13 Santa-approved Christmas Shirt Ideas to Get You Into the Holiday Spirit

The scent of cookies filling the air, wrapping paper crinkling under your fingertips, and Michael Bublé playing in the background . . . it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas!

I’ve put together a list of 13 Christmas shirt ideas to help you get festive from head to mistletoe. Whether it’s for a family gathering, an office party, or a romantic Hallmark-movie-style date with your Mr. or Mrs. Claus, Yule find inspiration for snug Christmas t-shirts.

So, are you ready to fawn over some cozy ideas?

1. Family Christmas shirt ideas

To me, Christmas is all about family. Once a year, all the grandmas, moms, dads, kids, cousins, and everyone in between come over to my parent’s place. It’s a beautiful chaos of everybody catching up, some mouth-watering food, fairy lights, and wonder. It all wraps up with each one of us reciting poems and songs by the tree to earn presents.

Whether you like to celebrate the holidays big or small, it’s a nice time to show some love to the people in your life you consider family. Check out these t-shirt ideas you could wear for your Christmas family reunion photo or give as a merry gift.

2. Funny Christmas shirts

It’s not a good holiday without a proper laugh. Why not bring some smiles to your friends’ faces with a hilarious custom t-shirt? Think Christmas puns, inside jokes, and some good old dad humor to create your Christmas shirt designs.

If you’re not that into text-based designs, funny Christmas illustrations or photos will also do.

3. Classic festive shirt ideas

Maybe you’re not after a snappy joke and want a simple, cozy holiday fit. To create a classic Christmas shirt, think of various holiday motifs and get to work.

Spark up your imagination with these popular ideas that get people feeling all jolly and warm inside: reindeer, wrapped gifts, Santa Claus, cookies, Christmas trees, baubles, fairy lights, evergreen wreaths, gingerbread, and candy canes.

For these shirts, I highly recommend using red, green, and white shades.

4. Couples’ Christmas shirts and other cute designs

Valentine’s Day is not the only holiday for romance. There’s something about the cold weather, beautiful lights, and preparing gifts for loved ones that makes you just want to cuddle up with somebody.

Design matching shirts for you and your holiday sweetheart to show your feelings. Personalize shirts with Mr. and Mrs. Claus and mistletoe, or sprinkle some hearts and lovely quotes on classic Christmas designs.

5. Christmas shirt ideas for kids

I don’t think anybody embodies the Christmas spirit as much as children do. The little ones believe in the miracle and magic of the holidays more than we adults can fathom.

Some Christmas shirt ideas the younger family members will appreciate: bright colors, Christmas sweets, thematic patterns, elves, or reindeer and other winter animals.

Pro tip: you can make any animal Christmassy by putting Santa’s red hat on top of its head.

6. Neutral winter and simple Christmas shirt ideas

I love to go all out with holiday-themed shirts and there’s no such thing for me as an ugly Christmas sweater. However, I also appreciate something more subtle. If you want to create a Christmas shirt that you’ll be able to wear for any occasion and longer than just the week around Christmas, winter motifs are excellent. Think snowflakes, seasonal foods and fruit, polar themes, and designs that spark cozy feelings.

You can even make your designs abstract with only a hint towards Christmas. Mesh together holiday shapes like gifts, toys, trees, or snowflakes, and you’ve got yourself an artsy Christmas shirt.

7. Occupational and office party Christmas shirts

There’ll be parties for hosting, marshmallows for toasting . . . Got a workplace holiday party coming up? Order yourself a custom Christmas shirt and your outfit is all done.

You can use one of the previous classic Christmas and winter-themed shirt ideas or make an original design related to your job. Use elements associated with your line of work, your company logo, or even create matching shirts for your coworkers.

8. Movie, book, and pop-culture-inspired Christmas shirt ideas

Christmas is rich with seasonal books, movies, TV shows, and music. Use your favorite quotes or references in your designs. But remember: no matter how popular, somebody made that art and owns the copyright to it. Make your references subtle and be respectful of the creator’s ownership of their work.

Simply, don’t be a Grinch stealing another artist’s Christmas. If you want to read more about the dos and don’ts of copyright, here are our acceptable content guidelines.

I’ve been doing some Christmas shopping of my own, and I’ve noticed a cool idea of how to ensure fair content use. Take a small element of a Christmas movie or book and build a little story around it. Say you watch Home Alone every year—a logo for Kevin McCallister’s Home Security company could be a cool idea for a shirt. Also, you could easily customize college or varsity-style shirts and sweaters of fictional places.

Here are some examples of what I mean.

If you don’t have a favorite Christmas movie or book, you can still find ways to include your interests in your shirt design. Maybe your favorite TV show has a dedicated holiday episode, or, perhaps, you’re secretly a pun master. Reference your favorite holiday TV moments or blend your fandom and Christmas with a pun.

9. Vintage Christmas shirts

Deck the halls with boughs of nostalgia! A nod to the past, vintage Christmas shirts bring back the magic of old-fashioned Christmas cards, golden-age glamor, and mid-century merriment.

Whether it’s the charm of a classic Santa Claus, retro reindeer, or winter scenes from a 1950s holiday postcard, these shirts will make you feel warm and fuzzy. Perfect for those who believe that the classics never go out of style!

10. Shirts for holidays around the world

Embrace the beauty of global cultures! These shirts will shine a spotlight on the diverse holiday traditions from across the globe. From the bright lanterns of Diwali to the spirited dances of Las Posadas, each design is a heartfelt tribute to the richness of different cultures.

For a truly personal touch, dig into your family history or chat with your grandparents about your ancestors’ cherished traditions. You may discover a beautiful holiday story waiting to be celebrated on your next favorite shirt.

And don’t forget, a tee like this is a thoughtful way to honor friends who come from different cultures and backgrounds.

11. Pet-themed Christmas shirts

Nothing warms the heart quite like our furry friends wrapped up in festive cheer. These shirts capture the irresistible charm of cats in Santa hats, dogs donning reindeer antlers, or even bunnies bundled in Christmas scarves. They’re the paw-fect representation of the joy our pets bring into our lives, especially during the holiday season.

Exploring this theme could also be a fun way to include your own pet’s quirky personality or favorite activity. Whether it’s a kitty tangled in lights or a pup mesmerized by snowflakes, there’s a story waiting to be told. And if you have friends who are proud pet parents, these shirts make for a purr-fect holiday gift.

12. Health and fitness holiday shirts

Ho-Ho-Hold that cookie and dash through the snow (or maybe to the gym). As we jingle all the way toward New Year’s, many of us are already drafting our resolution lists. One of the most common resolutions is to lead a healthier lifestyle: being more physically active, eating a wholesome and healthy diet, and hitting specific health and fitness milestones.

These shirts are perfect for anyone who knows their way around a dumbbell, believes in sleigh-ing their workouts, or simply wants to keep the holiday pounds at bay.

13. Friends’ Christmas shirts

Ring in the festive cheer alongside your chosen family—your dearest friends! The season might focus on family, but friends often hold a special holiday space too.

Consider these design elements to celebrate the bond during Friendmas:

• Intertwined candy canes or lights showing your inseparable ties

• Silhouettes of friends around festive settings

• “Chosen Family, Christmas Family” in holiday typography

• A globe with connecting lines for long-distance friendships

• A simple design with all your friend group’s names or initials

These shirts are a festive nod to the pals who’ve been there through every tangled light and toppled tree moment.

Picking your Christmas shirt model and customization technique

Now that you have an idea of what Christmas design you want, it’s time to pick a shirt and customization technique. Let’s start with different shirt types!

Short-sleeve Christmas t-shirts

These are a classic choice and are the most versatile in terms of outfit combinations. You can layer them with cozy cardigans and scarves, or you can throw on a blazer for a more business casual look.

Our t-shirts are available in men’s/unisex, women’s, kid’s, teen’s, and baby fits. The men’s cut is great if you’re looking for a comfy, loose fit. It’s also the best option if you’re getting it as a gift for an adult and are not sure of the gift receiver’s size or fit preference. The women’s t-shirts are more body-fitting and will be better if you’re looking for something to accentuate curves. And the kid’s, teen’s, and baby shirts are obviously the most suitable for your little Christmas elves.

We also offer baby bodysuits which will serve as a heartwarming welcome gift to the newest members of the family or a gift for expecting parents.

Long-sleeved Christmas shirts

Shirts with long sleeves will be a better option for freezing cold winter weather. Let’s say, you’re going on a Christmas hike, ski trip, or a getaway in a snowy forest lodge (oof, I’m jealous). A long-sleeved shirt will definitely keep you warmer during outdoor activities.

Same as t-shirts, these also come in men’s/unisex, women’s, and youth fits.

We don’t have them in kid’s and baby sizes but as an alternative, we recommend the ¾-sleeved baseball shirts for the youngest family members.

Christmas sweatshirts and hoodies

A clothing piece that feels like a warm hug on a winter morning—who doesn’t want that for Christmas? Sweatshirts and hoodies are available in both men’s/unisex and women’s sizes. For kids and teens, we have a selection of hoodies.

Customization techniques for your Christmas shirt

Now that we’ve covered the shirt fits, let’s find the best customization technique for your Christmas masterpiece. Our available techniques include: DTG (direct-to-garment) printing, all-over printing, and embroidery.

To pick the best one, you need to assess your design specifications. Picking the right customization technique will ensure that your Christmas shirt comes out just how you imagined it.

Below you’ll find the design requirements for each technique. Think of the design you want on your Christmas shirt and see which description fits it the most.

Selling Christmas shirts and other festive products

Spread holiday cheer and earn a bit of cash for your own gift shopping by selling Christmas shirts online. Christmas clothing, home decor, and accessories are a big hit every year. People love to buy them as gifts or something special for themselves. Therefore, it’s a great idea to start your store just in time for one of the biggest shopping seasons.

Christmas shirts could be a great addition to your existing catalog if you have a store or a successful collection to launch your business with. To make your holiday catalog more profitable, add other holiday bestsellers that match your Christmas shirts. For example, festive leggings to create a matching holiday set during the cozy wintertime.

Time to decorate your Christmas tee

I hope these ideas gave you some inspiration for your own Christmas shirt idea. Experiment with the free tools and Christmas graphics in our Design Maker or check out some of the examples shared in this post. Let us know in the comments what holiday shirt you’ll be ordering this Christmas!

Read Next:

• Ecommerce Printing Guide: Top 7 Quality T-Shirts for Your Store
• A Step-by-Step T-Shirt Design Placement Guide for Beginners