back to top

16 Stunning Christmas Flat Lay Photo Ideas You Need to Try

Last updated: January 18, 2024 - 8 min read
ExpertPhotography is supported by readers. Product links on ExpertPhotography are referral links. If you use one of these and buy something, we make a little money. Need more info? See how it all works here.
Subscribe Below to Download the Article Immediately

You can also select your interests for free access to our premium training:

Your privacy is safe! We will never share your information.

Christmas flat lay photography is the perfect way to get creative and into the festive spirit. Even if there’s a blizzard outside, embrace your Christmas creativity and make some magical flat lay photos! We’ll provide you with a list of our 16 favourite Christmas flat lay photo ideas that you can try at a home photoshoot!

Christmas Flat Lay Photography: What is it?

Flat lay photography is a new form of image-making that is taking the creative world by storm. It’s a simple concept, but you can make some fabulously colorful photos with a few props and ideas.
Using any flat space, you can unleash your creativity and make arrangements using household items. You can also use different surfaces and materials as the background.
Flat lay photos are becoming popular with all sorts of creative people. Influencers are using them to spice up their social media platforms. Commercial photographers use flat lays for promotional images. Plus, product and food photographers find them to be excellent formats for their photoshoots.
You can use almost any theme when it comes to flat lay photography. But Christmas flat lay photography is the best way to get festive with your camera this winter!

Christmas flat lay of decorations on pink background
Photo by Artboard Studios

16 Stunning Christmas Flat Lay Ideas

1. Use Tree Decorations for Christmas Flat Lays

For many, there is no more significant symbol of the holiday season than the Christmas tree. With their boughs aglow with lights and decorations, they transform our living rooms into a winter wonderland.
We are all familiar with the classic decorations, so using them in flat lay photos makes excellent images. And even though we are familiar with some types of decoration, every tree is unique.

Christmas flat lay of vintage tree skate and reindeer decorations on a wood panel floor
DepositPhotos

2. Show Off Your Wrapping Skills

Christmas is a time of sharing and giving to others. Christmas presents are more than material objects. They’re expressions of gratitude and love we share with those we care about.
Many people enjoy the wrapping of presents. It’s a tranquil task that allows you time to think about the people you love. By using wrapped gifts, we can evoke these warm feelings in our flat lay images.

Christmas flay lay of person tying red ribbon on a wrapped present
DepositPhotos

3. Make a Christmas Wreath Flat Lay

The Christmas wreath represents a welcoming hearth and a happy home at Christmas time. The sight of a colorful wreath hanging on the door will warm you up before you even step inside.
They’re an excellent subject for flat lay photos because of their intricate details. And they look great when they’re complete. But you can also document the process of making one in a series of photos.

Christmas flat lay of a child's hand touching a pine cone wreath
Photo by Svetlana Sidorenko

4. Display Your Christmas Comfort Treats

When it’s cold outside, there’s nothing better than getting cosy inside. While the snow falls, you can spoil yourself with your favourite soul-warming treats.
From warm puddings to hot chocolate, you can incorporate your winter treats into your flat lay photos. It’s a great way to share these Christmas delights with others.

Christmas flat lay of decorations chocolate and sugar cubes coming out of a tea cup
© Dina Belenko

5. Take Creative Christmas Craft Flat Lays

If you love making your own Christmas card and decorations, you can incorporate your crafts into your photography. The tools and materials make for fantastic flat lay imagery. And this is a great way to promote your work if you’re a professional craftsperson.

Christmas flat lay of materials and a person making handmade Santa decorations
DepositPhotos

6. Use String Decorations for a Minimalist Composition

String decorations look great around the house. And they make fabulous images when used in Christmas flat lay photos. Their linear quality can give your pictures a dynamic composition. You can do a lot with very little in your flat lay designs.

Minimalist Christmas flat lay of sting decoration with red ornaments bells and tiny pine branches
DepositPhotos

7. Spruce Up Christmas Displays with Winter Foliage

Once autumn is over, many trees are bare and cheerless. But there is still color to be found in the natural world. Evergreens never fail to add a splash of color, no matter how harsh the winter is.
Bring the natural colors of the Christmas winter season into your flat lays. You don’t have the floral jewels of spring and summer. But there is beauty in wintery woodlands.

Christmas flat lay of green winter foliage against a black background
Photo by Erol Ahmed

8. Decorate Christmas Flay Lay Scenes with Dried Fruit

Fresh fruit is another thing we miss in winter. But dried fried can still give us that citrus zing when the nights are long and cold.
Dried fruit has excellent muted tones. Their bright oranges and yellows have softened and matured. Dried fruit brings subtle hints of color to your Christmas flat lays.

Christmas flat lay of dried fruit and pine cones on an icy backdrop
Photo by Annie Spratt

9. Let Others See Your Christmas Baking Process

There aren’t many activities that activate the body’s senses quite as well as baking. And Christmas baking is always extra special.
The baking process and utensils are perfect subjects for festive flat lay photos. And they make great images for sharing recipes or your Christmas baking skills.

Christmas flat lay of pie dough cut out as a tree baking ingredients and utensils
© Dina Belenko

10. Showcase Scrumptious Christmas Baking

Once the bake is complete, celebrate your edible masterpiece in your flat lay photography. It’s a great way to show off your baking accomplishments for your business if you’re a baker or food blogger. Or you can help others advertise (and eat) their culinary creations!

Christmas flay lay of fruit loaf cut and dusted with icing sugar
Photo by Jennifer Pallian

11. Create a Striking Collage With Festive Objects

By using lots of small objects, you can make a large Christmas image collage. You can use small decorations, foliage, and dried fruit to build a big picture.
You can create anything Christmasy, from presents to nativity scenes. And the array of objects will give your flat lays unique color, detail, and texture.

Christmas flat lay of a present made up of colorful ornaments and winter objects
© Dina Belenko

12. Communicate Cheer in Christmas Flat Lays

Using words is a great way to send a Christmas message with your flat lay photography. Not only are the images still beautiful, but this will help spread the festive spirit.
You can turn your flat lay photographs into personal Christmas cards. You can send them to friends and family. Or, if you’re running a business, you can use them in your Christmas promotional material.

Christmas flat lay with pine cone branches berries and merry written out on cards
Photo by Debby Hudson

13. Arrange Jingle Bells in Christmas Flat Lays

The sound of sleigh bells is the sound of Christmas. We know that sound as soon as our ears pick it up. And they’re mentioned in many a Christmas song.
Bringing bells into your flat lay photos utilises those associations. When we see them, we hear them too. And we immediately know what time of year it is. You can also group them into more recognisable Christmas shapes.

Christmas flat lay with tree made from jingle bells on red background
DepositPhotos

14. Create Flat Lay Photos with Candy Canes

Candy canes are another symbol of the festive season. We seldom see them at any other time of year. They belong in a snowy-white Christmas wonderland. Use these iconic sweet treats for a simple but effective Christmas flat lay by playing with composition and cropping.

Christmas flat lay of candy canes on a red background
Photo by Deidre Schlabs

15. Shoot Flat Lays of Your Christmas Card Writing

Sending Christmas cards in the post isn’t so popular these days. But some still keep up the tradition. And writing Christmas cards gives you time to contemplate others and what they mean to you.
You can bring this into your flat lay photos. It’s not just about the cards—it’s about the joy of reaching out to loved ones at this special time of year.

Christmas flat lay of stationary cards dishes tea and fruit
Photo by Brooke Lark

16. Use Paper Snowflakes as a Motif in Flat Lays

Paper snowflakes are great fun to make. They bring back memories of festive activities from when we were in school. And if you have kids, you can get them involved.
You can use white or colored paper. And the shapes they create are excellent for adding intricate detail to your flat lay composition.

Christmas flat lay of cut out snowflakes pencil and scissors
DepositPhotos

Conclusion

Christmas flat lay photography can give your end-of-season content an exciting lift. You can use it to jazz up your social media profiles. Or you can use flat lays for your business materials. We hope our list has inspired you to try some Christmas flat lay ideas this year!
Check out our Products in Focus e-book to capture compelling photos with basic setups.