DIY Holiday Photo Garland: A Simple Way to Display Santa Photos & Holiday Cards

Start a Holiday Tradition With Santa Photos

Our very first Santa photo was taken at Busch Gardens — one of those big, exhausting holiday outings you barely survive with little kids in tow. Annie is four, leaning gently on my leg. Sadie is six months old, nestled in Santa’s arms. Evan and I are in it too. We made it there, we got the photo, and somehow we even smiled.

That photo is framed and it comes out every Christmas. And every time I walk past it in December, I feel something warm and deep in my chest.

Because here’s the thing: photos like that? They only matter if you see them.

Why You Should Print Your Holiday Photos

It’s too easy for our favorite pictures to live quietly in our phones, never printed, never remembered. That’s why I made the Holiday Photo Garland Printable — so we can pull those memories into the light, where our families can laugh at them, talk about them, and keep adding to them, year after year.

This idea actually started with a Halloween version. A long time ago, I made a garland to hang up one favorite photo from each year’s costume — and it took off this year when I shared it on Instagram and TikTok, it went totally viral. People told me it brought them to tears, that it made them finally print their photos, that it became a favorite part of their October decorations.

And then the requests started coming in:

"Do you have one for Christmas photos?" "We always take a Santa photo, I need a way to display them!" "I want this for our family holiday cards, too."

So I made this. A version for December. A simple, printable garland you can use for whatever holiday photos make you smile — Santa visits, card outtakes, cousin chaos. It all belongs.

A Simple Christmas Photo Display Idea

There are four Santa photos I plan to use for my garland. You just heard about the first.

The second? It's this one. Sadie at two, completely losing it in Santa's lap. Annie, five, cool as can be, giving the camera a side glance like she knows this moment is gold. I mean, she was right.

And that’s exactly why I made this printable. Because the moments that make us laugh the most? They're almost never the ones we pose for.

This isn’t just a craft. It’s a timeline. A tradition. One photo a year, hung where your people can see it.

Create a Holiday Garland with Santa Photos

Now, about the cousin chaos photo.

One-year-old Jack, full-on bawling in Santa’s lap. His twin sister Ellie, wide-eyed in Annie’s lap, clearly skeptical but safe. Sadie and Josie holding the line beside them. It's a layered, ridiculous, beautiful moment — and now that they're all older, it's even more of a treasure.

This is what the garland becomes: a timeline of growth, joy, and wild holiday outfits. Hung up with ribbon, a little bit of tape, and a whole lot of meaning.

🎁 Want more photo gift ideas like this? Ones that are actually fun and doable?

Grab my Favorite & Fun Photo Gift Roundup: Volume 1 — my roundup of quirky, heartfelt photo gift ideas that bring big joy (and are easy to make):

Use Your Favorite Holiday Moments in DIY Photo Projects

OK, but the final Santa photo is chef's kiss holiday magic:

PetSmart was doing dog photos with Santa. So we brought my sister's dog and our dog. And five cousins.

(Poor PetSmart. I'm still sorry/not sorry.)

Annie was 14, holding Jack (3) on her hip. Sadie (10), Josie (5), and Ellie (3) stood on the other side. The teenage Santa, who looked about 19 and had the fakest beard you've ever seen, held the dogs' collars. We extended way past the backdrop. It was chaos. It was perfect. It was ours.

That’s the heart of this whole thing.

The garland doesn’t have to be fancy. It doesn’t even have to be complete. It just has to start.

Want Your Photos To Look Their Best Before You Print?

Try my Iconic Editing Kit — a friendly, beginner-friendly course that helps you edit right on your phone.

Make Your Own Holiday Photo Garland Today

You don’t need a full decade of photos to begin. You just need the ones that make you smile. Print them, tape them to the garland, borrow a laminator (or grab this one from Amazon - I'm an affiliate so I'll get a little kickback if you use my link) and let your garland grow into something you love seeing every single December.

One photo a year. A tradition forever.

Download your Holiday Photo Garland Printable here:

Here's to memories that live where your family can see them.

Like the vibe here?

Come hang out with me. I’m Jess, a longtime family photographer who writes like we’re chatting in the preschool pickup line.

Each week (ish), I send a quick, thoughtful email — usually with a photo tip, a funny story, or a moment that made me pause.

Sometimes there’s a gentle nudge to take a picture of your own. Sometimes there’s a reminder that you’re doing a great job.

If that sounds like your kind of inbox moment, you can sign up for emails here: