All of TPK's Christmas Calligraphy Tutorials + Printables

The holiday season gives calligraphers a time to shine! You can use your dip pen (and the occasional paintbrush) to create wondrous things that will light up any recipient’s mailbox. Today, I’ve rounded up all of TPK’s Christmas calligraphy and art tutorials to compile an inspirational list.

1. Cut-Out Ornament DIY Holiday Card Tutorial

The design on this card has a fresh, festive look, with plenty of beautiful greenery and shiny gold dots.

Cut-Out Ornament DIY Holiday Card Tutorial | The Postman's Knock — You can read about how to make this clever greeting card by clicking here.

The most unique aspect of this card is the fact that it doubles as an ornament! The recipient can pop the middle out of the card and hang it on his or her holiday tree.

2. Flourished Calligraphy Reindeer Tutorial

Calligrapher Maureen Vickery of PenDance Studio popped by the TPK blog to show us how to create this fabulous reindeer! You can switch up the message on his belly to reflect whatever will resonate best with your recipient.

3. Free (Super Cool) Hand-Drawn Printable Gift Tags

I love wrapping gifts with a creative flourish. However, with a toddler running around, it can be difficult to put in the time to make my gifts pretty. That’s why I made these printables for you — and for me!

Printed Hand-Drawn Gift Tags — For best results, print these gift tags on cardstock or heavy paper. You can find the tags for free by clicking here.

4. How to Wrap a Gift with Artistic Flair

A unique presentation can make a gift that much sweeter! In the How to Wrap a Gift with Artistic Flair article, you’ll find a tutorial video and suggestions for creating memorable wrapped gifts.

How to Wrap a Gift with Artistic Flair | The Postman's Knock — Click here for gift presentation inspiration.

5. Triangle Fold Holiday Card Tutorial

Artist and calligrapher Phyllis Macaluso came up with this pocket-sized holiday card concept. The card doubles as an ornament when it’s neatly folded up!

Boughs of Holly Holiday Card Tutorial by Phyllis Macaluso — You can learn how to make a creative card like this one by clicking here.

6. Fir Branch Gift Tags Tutorial

Use watercolor paper, waterproof ink, and green watercolor to create this earthy and elegant gift tag.

DIY Holiday Gift Tags Tutorial (Part II) | The Postman's Knock — You can find instructions for making this pretty gift tag in this tutorial.

7. Pretty Mrs. Claus Printable Envelope

If you find yourself pressed for time, you can use this printable holiday envelope to send holiday greetings. It features a 1920s era Mrs. Claus and “HAPPY HOLIDAYS” lettering!

Printable Holiday Envelopes | The Postman's Knock — You can download this Pretty Mrs. Claus printable mail art here. Try writing your recipient’s address with walnut ink to add to the vintage effect!

8. Artistic Ornaments-Themed DIY Christmas Card Tutorial

The secret behind this unique-looking card? Your breath! While the watercolor is still wet, you blow on it to create artistic spatters.

"Artistic Ornaments"-Themed DIY Christmas Card Tutorial | The Postman's Knock — Read about how to make this (literally) breathtaking holiday artwork in this tutorial.

9. DIY Holiday Card + Artistic Envelope Tutorial

This card has a cool 3D component because of the banner. I love how it stands out from the vibrant red roses!

DIY Holiday Card + Artistic Envelope Tutorial (Includes Free Banner Printable) | The Postman's Knock — Learn how to make this holiday card (and snag a free printable banner) by clicking here.

10. Watercolor Holiday Wreath Tutorial + Free Printable Gift Tags

This tutorial teaches you how to paint a simple holiday wreath. The tutorial also features printable gift tags that enjoy ample seasonal popularity on Pinterest.

Watercolor Holiday Wreath Tutorial + Free Printable | The Postman's Knock — Read the tutorial — and find a link to download the printable gift tags — by clicking here.

11. Snowman Gift Tags

These printable snowman gift tags turned nine years old last month — I can’t believe it’s been that long since I first made them! They feature a basic acrylic illustration that pairs well with almost any wrapping paper.

Snowman Gift Tag | The Postman's Knock — If your printer can’t print on cardstock, print these gift tags off on regular paper. Then, glue them on to a cardstock backing.

12. Circular DIY Christmas Card Tutorial

Rarely do we see circular cards, and the flourished “Happy Holidays” script and the sparkling gold watercolor add to the card’s sophistication.

Circular DIY Christmas Card Tutorial | The Postman's Knock — If you’re hesitant about your ability to write “Happy Holidays” like this, don’t worry — the calligraphy is traceable! Find the tutorial here.

13. DIY Holiday Gift Tags Tutorial

If you enjoy midcentury modern motifs, then you’ll appreciate the DIY Holiday Gift Tags Tutorial! The ornament-themed gift tag even includes a little bit of aluminum foil at the top to represent a cap and hook.

DIY Holiday Gift Tags Tutorial | The Postman's Knock — You can use a regular pen or a dip pen to create the fun designs on this ornament gift tag.

14. Embellished Winter Greeting Card Tutorial

If you’re looking for a greeting card motif, you’ll enjoy this tutorial! It combines gold and green watercolors to make a shimmery card that is so wintery you can almost smell pine tree in the air.

Embellished Winter Greeting Card Tutorial | The Postman's Knock — Learn how to make this pretty card by clicking here.

15. Christmas Tree Holiday Envelope Art Tutorial

I love the way that snowy white ink makes the address stand out from the metallic tree in this holiday mail art! You can add vintage Christmas-themed postage stamps to amp up the magic. (Learn about where to find vintage postage stamps here.)

Christmas Tree Holiday Envelope Art Tutorial | The Postman's Knock — Click here to visit this tutorial!

16. Tasteful Twist-Out Tree Holiday Card Tutorial

Elegant white flourishes, a Christmas tree cutout, and glittering stars take this card to the next level! (This is my current favorite holiday card on the site … sooo pretty.)

17. Calligraphy Christmas Ornament Tutorial

I love using watercolor paper to make Christmas ornaments! Just use the cutout provided in the tutorial to make an ornament shape, then decorate the paper ornament in your own signature style.

18. Night Before Christmas Card Tutorial

Modern Calligraphy author Molly Suber Thorpe wrote this simple, fun tutorial for the TPK blog. It relies on handmade paper and metallic watercolor to make a festive Christmas calligraphy greeting!

Night Before Christmas Card Tutorial - Guest Post by Molly Suber Thorpe — You can find this holiday card tutorial by clicking here.

19. “Joy” Elegant Gold Christmas Card Tutorial

This card combines matte black cardstock and sparkling gold watercolor to make a classy, irresistible holiday card.

20. Free Holiday Calligraphy Exemplar

This one-page worksheet offers a basic alternative to TPK’s holiday calligraphy worksheets. Use it to practice writing out four popular holiday greetings!

21. Kid-Friendly DIY Paper Ornaments Tutorial

This tutorial is the perfect kid-friendly project that will produce heirloom DIY paper ornaments! Make it with your littles or enjoy a relaxing evening making ornaments yourself.

22. How to Make an Ornament-Themed Calligraphy Christmas Card

This Christmas card features the flourished ornament elements from the TPK Holiday Calligraphy Worksheet 2022 Edition. Enjoy the video tutorial below!

23. Festive Bough Calligraphy Flourish Tutorial by Phyllis Macaluso

Phyllis Macaluso is known for her beautiful flourishes and embellishments. In her Festive Bough Calligraphy Flourish Tutorial, she walks us through exactly how to make delicate flourishes ourselves! The tutorial includes a very helpful free PDF that will come in handy every holiday season!

24. Beautiful Watercolor Fir Wreath Mail Art Tutorial

A watercolor fir wreath is a quick motif that never fails to look festive! Put it on an envelope, and you’ve got one gorgeous piece of mail art.

Beautiful Watercolor Fir Wreath Mail Art Tutorial (Includes Video) — You can learn how to make a simple but stunning watercolor fir wreath in this tutorial.

25. 6 Simple Ways to Make a Calligraphy Christmas Tree

‘Tis the season to adorn your paper goods with festive motifs like flourished Christmas trees! In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through six different ways to draw a simple calligraphy Christmas tree.

So, there you have it! These Christmas calligraphy tutorials can help to boost your creativity this season, as well as make for some very happy recipients. I hope that you enjoyed this list and that you feel inspired to make at least one of these beauties. Thanks so much for reading TPK, and have a great rest of the week!

Warmly,

This article was first published in November of 2017. I update it every one or two years to reflect the new offerings on the site!