There’s a particular kind of cosy that only comes out in December — the kind that wants a mug of something warm, a stack of old paper, and an afternoon spent making a Christmas junk journal spread come together. Holly tucked into a corner, a robin peeking out from behind a tag, a bit of ribbon trailing across the page. That’s the whole feeling we’re chasing here.
So this post is all about Christmas junk journal spreads — how to build a page that feels layered and nostalgic, the vintage elements that make it sing, and a few of my favourite holiday page ideas to borrow. And to make starting easy, I’ve put together a free set of printable Christmas junk journal starter pages — ready-made holly-and-ephemera backgrounds with blank journaling boxes, tags and banners you print and build your own spreads on. Grab the full set right below, then keep scrolling for spread ideas and a few ways to bring it all together.
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Download Your Free Christmas Junk Journal Starter Pages
Pop your email in below and I’ll send the full set — all six printable starter pages, plus a cover and a quick how-to — straight to your inbox. Print them as many times as you like and build your own cosy Christmas spreads.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
What’s Inside the Free Christmas Starter Pages
Quick answer: The free set has six full-page printable Christmas junk journal starter pages — vintage ephemera backgrounds, holly and botanical borders, blank tags and frames, a nostalgic postcard page, a poinsettia journaling page and a bauble-and-ribbon page — plus a cover and a quick how-to. Each page is A4, print-ready, with blank journaling boxes and tags left open for your own words.
Here’s what you’ll find in the set:
- Vintage Christmas ephemera page — an aged collage of old postcards, holly and baubles with a blank panel to journal in.
- Holly & botanical border page — holly, pine and winter roses framing a big blank journaling box.
- Christmas tags & frames — blank gift tags, labels and a ribbon banner to cut out and letter yourself.
- Nostalgic postcard page — a robin and a snowy cottage in soft old-world tones, with a blank banner and label.
- Poinsettia journaling page — poinsettias and winter berries around an open lined journaling panel.
- Baubles & ribbon page — vintage baubles and mistletoe with a blank banner and plenty of writing space.
What Makes a Christmas Junk Journal Spread Work
Quick answer: A spread that feels finished usually has three things — a background that sets the mood, a focal point that draws the eye, and layered ephemera that adds depth. Christmas just swaps in holly, baubles, robins and nostalgic reds and greens for the usual florals.
Think of a spread in layers. The background comes first — an aged paper, a soft holly border, a bit of vintage pattern — and that’s exactly what the starter pages give you. On top of that goes your focal point: a robin postcard, a photo, a big blank tag with the date lettered on it. Then you build up ephemera around it — pine sprigs, ribbon, a wax seal, a snippet of sheet music — layering and overlapping until it feels collected rather than placed.
The reds and greens do a lot of the work at Christmas, but the trick is keeping them muted and vintage — brick red instead of fire-engine, sage and pine instead of neon green, warm gold instead of glitter. That’s what gives a spread that nostalgic, tucked-away-in-the-attic feeling instead of looking like wrapping paper.
6 Cosy Christmas Junk Journal Spread Ideas
Quick answer: Try a December daily-memories spread, a gratitude or wish-list page, a Christmas-morning photo spread, an advent countdown, a recipe-and-baking page, or a nostalgic vintage-postcard spread. Each one starts from a printable page and grows from there.
A few holiday spreads worth stealing:
- December daily. Use the lined poinsettia page to jot a line or two about each day in the run-up to Christmas — the little moments you’d otherwise forget.
- Christmas wish & gratitude. One page for what you’re hoping for, one for what you’re thankful for. The blank tags are perfect for one-word answers.
- Christmas-morning photo spread. Print a photo, tuck it behind the holly border page, and frame it with pine and ribbon.
- Advent countdown. Cut the blank tags into a numbered countdown and glue them across a spread.
- Baking & recipes. The ephemera page makes a lovely backdrop for a handwritten family recipe and a few kitchen scribbles.
- Vintage postcard keepsake. Build a whole spread around the robin postcard page — sheet music, a wax seal and a bit of lace for that old-world feel.
If you want even more prompts to fill those pages, my post on Christmas journal prompts pairs beautifully with these spreads, and 25 Christmas junk journal ideas has plenty more inspiration to borrow.
How to Build a Christmas Spread from a Starter Page
Quick answer: Print a starter page at 100%, use it as your background, add a focal point, then layer ephemera and stick it all down. Ten minutes and a cup of tea is really all it takes.
- Print your page. Set your printer to Actual Size (not “Fit”) and print onto regular paper or a sheet of vintage-style cardstock for a bit more weight. These are backgrounds, so plain paper works beautifully too.
- Choose a focal point. A photo, the robin postcard, or a big blank tag with the date lettered on it — one thing the eye lands on first.
- Layer your ephemera. Tuck pine, ribbon, a wax seal or a snippet of sheet music around the focal point, overlapping slightly so it feels collected.
- Stick it all down. A Tombow Mono adhesive runner holds everything flat without wrinkling, and a little vintage washi tape along an edge finishes it off.
- Write in the blank spaces. The journaling boxes and tags are left empty on purpose — that’s where your December goes.
The Supplies That Make Christmas Spreads Easy
Quick answer: You really only need a printer, paper and a glue stick. But a few little extras make layering quicker — and a lot cosier on a December afternoon.
For the starter pages themselves, plain printer paper is honestly fine, but a pack of vintage-style cardstock gives your backgrounds a lovely bit of body. To stick your layers down without any wrinkling, a refillable Tombow Mono adhesive runner is my everyday favourite, and a little vintage washi tape in festive reds and greens plays perfectly with the holly borders.
When you’re cutting tags and trimming pages, a set of decorative edge scissors gives banners and labels that pretty deckled edge, and if you’re building lots of spreads, a Fiskars paper trimmer makes quick, straight work of whole sheets before you fussy-cut the details.
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase. I only recommend supplies I genuinely love and use myself.
Want More Junk Journal Kits?
If these hit the spot, you’ll love the Artsydee Creations Club. I add brand-new printable junk journal kits every week — papers, ephemera, tags and full spread pages just like these, in seasonal and everyday themes — so there’s always something fresh to print and collage. It’s just £8/month (about $10), and you’re supporting an independent artist (hi, that’s me) while you’re at it.
Come have a look at the Creations Club — I’d love to have you in there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are these Christmas junk journal pages really free?
Yes — the whole set of six printable starter pages, plus a cover and how-to, is free. Just enter your email above and I’ll send the printable PDF to your inbox. Print it as often as you like for your own personal journaling.
What’s the difference between a junk journal spread and a page?
A page is one side; a spread is the two facing pages you see when the journal is open. Junk journalers usually decorate a whole spread at once so it reads as one scene. These starter pages work either way — use one as a single page, or print two and build a full spread across both.
What size do the starter pages print at?
Every page is A4 and prints beautifully on A4 or US Letter paper. Print at 100% or “Actual Size” so the layout stays put. Want them smaller for a mini journal? Just scale the print down in your printer settings.
Do I need special paper?
Not at all. These are backgrounds, so regular printer paper is perfectly fine. If you’d like a bit more weight — handy if you’re layering lots of ephemera on top — print onto thin cardstock instead.
Can I use these in a digital junk journal on my iPad?
Yes — import a page into an app like GoodNotes or Procreate and use it as a digital background layer, then add your photos, stickers and typed notes on top. The blank journaling boxes work just as well digitally.
When should I start my Christmas junk journal?
Whenever you like! Lots of journalers start in late November or on the 1st of December for an advent-style countdown, but there’s no wrong time. Print a starter page, put the kettle on, and begin.
Where can I get more Christmas junk journal printables?
I share brand-new printable junk journal kits — papers, ephemera and spread pages — every week inside the Artsydee Creations Club, and there are more free holiday ideas over on the blog.
A Little Send-Off
Print a page, pour something warm, and spend a happy half hour layering holly and ribbon while the tree lights blink in the corner. That’s the whole idea. Grab your free Christmas starter pages above whenever you’re ready — and if you make a spread you love with them, I’d genuinely adore seeing it.
Come find me on Pinterest for more junk journal spreads, and over on YouTube where I share journaling and watercolor videos every week.
You Might Also Like
- 25 Christmas Junk Journal Ideas
- Free Christmas Junk Journal Printables
- Christmas Junk Journal Stickers
- Christmas Journal Prompts
- Junk Journal Ideas for Beginners
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