Christmas Craft Trends for 2019

This article stems from one of my most popular articles CRAFT TRENDS FOR 2019 as well as HOT ITEMS TO SELL AT CRAFT SHOWS IN 2018. I research and write these articles at the beginning of a new year, which means by the end of the year, trends may have changed, so I thought I would offer an update 🙂

 

Christmas is also one of the biggest shopping holidays and brings about a different theme of products than what’s covered in CRAFT TRENDS FOR 2019. If you sell jewelry, you may want to also check out: HANDMADE JEWELRY TRENDS FOR CHRISTMAS 2019 for more details.

 

You may be interested in:

>> MAKE MORE MONEY AT CRAFT FAIRS

>> HOW TO SELL HANDMADE BEYOND FRIENDS & FAMILY

>> CRAFT BUSINESSES THAT MAKE THE MOST MONEY

 

Many of the trends mentioned in CRAFT TRENDS FOR 2019 are still relevant and I’m not covering all the categories again, so please check out that article for more ideas.

 

Although no one can predict with 100% accuracy what will fly off the shelves, I do make the list based on a lot of research and am NOT simply guessing. I search popular handmade product categories, keywords that fit under them, and generally fall down rabbit holes consuming information about products. These are some of the trends I noticed, however, there are many others not mentioned here.

 

TOOLS USED TO FIND TRENDS

I also use a few tools to help back up my findings:

• Google Trends– this tool tells me what’s trending in terms of words that are commonly searched on Google and related terms that are on the rise. I also look at search trends over the past 5 years to see if there are any that consistently peak this time of year.
• Industry leaders– I visit a variety of leading websites in the color, fashion, home décor, beauty, etc. industries to see what they’re predicting for trends.
• Popularity/saturation– my picks based on popular videos, pins, products that are flooding the market, topics blogs cover, movements, etc.
• Etsy sales– I use a tool that tells me which Etsy shops have the highest sales. Having a popular product is just one part of that equation but is still worth factoring in.

 

Please keep in mind that this article contains ideas to spark your imagination and that you must be aware of copyright laws and are responsible for following them. More information on that and other legal things to consider when running a handmade business can be found HERE.

 

 

CHRISTMAS COLOR TRENDS FOR 2019

Colors are important when planning your holiday collections (you can find step-by-step instructions to plan and create a profitable holiday collection here). You don’t want to simply offer your products in all the colors mentioned here. But rather, group colors together that tell a story.

For example, creating a collection using this year’s midnight blue with a sparkling silver can tell a story of a magical Christmas Eve, or perhaps elegant and sophisticated Christmas Eve, depending on the brand and products being sold. Think about how you can use this year’s trendiest colors to build a holiday collection.

 

It’s also important to use color in your craft show display to tell a story.

To make an impact, use fewer colors. For example, only using cream and burgundy throughout your display will catch shoppers’ eyes. Using cream, grey, brown, burgundy, green, blue, and touches of silver and gold, doesn’t make as strong as an impact. It’s almost as if too many colors are competing for attention.

 

If you need more tips to improve your craft show display or help to figure out your display’s story and how to communicate it to craft show shoppers, join the FREE email challenge: 5 DAYS TO A STANDOUT CRAFT SHOW DISPLAY.

 

Red and green will always be the colors of Christmas, however this year, deeper hues seem to be more popular. Think deep burgundy, evergreen or even a mossy green.

Blue was another color that kept showing up in relation to Christmas 2019. There were mentions of teals, however dark blue seemed like the bigger trend to me, which I absolutely love.

 

There are some awesome color combinations you could create with it for stunning collections. Imagine dark blue mixed with metals (silver or gold), or with rust color. The dark blue and rich burgundy would also look great with cream and gold accents…so many possibilities 😉

 

Natural colors are in line with the natural trend of 2019. Think shades of browns, greens, and other colors found in nature during winter.

 

Metallic touches of silver and gold are always popular around this time of year, however, they seem to have more vintage vibes this year; think rust and patina.

 

 

FASHION COLOR TRENDS FOR FALL/WINTER 2019

Again, use these colors sparingly in a holiday collection to clearly paint a picture and tell a story. Don’t simply offer one of each color.

 

Fashion color trends are important if you sell fashion-forward clothing or accessories (e.g. scarves).

 

The colors seen on runways were extensive. However, the colors that came up on several trend reports were:

Deep red

The Pantone color of the year, Living Coral, was still popping up on runways, even though it has a very summery feel to it. Wouldn’t a merlot color look great with it?

Shades of purple, from really deep to light pastels.

A wide variety of greens

Bright orange

 

There are, of course, many other colors trending in fashion. Here’s some more information on fashion color trends for fall/winter 2019.

 

 

CONSUMER TRENDS FOR CHRISTMAS 2019

Environmentally friendly isn’t a “trend”; it needs to become a way of life. However, it’s worth noting that more and more consumers are becoming conscious of how much damage we’re doing to our planet through fast fashion, cheap products that get tossed after a couple uses, excessive packaging, etc.

 

We each need to do our part to help clean up this planet and stop contributing to the enormous amount of waste.

 

Natural elements and environmentally friendly materials fit with this upward “trend”.

 

Also, keep consumer shopping trends in mind. Online shopping and mobile online shopping increase each year, so if you have an online store for selling your handmade products, make sure it’s ready to go for the holidays…and that it’s mobile-friendly.

 

Once you update your shop, check it out on your phone to make sure photos look good, buttons are easy to click, font size is readable, etc.

 

If you’ve planned profits properly (one of the MOST important points I cover in THE SUCCESS PLANNER), you should have wiggle room to offer discounts from time to time.

 

Keep this in mind for Cyber Monday, which is the online shopping version of Black Friday; the biggest shopping day of the entire year. Cyber Monday is the first Monday after American Thanksgiving and many consumers head online to look for deals and to get some of their Christmas shopping done.

 

You do NOT have to offer a huge discount. You don’t even have to offer a discount at all if it means you won’t profit. But do be sure your online store is stocked and ready to go.

 

Keep shipping in mind for online shopping as well.

 

There will always be last-minute shoppers but you can encourage more people to buy sooner rather than later by offering limited order spots, discounts, or creating deadlines.

 

Instead of missing out on sales because you won’t be able to get a purchased item shipped to a customer on time, push sales in November and early December with a little urgency marketing through your newsletter and social media platforms.

 

*Here are simple instructions to start your newsletter today, as well as a list of 356+ ideas to send your subscribers. And a few tips to get your next social media post to go viral.

 

 

CHRISTMAS TRENDS FOR 2019

Nordic and Scandinavian styles (which, to me, says minimalistic, clean, and simple design) continue to trend into Christmas.

These cookie-cutter ornaments by The Merry Thought have that vibe.

 

The words “nostalgia”, “vintage” and “traditional” came up a lot when searching Christmas trends for 2019, which also aligns with the popular search term according to Google Trends: “Vintage red truck Christmas décor”. Woodshop Diaries has an awesome tutorial for a vintage red truck stocking hanger.

 

“Glitter” also becomes a popular search term over the holidays, which may influence your material choices.

 

“Personalized” is a term and type of product that is trending upwards in searches, Etsy shops, and definitely peaks for the holidays. “Personalized Christmas ornaments” is trending up and many top-selling Etsy shops under the Holiday category are selling personalized ornaments.

If you’re selling personalized products at a craft show, you may want to check out: HOW TO DISPLAY & SELL CUSTOMIZED PRODUCTS AT A CRAFT SHOW

 

Sustainable wrapping paper fits with the “natural” trend and being environmentally friendly, which applies to businesses selling stationery, packaging, or wrapping items.

If you sell items such as gift-wrap or cards/tags, you may consider offering bow-alternatives to top off presents and go with a natural theme. Think bundles of eucalyptus, or pine, or dried orange slices, or cinnamon sticks, etc. The Merry Thought has some fun ideas for holiday gift-wrapping.

 

Alternative advent calendars, such as this paper house advent by Delia Creates, which also has a Scandinavian feel to it.

 

Wooden decorations are also popular and fit with the natural theme. There are lots of options for creating décor with wood slices, like these ones by The Simply Crafted Life.

 

I’ve also seen these slices arranged into a wreath. But don’t stop there, get creative and think outside the box.

 

“Christmas Eve box” is a term I kept seeing pop up. It’s actually been around for years but I had never heard of it. I did check on Google Trends and the keywords are commonly searched over the holidays and it has been increasing in popularity.

It’s basically a box you can fill with games, little gifts, treats, a letter from Santa, etc. and kids get to open it on Christmas Eve. They can be boxes with a lid, or simply a crate, like the one created by The Best Ideas for Kids.

And if you offer ones that can be personalized (e.g. add a child’s name) you’re making this trend even trendier 😉

 

Searches related to “Christmas décor” obviously spike during the holidays, however, when looking at Google Trend’s report for the past 5 years, there are more and more people searching for Christmas décor each year.

 

“Black and white plaid Christmas décor” also shows up on Google Trend’s list, which aligns with the buffalo plaid trend under home décor in my 2019 trend article.

 

“Blue and white Christmas décor” has seen an increase in searches, which is in line with the blue color trend for Christmas.

 

The farmhouse trend that’s popular when it comes to home décor is also spilling into Christmas. This post from Posh Pennies Gives you an idea of “farmhouse” Christmas décor, as well as the black and white plaid trend for Christmas.

 

I also noticed several horizontal wreaths. Instead of the traditional wreath being hung vertically, I saw many being used as table decorations, laying flat, or even hung horizontally above a table, like a chandelier. Here’s a paper wreath chandelier DIY by Lia Griffith

 

“Ugly Christmas sweater” does peak each year, however, that peak is slowly decreasing.

 

 

 

KNITTING & CROCHET TRENDS FALL/WINTER 2019

Knitted and crocheted products trend up this time of year as the weather gets colder in the Northern hemisphere. Scarves, mittens, toques (as we call them in Canada), slippers, and other cold-weather accessories obviously become more in-demand.

 

To be on-trend this year, consider following the “chunky knit” trend, or creating collections that use fall/winter 2019 trending fashion colors.

 

When searching some of the top-selling Etsy shops under the “knitting” category, I also noticed that neutral (e.g. cream, grey, beige) and natural colors (e.g. rusty orange colors, rich browns, deep greens, etc.) were popular.

 

Another trend under the knitting category, based on top-selling Etsy shops, seems to be subtler props for baby photoshoots than we’ve seen in the past. These props were more like costumes (e.g. elf costume or bunny ears and a tail) and colorful ones. Now it seems like softer colors and basic props are more popular (e.g. blanket and hat in matching colors).

 

Remember when your grandma made you a sweater and you weren’t so stoked to wear it? Well, handmade knitted sweaters are making a comeback (“knitting + sweaters” is also a popular search term according to Google Trends).

 

Darling Jadore has an abundance of beautiful patterns and The York Sweater is right on trend! (*I love The Lola Bag too and it would be great in deep rich colors for fall/winter.) 

 

“Chunky knit turtleneck sweater” and “oversized chunky knit sweater” were trending up according to Google Trends, with “crop knit sweater”, “fuzzy knit sweater”, “off the shoulder sweater” and “waffle knit sweater” also trending, but not quite as high.

 

“Giant knit blanket”, “super chunky knit blanket” etc. were also popular search terms relating to “knit”, so that trend is still going strong (it was a part of my 2018 and 2019 trend list).

 

Searches for “knit socks” also start to trend up for the holidays. “Hunter cable knit boot socks” is a search term that spikes this time of year, but it has been spiking a bit less with each new year. It refers to the brand “Hunter” so you can’t copy their work (that would be copyright infringement; please click here for more info on that), but you can come up with your own version of socks to be worn with boots.

 

“Hunter boot socks” are basically a tall sock, meant to be worn with Hunter rubber boots. The top of the sock has a thicker, cable knit cuff, that folds over the top of the boot. Keeping winter boots in mind, something similar could be designed with the foot/calf part of the sock being a finer knit (so it isn’t too bulky to fit inside boots) and the top cuff being a chunkier knit to peek out of the top of ankle or calf-height boots.

 

“Knit boot socks” and “boot socks” were related search terms that were trending up. And searching fashion trends, there are several boots coming back this year with faux fur, Sherpa fabric, or a knitted cuff along the top of the boot, so offering socks that create this look should be right on-trend.

Here’s one style of a tall knitted sock pattern by Garn Studio.

 

Knitted headbands started to trend up this time last year and Google Trends is forecasting an upward trend again. After digging a bit more, it seems the chunky trend applies to headbands as well. Chunkier knits, bold cable patterns, and braided styles seem to be the most popular.

 

Create a display that promotes gift-giving

Your craft show display should tell a story, and in most cases, that story should be “This product is the perfect gift for ______”.

 

There are lots of ways to do that, such as displaying a scarf in a gift box with tissue paper. Or, wrapping a few empty boxes in Christmas wrapping paper and using them as props on your craft show table.

 

If you need more ideas on how to display your trending Christmas products at your next craft show, join the FREE email challenge: 5 DAYS TO A STANDOUT CRAFT SHOW DISPLAY here. 

 

 

BABY/CHILD PRODUCT TRENDS FOR FALL/WINTER 2019

Baby headbands, head wraps, and turban headbands are still trending up, according to Google Trends. Several of the top-selling Etsy shops under the category “children” were selling bow-related headbands. Oversized bows and oversized headband accents were common. (*You can check out CRAFT TRENDS FOR 2019 for links to tutorials and image examples.)

 

Personalized children’s products are also popular among the top-selling Etsy shops (e.g. shirts with custom designs and names printed on them).

 

“Handmade soft baby toys” is a term that’s trending according to Google Trends.

 

When looking at baby toys on Pinterest, it seems like simple designs, using natural materials, and soft colors are popular.

 

“Baby shark toys” is a popular search term; it’s related to a children’s song about a family of sharks, which went viral. Although it would be copyright infringement to copy the shark design connected to the song and characters in it, it may indicate a trend in shark-related toys for kids.

 

 

TOY & GAME TRENDS FOR FALL/WINTER 2019

As mentioned in my 2019 trend report, wooden toys still seem to be trending.

 

Many of the top-selling Etsy shops under the category of Toys & Games are selling wooden toys. “Personalized” is also popular (e.g. adding a child’s name to the toys).

 

“Wooden toys” also tends to trend up in searches this time of year, according to Google Trend reports from the past 5 years. This year, there are already more searches than there were this time last year, or the four years before that.

 

 

BATH & BODY TRENDS FOR FALL/WINTER 2019

Looking at some of the bigger bath & body brands, there continues to be a focus on products using natural ingredients: avocado, fruit extracts, oils, etc.

 

In the top-selling Etsy shops under the “Bath & Beauty” category, there were a few focused on colorful products, but the majority had a very natural, earthy feel to them; using natural ingredients, branding that had an earthy vibe, etc.

 

I always keep an eye on the soap/bath & body tutorials that are popular on Pinterest. There is definitely a trend towards more natural scents, ingredients, colors, etc.

 

I love this soap tutorial by Shop With Me Mama using blueberries:

Although blueberries are typically associated with summer, swapping in winter fruits (e.g. cranberries or oranges) or even mixing in spices (e.g. cinnamon) would be fitting for Christmas.

 

“Aromatherapy” is on a slight upward trend when looking at the past 5 years, similar to “essential oil”. According to Google Trends, both search terms peak over the holidays. It may be due to people looking for natural remedies to combat holiday stress or because aromatherapy and products using essential oils make great gifts.

 

Diffusers have also become more popular, which use essential oils and are a form of aromatherapy. There are even aromatherapy pens/pen diffusers that are more commonly searched.

 

“Aromatherapy putty” is a search term that’s trending up and caught my eye. It’s such a fun idea. Here’s an awesome tutorial by One Essential Community.

 

 

SCENT TRENDS FOR FALL/WINTER 2019

You can check out 2019’s trend article for scents that are trending for this year. In my opinion, scents derived from nature still apply and fits with the trends I’ve been seeing in more recent research.

 

You can definitely put a Christmas spin on that: think Christmas-y scents derived from nature:

• Pine / evergreen
• Cranberry and oranges have a very festive feel to them
• Spices such as nutmeg and cinnamon

 

When it comes to food scents (technical name: Gourmands), the smell of Christmas baking (e.g. gingerbread) or peppermint will always be fitting for the holidays. But if you have a quirky brand, you can get creative…perhaps turkey and stuffing scented candles for the person who orders food in but wants guests to think they’ve been cooking all day 😉

 

Another fun trend I’ve noticed based on the products major brands are launching for Christmas; scents inspired by cocktails. You could look up Christmas drink recipes on Pinterest and get inspired for scents to mimic your bath products after…and while you’re at it, why not make yourself a glass of holiday cheer to enjoy while you create? Such as this one by Cookie & Kate.

Rosemary, lemon, and honey (can you add a slight scent of gin?;) sounds like a yummy scent combo for soap, bath gels, or candles.

 

There are lots of recipes for soap on the Humblebee & Me website like this one for Christmas Tree Soap. Search “Christmas” on their site because there were lots of great DIYs.

 

There is quite a bit more information here about trends in the bath and body industry when it comes to ingredients, labeling, packaging, scents, etc. So please check that out too.

 

 

CANDLE TRENDS FOR FALL/WINTER 2019

For scent ideas, please view the scent trends mentioned above.

 

Another trend that can be incorporated into candles is “personalized”. A couple of the top-selling Etsy shops under the candle category offers personalized candles. You may offer personalized scents to help people create memories, or simply offer set scents but personalize the labels and packaging with names or messages.

 

When searching “candle” on Pinterest, there is a very clean, natural feel to the top candle pins.

 

“Aesthetic” is a popular term related to “candle”, according to Pinterest. Based on the search results when I combine these two words, I believe people are interested in the look of the candles and the ambiance it creates. It’s not just about the scent, but how they work as a décor piece. Important to note when you’re choosing containers, packaging, or when photographing your handmade candles.

 

 

JEWELRY TRENDS FOR FALL/WINTER 2019

On the fashion runways for fall/winter 2019, there was a trend towards grunge/punk and chokers. Statement earrings were also big, and it seemed: the longer the better.

 

I still noticed several mismatched earrings, as mentioned in the 2019 trend article.

 

Pearls and rhinestones seem to be popular materials, with pearls mainly acting as accents on gold jewelry. I love this DIY on the Lia Griffith website. It incorporates the gold and pearl trend and also gives a bit of a paperclip vibe (a trend mentioned below).

 

“Paperclip earring” is a trending search term under the “earring” category. I couldn’t find an image to share here but if you Google the term, you’ll get an idea of what it’s referring to. Stella McCartney actually featured some earrings in her 2019 fall/winter show, incorporating the “paperclip”, “statement”, and “long” trends with chains of paperclips creating a pair of earrings.

 

“Mini” and “charm” were keywords associated with hoop earring searches that are trending up.

 

The same type of jewelry continues to dominate the top-selling spots for Etsy shops offering jewelry, which is: dainty, simple, personalized pieces in gold, silver, and rose gold.

 

“Shell necklace” and “puka shell necklace” had a huge spike in search trends, starting in May of this year. I’m not sure where this trend is stemming from, perhaps these necklaces are just making a comeback along with other 80’s fashion styles?

 

Even major retailers such as Simons and Shopbop are carrying choker-style shell necklaces. It doesn’t seem like a winter piece and the search volume is trending down a bit, but still much higher than years before.

 

However, I love this gold version by The Style Safari and think it gives the trend a holiday vibe.

 

I also expanded on jewelry trends for Christmas 2019 in THIS ARTICLE: HANDMADE JEWELRY TRENDS FOR CHRISTMAS 2019, since it’s such a popular product category.

 

Remember to spruce up your craft show display for Christmas too! Your display should get shoppers thinking about gift-giving and help them realize: This would be the perfect gift for _________!” Need help getting your display to say that? 5 DAYS TO A STANDOUT DISPLAY will help. It’s free and you can get access to it here.

 

 

HAIR ACCESSORY TRENDS FOR FALL/WINTER 2019

“Hair pins” is a search term that’s becoming more popular, according to Google Trends.

 

Hairpins that spell a word in rhinestone, pearls, or metal are trending. Just like the ones featured on Fall for DIY’s website.

 

“Gypsophila hair pin” and “Baby’s breath hairpin” are “breakout” search terms according to Google Trends.

 

 

BAG & PURSE TRENDS FOR FALL/WINTER 2019

I couldn’t find much of a trend or theme for bags relating to fall/winter or that differed from the trends on my existing list. When it came to top-selling shops on Etsy under the “Bags & Purses” category, different styles, purposes, materials, etc. were represented.

 

The general trends for 2019 seem to still apply. Please refer to the BAG & PURSE category on the 2019 trend article for ideas.

 

 

HOME DÉCOR TRENDS FOR FALL/WINTER 2019

“Farmhouse” and “Boho” or “Boho-chic” are popular search terms in regards to style of home décor. Through my personal obsession with home décor, I also know mid-century modern is a popular decorating style.

 

Many top-selling Etsy shops under Home & Living sell personalized home décor products (e.g. customized art, customized signs, etc.)

 

Many more ideas in CRAFT TRENDS FOR 2019.

 

 

PET TRENDS FOR FALL/WINTER 2019

Searching “pet” + “Christmas” in Google Trends showed the following phrases are trending up:

• Pet friendly Christmas tree
• Pet ornaments
• Pet stockings

 

“Pet-friendly Christmas tree” may spark some ideas for a woodworker to create a Christmas tree alternative that pets can’t climb or knock over.

 

This could also apply to ornaments and offering ones that won’t break if knocked down by a mischievous cat (e.g. light-weight wood ornaments or soft sewn ornaments). Or ones that won’t be hazardous if a cat or dog decides to chew on them.

 

Being a pet owner and cat lover, I also think gifts for family pets are becoming more popular…they’re a part of the family too and want to be included in gift-opening Christmas morning 😉

 

That may spark ideas for pet-friendly wrapping paper. Something that’s natural and will encourage a pet to rip open their gift; maybe wrapping paper scented with catnip. (Of course, the pet’s safety should be put first…no chemically dyed wrapping paper or choking hazards.) Or a Christmas themed pet toy they can open on Christmas day, ornaments personalized for a pet, or some other type of treat (e.g. dog-friendly gingerbread men treats?)

 

Please view the 2019 trend article for a few more points pertaining to pet products.

Please share in the comments any trends you’ve noticed or are going to try for holiday craft shows 🙂