro snapshots and classic holiday icons, the assortment reflects a season that feels both nostalgic and personal. The country’s 250th anniversary also fueled renewed attention to vintage Americana references across the collection.

This season, Minted is making it radically simpler to send holiday cards with a best-in-class suite of services designed to take the work out of one of the busiest times of year. From Minted Concierge, which offers personalized, one-on-one support, to Mail It For Me, a new full-service mailing option, and Peel & Seal Envelopes, Minted makes the entire process turnkey—from creating your holiday card to sending them in the mail.

2026 Holiday Card Design Trends

Independent artists are at the heart of everything Minted does, including its holiday card collection. This year's Holiday Card Challenge drew nearly 10,000 designs from artists around the world, with more than 2 million votes cast to select this year's winners, combining community insight with real-time data to reveal the season’s emerging trends.

This year’s winning design, Script and Stripes by Minted artist Karidy Walker, was inspired by family trips to the Christmas tree farm, pairing classic stripes with hand-drawn script for a fresh take on holiday tradition.

Across the broader 2026 collection, several aesthetic trends rose to the top, emerging from Minted’s global artist community and validated by consumer preference data:

• Lace + Stitch: Heritage textiles like lace, cross-stitch and embroidery bring a handmade, heirloom feel to holiday design. After gaining momentum on the runways and in weddings, the trend is now making its way into holiday. Searches for “lace” are up seven-fold year to date versus last year, while artist submissions featuring the trend are up 500% year over year.
• Nostalgic Christmas: Familiar holiday symbols, from nutcrackers and reindeer to doves and stars, return with renewed energy. Stars in particular are having a moment, with artist submissions doubling year over year and searches up 40% year to date. As AI becomes an increasingly present part of everyday life, these vintage motifs and familiar traditions offer a sense of comfort and connection.
• Pattern Play: Stripes and gingham persist, now joined by bolder checks, marble, herringbone, dots and decorative borders. Pattern-focused submissions are up 17% year over year as artists mix, scale and layer familiar motifs in new ways.
• Retro Photo Inspired: Holiday photography is becoming less polished and more personal. Film grain, direct flash, photo booth strips and candid snapshots favor personality over perfection and capture what the year actually felt like. Photo-strip style submissions are up 30% year over year.
• Burgundy + Sky Blue: Rich wine reds meet icy blues in an unexpected pairing that feels chic, wintry and distinctly 2026. Blue takes on a bigger role across this year’s collection, offering a cooler counterpoint to traditional holiday reds and greens.
• Americana: To mark America’s 250th year, heritage red, white and blue palettes paired with classic stars and stripes bring a distinctly American sensibility to holiday design without feeling overtly patriotic.

“What’s powerful about Minted is that our trends emerge from thousands of independent artists and are validated by real consumer preference data, giving us a unique view into what’s resonating now,” said Emily Barry, SVP of Holiday at Minted. “In a year shaped by AI, we’re seeing a strong pull toward the personal: handmade details, nostalgia and designs that feel distinctly human. At the same time, we’re pairing that creativity with best-in-class services that make it radically simpler to select, personalize and send a holiday card. It’s the combination of human creativity, data and service that sets Minted apart.”

How to Design & Send Holiday Cards with Minted’s Expanded Services

Alongside trend-forward designs, premium materials and elevated printing techniques, Minted aims to take the work out of one of the busiest times of year. From personalized, one-on-one guidance and address management to assembly and mailing, Minted makes it easier than ever to select, personalize and mail holiday cards.

Mail It For Me

Minted’s new Mail It For Me service brings a full-service mailing option to the brand’s premium stationery experience, making sending holiday cards radically simpler. After selecting and personalizing an eligible design, customers can have Minted print, assemble, address, stamp and mail their cards directly to recipients. The optional service is available on select card formats for an additional fee and includes USPS postage. Any extra unaddressed cards and envelopes are shipped directly to the customer.

Minted Concierge

From holiday cards to festive gatherings, Minted Concierge offers complimentary one-on-one support from real US-based Minted design experts who help customize cards, invitations, decor and finishing touches around each customer’s traditions and style. Concierge experts help customers navigate their vision, coordinate details and create holiday moments that feel personal and thoughtfully pulled together.

Peel & Seal Envelopes

Skip a step with adhesive envelopes that seal with a simple press, making one of the final parts of sending holiday cards faster and easier.

Address Book + Free Recipient Addressing

Collect, organize and save recipient addresses in one place with the Minted digital address book, making it seamless to manage and reuse holiday card lists year after year. Free recipient address printing is included in all orders with a choice of font and design on coordinating envelopes.

Minted’s holiday card collection features premium printing techniques including letterpress and foil-pressed, luxe formats like Photo Mount™ cards and a range of personalization options from new shapes, like marquee and mini scallop, to coordinating envelopes, festive liners and accessories. All designs are available on high-quality cardstock with seven options including Premium 100% Recycled paper, double-thick, cotton and pearlescent finishes.

To explore the 2026 Minted Holiday Card Collection, visit minted.com/holiday.

About Minted

Minted is a leading consumer tech platform, known for premium stationery, art, and home decor. Minted systematically sources unique and on-trend design content by crowdsourcing thousands of designs per week from more than 20,000 independent artists around the world. Minted empowers independent artists to earn income from every purchase of their design, while Minted handles manufacturing, marketing, customer services, and fulfillment.

Since its founding in 2007, Minted products have reached more than 90 million homes worldwide. Minted also builds traditional retail distribution for its independent artist community, partnering with major retailers and consumer products brands. The company has raised more than $300 million from top-tier investors including Benchmark Capital, T. Rowe Price, Permira, Ridge Ventures, Technology Crossover Ventures, and Norwest. Learn more at minted.com.

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“What’s powerful about Minted is that our trends emerge from thousands of independent artists and are validated by real consumer preference data, giving us a unique view into what’s resonating now,” - Emily Barry, SVP of Holiday at Minted.