When I first started print on demand, I felt totally overwhelmed. Should I design mugs? T-shirts? Stickers? Posters? The options were endless—and honestly, it made me freeze up instead of just starting. How to Make Holiday POD Products (Step-by-Step with Gelato)
Here’s the truth: you don’t need to sell everything at once. In fact, starting small is the smartest way to build confidence and get your first sales.
That’s why today I want to share 3 beginner-friendly holiday POD products you can start selling right now using Gelato. They’re affordable, easy to design, and trending for the holiday season.
And yes—I’ll show you how to add personalization too (because personalized products = higher profits).
1. Holiday Wall Art 🎄
Wall art is one of the easiest POD products to start with. People love decorating their homes for the holidays, and digital designs transfer beautifully onto Gelato’s premium art prints.
How I Made My First Holiday Wall Art:
- Open Canva → Search for “Christmas wall art” or “Halloween wall art” templates.
- Customize the design → Change colors, add text like “Merry & Bright” or “Happy Haunting.”
- Save as PNG or PDF → High resolution works best for printing.
- Upload to Gelato → Choose “Wall Art,” then select your paper style (archival matte, semi-gloss, or even metallic).
- Preview in Gelato’s Personalization Studio → Here you can add text personalization for your buyers, like:
- Family name (“The Johnsons’ Christmas 2025”)
- Year (“Holiday Season 2025”)
- Custom quotes or kids’ names
👉 Pro tip: Gelato automatically creates stunning mockups of your art framed and displayed in living rooms. Use those images on Etsy so your listings look professional.
2. Personalized Holiday Postcards
I never realized how much people love postcards until I sold my first holiday bundle. Families send them out to relatives, kids collect them, and they make easy, budget-friendly holiday gifts.
How to Create Your Postcards:
- In Canva → Search “postcard” and pick a holiday template.
- For Halloween: Cute pumpkin illustration with “Spooky Greetings.”
- For Christmas: A cozy tree design with “Merry Christmas from the Smith Family.”
- For kids: Black-and-white “coloring postcards” they can color in themselves.
- Export your designs → Save as JPG or PNG.
- In Gelato → Select “Postcards.”
- Upload your design → Preview the front and back.
- Add personalization options in Personalization Studio → Let buyers type in their family name or a short custom message. Example:
- “Happy Holidays from The Robinsons”
- “Spooky Mail from Emily & Jake”
- Bundle & List on Etsy → Sell in sets of 10 or 20 postcards. Add keywords like Christmas postcards, Halloween cards, holiday mailers.
👉 Pro tip: Bundles increase your profit margins without adding extra work.
3. Embroidered Holiday Sweatshirts 🧵
This is the premium product on the list, and it’s one of my personal favorites. Embroidery feels luxe, lasts longer than standard printing, and makes the perfect holiday gift.
Here’s How I Made My First Embroidered Sweatshirt:
- Open Gelato’s Personalization Studio → No Canva needed for this one.
- Type your text → Something simple like:
- “Spooky Season” (orange thread on black sweatshirt)
- “Merry & Bright” (gold thread on red sweatshirt)
- “Best Grandpa Ever” (white thread on navy sweatshirt)
- Pick your thread colors → Keep it simple (1–3 colors max). Too many colors don’t work well with embroidery.
- Choose your product → I recommend the unisex crewneck—it’s cozy and versatile.
- Preview your design → Gelato’s mockups make it easy to see exactly how it will look.
- List on Etsy → Position embroidered sweatshirts as premium gift items. Shoppers are willing to pay more because embroidery feels thoughtful and high-quality.
👉 Pro tip: Offer personalization like “Add your child’s name” or “Pick your thread color” to make your listing stand out. How to Make Holiday POD Products (Step-by-Step with Gelato)
Why I Stick with Gelato for POD
- One supplier for multiple products → Wall art, postcards, sweatshirts, mugs, ornaments, and more—all from one place.
- Personalization Studio → Easily let buyers customize products without you doing extra design work.
- Global fulfillment → Products ship from the facility closest to your customer (fast + eco-friendly).
- Hands-off Etsy integration → Gelato prints, packs, and ships for you.
Your Turn
These 3 products—wall art, postcards, and embroidered sweatshirts—are the perfect way to test your first holiday season with POD.
If you’re serious about launching your shop the right way (and actually getting sales), check out my POD Launch Blueprint for a full A-to-Z strategy.
And don’t forget—you can grab my POD Starter Kit for free when you subscribe to my email list. It’s packed with beginner-friendly resources. How to Make Holiday POD Products (Step-by-Step with Gelato)
👉 Sign up for Gelato here and start designing your holiday products today.
👉 Subscribe for my free POD Starter Kit.