Top 20 Christmas Prints of 2023

Rob Fletcher shares some of the best printed pieces celebrating Christmas in 2023.

With a chill in the air and frost on the ground, this can only mean one thing – the wonderful winter wonderland that is Christmas has arrived! This time of year allows marketers and brands to get creative with print and join in the festive fun with consumers.

Whether this is rolling out limited edition packaging to celebrate the season or producing eye-catching floor graphics to capture the attention of shoppers, we are certainly not short of examples of creativity.

Here, FESPA.com showcases some of our favourite prints of the season…

Sweet treats!

Designer: Krispy Kreme
Description: World-famous doughnut brand Krispy Kreme released a Christmas-themed box for the 2023 festive season. The printed cardboard box housed a selection of specially decorated doughnuts to enjoy!

Image courtesy of Krispy Kreme

Merry Monopoly!

Designer: Monopoly
Description: You can’t have Christmas without Monopoly! This special edition of the much-loved board game features a festive-themed board and Christmas-style money for players to enjoy over the holidays. Of course, both the paper-based board and money, not to mention the game box, are all printed.

Image courtesy of Rob Fletcher

Lovin’ it at Christmas

Designer: McDonald’s
Description: Never one to miss out on the festive season, McDonald’s released a special range of packaging for Christmas 2023. One that stood out in particular was this present-themed box for its children’s Happy Meals.

Image courtesy of Rob Fletcher

Light the candle

Designer: Yankee Candle
Description: If you’re struggling for your Secret Santa gift this year, a candle is always a safe choice. Yankee Candle has launched a special range of festive products, each featuring a Christmassy, printed design on glass.

Image courtesy of Yankee Candle

Turkey sandwiches at the ready!

Designer: Warburtons
Description: What is Christmas Day afternoon without a turkey sandwich? Warburtons has you covered with its festive range of packaging. The limited-edition packs feature several designs, each depicting a different Christmas character such as elves and snowmen.

Image courtesy of Rob Fletcher

An AR Christmas

Designer: Lindt
Description: Chocolatier Lindt released an innovative advent calendar this festive season, with the cardboard print featuring a QR code that consumers could scan to access a wide range of additional augmented reality content.

Image courtesy of Rob Fletcher

Woof the halls with boughs of holly

Designer: Denzel’s
Description: Who says pets can’t enjoy Christmas, too? Pet food brand Denzel’s released this festive edition of dog treats in printed cardboard packaging designed to look like a wrapped present.

Image courtesy of Rob Fletcher

Christmas carrot

Designer: Aldi
Description: Supermarket chain Aldi produced this special piece to help keep youngsters entertained while out shopping with their parents. Children could put their heads though the hole on the cardboard-based piece to make it seem as if they were standing next to Aldi’s Christmas character, Kevin the Carrot!

Image courtesy of Rob Fletcher

Christmas coffee

Designer: The Human Bean
Description: Christmas is a time of the year when coffee shops all around the world rebrand their famous takeaway cups to celebrate the festive season. This is just one example from The Human Bean, with its paper-based cups featuring a seasonal design for customers to enjoy their festive drinks.

Image courtesy of The Human Bean

Elf on your feet

Designer: TIME Slippers / Warner Bros.
Description: TIME Slippers celebrated the 20^th anniversary of hit Christmas film Elf with the release of some limited-edition slippers. The slippers are supplied with a printed, bright red feather, which is tucked into the laces and bears Buddy the Elf's famous quote: ‘Treat every day like Christmas’. The feather can be removed as used as an ornament on consumers’ Christmas trees.

Image courtesy of TIME Slippers / Warner Bros.

Christmas story

Designer: Curiosity Ink Media
Description: Despite the huge array of toys available to youngsters, books are still very much a popular and much-loved gift at Christmas. This year, a whole host of new, festive titles have been published, with this quarter from Curiosity Ink Media catching our eye. Printed copies will be dropped into Christmas stockings around the world.

Image courtesy of Curiosity Ink Media

Countdown to Christmas

Designer: Ferrero
Description: Another advent calendar now and Ferrero released this Christmassy piece to help children count down the days until the big day. The cardboard-based piece has been produced in the shape of a gingerbread house, with children able to open the doors and reveal Kinder chocolate treats inside.

Image courtesy of Ferrero

Yule Never Guess!

Designer: Decdienamix
Description: Any Christmas family get-together isn’t complete without a board game, is it? In the US, Decdienamix launched a new festive game it hopes will become a new Christmas tradition. Each printed card has a question and answer on one side, with a QR code that players can scan to learn more about each answer.

Image courtesy of Decdienamix

Elf on a car

Designer: Turo / Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products
Description: In further celebration of hit Christmas film Elf, Turo and Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products partnered to create five limited-edition Elfmobiles. The festive vehicles feature graphics inspired by the movie and its main character, Buddy the Elf.

Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Consumer Products

Work of festive art

Designer: US Postal Service
Description: Ready for the festive rush, US Postal Service announced a traditional Christmas stamp. The design features the Madonna and Child based on a piece by Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato, an artist who lived between 1609 and 1685.

Image courtesy of US Postal Service

Snowy scene

Designer: McDonald’s
Description: Back in McDonald’s and the fast-food chain this year carried the theme from its packaging onto other surfaces. The same design that featured on cups also appeared on window graphics that were installed at locations across the UK, depicting a festive, snowy scene.

Image courtesy of Rob Fletcher

Bear-illiant

Designer: Lindt
Description: Lindt returns to our list with this eye-catching foil print. The foil wrapper has been cleverly designed to look like its famous chocolate bears are wearing woolly Christmas jumpers!

Image courtesy of Rob Fletcher

Ice cream at Christmas?

Designer: Hudsonville Ice Cream
Description: We’ve all seen takeaway coffee cups that have been rebranded for Christmas, but what about ice cream? Hudsonville Ice Cream in the US launched three limited-edition holiday flavours, each of which was packed in festive, cardboard-based packaging.

Image courtesy of Hudsonville Ice Cream

Hallmark holiday

Designer: Topco Associates / Hallmark Channel t
Description: Several snack brands under the Topco Associates partnered with the Hallmark Channel, which shows festive films around the clock, to create a special range of products, helping consumers count down the days until Christmas. Limited edition pieces, and packaging, were created for brands such as Crav’n Flavor, Food Club and Wide Awake Coffee Co.

Image courtesy of Topco Associates

Light of hope

Designer: The Salvation Army / Laurel Mercantile Scent Library
Description: Ending on a charitable note and The Salvation Army partnered with Erin Napier, co-owner of the Laurel Mercantile Scent Library, to create a special candle for Christmas 2023. Funds raised from sales of the candle, which features a printed festive message, will support ongoing work by The Salvation Army.

Image courtesy of The Salvation Army

From all of the team here at FESPA.com, we would like to wish you a very happy Christmas and the very best for 2024!

Discover the latest innovations in print and signagte at FESPA Global Print Expo 2024,  Europe’s leading print and signage exhibition. Taking place from 19^th – 22^nd March 2024 at RAI Amsterdam, Netherlands. Register here to visit and use promo code FESJ402 for a 55 euros discount.