Christmas Junk Journal Ideas – Christmas is one of my favourite times of year for junk journalling because there is just so much stuff you can use.
Christmas cards, wrapping paper, gift tags, receipts, old Christmas music sheets, paper bags, ribbon, stickers, magazine cut-outs, photographs, little notes… honestly, half the fun is deciding what not to throw away!
You don’t need loads of fancy supplies either. A Christmas junk journal can be as simple or as messy as you like. In fact, I think the slightly wonky pages are often the best ones.
If you’re looking for Christmas junk journalling ideas, or you want to mix junk journalling with scrapbook ideas this year, here are some easy projects to get you started.
Christmas Junk Journal Ideas
1. Make a Christmas memories page
This is probably the easiest place to start.
Choose a few little things from Christmas Day or the weeks around Christmas and stick them into your journal.
It could be:
- A Christmas card
- A gift tag
- A photograph
- A receipt from a Christmas shopping trip
- A cinema ticket
- A little handwritten note
- A piece of wrapping paper
- A takeaway menu
- A Christmas cracker joke
Don’t worry about making everything match.
The whole point of junk journalling is collecting the little bits and pieces that tell the story.
You could add the date and write a few sentences about what happened. Even something really simple like “Christmas Eve. We stayed up too late watching Christmas films and ate far too many snacks” can become a lovely memory years later.
2. Turn old Christmas cards into journal pockets
Please don’t throw away those pretty Christmas cards!
They are brilliant for junk journals.
Cut the front away from the back and use the picture as a pocket. You can glue around three sides and leave the top open.
Then you can tuck little things inside.
Try adding:
- Christmas quotes
- Photos
- Tags
- Tiny journalling cards
- Shopping lists
- Little notes
- Receipts
- Paper scraps
You could even write a memory on the back of the card before putting it into the pocket.
It’s such an easy way to reuse Christmas cards and it gives your journal that lovely collected-over-time feeling.
3. Use wrapping paper scraps
Christmas wrapping paper is basically free junk journal paper.
Keep the scraps that are too pretty to throw away and use them to make little collages.
You don’t need a plan.
Just tear some pieces rather than cutting everything neatly and layer them onto your page.
You could combine wrapping paper with:
- Brown kraft paper
- Old book pages
- Christmas stickers
- Washi tape
- Ribbon
- Paper doilies
- Newspaper
- Music paper
I love using torn edges because they make a page feel much more relaxed and handmade.
And if your wrapping paper has a really bold pattern, you don’t need much of it. A small strip down the side of a page can be enough.
4. Create a Christmas shopping page
This could be a really fun one if you enjoy keeping little everyday memories.
Make a page about your Christmas shopping.
Add receipts, labels, shop tags, scraps of paper and maybe a little list of what you bought.
You could even write down the things you were trying to find.
Years later, these ordinary details can be just as interesting as photographs.
A page that says what you bought, where you went and what the shops were like gives you a little snapshot of that Christmas.
5. Make a Christmas bucket list
Create a page of all the things you want to do during December.
It could include:
- Watch Christmas films
- Visit a Christmas market
- Bake Christmas biscuits
- Make Christmas cards
- Wrap presents
- Drink hot chocolate
- Listen to Christmas music
- Go for a winter walk
- See Christmas lights
- Read a Christmas book
- Make a gingerbread house
Leave little boxes next to each one so you can tick them off.
You could decorate the page with stars, snowflakes, stickers and scraps of Christmas paper.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. It’s supposed to be fun.
6. Make a Christmas film page
If Christmas films are a big part of your December, give them their own journal page.
Write down the films you watched and add little notes about them.
You could make a list of your favourites or create a little Christmas film tracker.
Add popcorn packaging, ticket stubs, stickers or tiny illustrations.
You could even make a fold-out page with a list inside.
This is one of those ideas that takes hardly any time but becomes a lovely little record of your Christmas traditions.
7. Create a Christmas recipe page
Food is such a big part of Christmas, so why not make a Christmas recipe section?
You could write down:
- Your favourite Christmas biscuits
- A family recipe
- Your Christmas dinner menu
- A favourite hot chocolate recipe
- Christmas cake ideas
- Leftover recipes
- A festive drink recipe
If you have an old recipe card, photocopy it or tuck it into a pocket.
You could also add little notes about who makes the recipe or why you love it.
Those personal details are what make a junk journal special.
8. Use Christmas tags as decorations
Gift tags are another thing I always think are too pretty to throw away.
Save the ones with interesting shapes, colours or designs and use them as decorations.
You can glue them straight onto a page or punch a hole and attach them with ribbon or string.
You could also turn them into mini journalling cards.
Write a Christmas memory on the back and tuck them into a pocket.
And if you’re making a scrapbook-style Christmas journal, layering tags over photographs looks really cute.
9. Make a Christmas wish list page
A Christmas wish list doesn’t have to be just about presents.
Make a page about the things you’d like to do, see, make or experience over Christmas.
Maybe you want to:
- Visit somewhere new
- Bake something
- Spend more time with family
- Make handmade decorations
- Read more
- Have a cosy movie night
- Take more photographs
- Try a new craft
You could make this page really colourful and add little pictures from magazines or old Christmas catalogues.
10. Make a December daily page
If you like the idea of documenting the whole month, try making one little section for each day.
It doesn’t have to be a huge page every day.
One tiny photo.
One sentence.
A sticker.
A receipt.
A scrap of wrapping paper.
A doodle.
That’s enough.
By the end of December you’ll have a whole collection of little moments.
And honestly, those tiny everyday memories are often the ones I love looking back on most.
11. Make a Christmas envelope page
Grab an envelope and stick it into your journal.
You can leave the flap open so it becomes a pocket.
Then fill it with little Christmas bits.
You could keep:
- Christmas lists
- Receipts
- Photos
- Notes
- Gift tags
- Tiny paper scraps
- Christmas cards
You can decorate the outside with stickers, ribbon and scraps of paper.
It’s also a really good way of keeping things that you don’t want to permanently glue onto the page.
12. Create a Christmas countdown
Make a countdown from 1st December to Christmas Day.
You could use little numbered tags, circles or squares.
Each day, add something small.
A word.
A sticker.
A memory.
A photograph.
A scrap of paper.
You could even make the countdown interactive by adding tiny pockets for each section.
This is a brilliant project if you enjoy making your journal slowly throughout December rather than trying to finish it all in one afternoon.
13. Make a Christmas traditions page
This is one of my favourite ideas because it isn’t just about what Christmas looks like.
It’s about what Christmas feels like.
Write down your traditions.
Maybe you always have the same breakfast.
Maybe someone in your family always watches a particular film.
Maybe you decorate the tree on the same day every year.
Maybe there’s a certain food you always make.
Maybe you go for a walk after Christmas dinner.
Write all those little things down.
You could title the page “Our Christmas Traditions” and add photographs, scraps and little handwritten notes.
14. Don’t forget the ugly scraps for your Christmas Junk Journal Ideas
This might sound strange, but don’t only save the pretty stuff.
Sometimes the boring things make the best junk journal pages.
A supermarket receipt.
A brown paper bag.
A bit of newspaper.
A crumpled shopping list.
A handwritten reminder.
A label.
These things show what everyday life actually looked like.
And because junk journalling is all about using what you have, you don’t need to spend a fortune buying special Christmas supplies.
Look around your house first.
You might already have everything you need.
15. Try a Christmas colour theme
If you’re not sure how to make everything look like it belongs together, choose a simple colour palette.
Traditional red and green is an obvious choice, but you could also try:
- Cream and gold
- Brown and red
- Green and white
- Blue and silver
- Pink and red
- Kraft paper and white
Then collect scraps that fit your colours.
This makes decorating much easier without needing to make every page identical.
16. Add Christmas photographs
Photographs and junk journalling go together so well.
You don’t need loads.
Choose one or two favourite photos and build the page around them.
Add scraps of wrapping paper, a Christmas card, some handwriting and maybe a little tag.
You could also leave a flap over the photo and write the story behind it underneath.
That way, the journal isn’t just showing you what happened. It’s telling you about the memory too.
17. Make a “little things I loved” page
This is such a simple idea.
Instead of documenting the big Christmas events, make a page about the little things you enjoyed.
Maybe it was the smell of the Christmas tree.
Your favourite mug.
A cosy blanket.
A particular song.
Christmas lights outside someone’s house.
A funny moment.
A really good cup of tea.
Write them all down.
These tiny details can make a Christmas journal feel incredibly personal.
18. Let your pages be imperfect
And finally, don’t worry about making your Christmas junk journal Instagram-perfect.
Seriously.
Let the glue show.
Let things overlap.
Use scraps that don’t quite match.
Write in your own handwriting.
Tear the paper.
Make mistakes.
Add things later.
There isn’t really a wrong way to junk journal.
That’s what makes it so enjoyable.
Your Christmas journal should look like your Christmas, not somebody else’s Pinterest board.
So this Christmas, before you throw away the wrapping paper, Christmas cards, tags and little bits of paper, pop them into a box.
You never know what they might become.
A year from now, you might be really glad you kept them.
And that’s the magic of Christmas junk journalling.
You’re not just making pretty pages.
You’re collecting little pieces of a Christmas that you can come back to again and again.
Christmas Junk Journalling Ideas FAQ
What is a Christmas junk journal?
A Christmas junk journal is a handmade journal filled with photos, memories, Christmas cards, wrapping paper, gift tags, receipts, notes and other little scraps from the festive season. It can also include scrapbook pages, pockets, envelopes, collages and handmade decorations.
What can I put in a Christmas junk journal?
You can put almost anything paper-based into a Christmas junk journal. Try Christmas cards, wrapping paper scraps, gift tags, photographs, receipts, shopping lists, Christmas menus, tickets, postcards, stickers, magazine cut-outs and handwritten memories.
What are some easy Christmas junk journalling ideas for beginners?
Some easy Christmas junk journal ideas include making a Christmas memory page, creating pockets from old Christmas cards, using wrapping paper scraps for collages, adding Christmas photographs and making a December countdown. You don’t need lots of craft supplies to get started.
Can I use scrapbook ideas in a junk journal?
Absolutely! Junk journalling and scrapbooking work really well together. You can combine photographs, patterned paper, stickers, journalling, Christmas embellishments and paper scraps to create scrapbook-style junk journal pages.
What supplies do I need for Christmas junk journaling?
You can start with very basic supplies such as paper, scissors, glue, pens and an old notebook or journal. For Christmas junk journalling, you can also use wrapping paper, Christmas cards, ribbon, gift tags, stickers and anything else you already have at home.
Can I make a Christmas junk journal without buying supplies?
Yes! In fact, using things you already have is one of the best parts of junk journalling. Save Christmas wrapping paper, old cards, paper bags, receipts, tags, envelopes and packaging. These everyday scraps can make your Christmas journal much more personal.
How do you make a Christmas junk journal?
Start with a notebook, journal or collection of folded pages. Add a mixture of Christmas scrapbook paper, photographs, cards and paper scraps. Layer different pieces together, add pockets or envelopes and write down your favourite Christmas memories. There are no strict rules, so make it your own.
What can I use instead of scrapbook paper?
Try wrapping paper, old Christmas cards, brown paper bags, newspaper, magazine pages, sheet music, envelopes or leftover gift wrap. Mixing different types of paper is what gives a junk journal its lovely collected look.
How can I make my Christmas junk journal look pretty?
Try layering different papers, adding torn edges, using Christmas stickers, attaching ribbon or twine and including photographs. Choosing two or three colours can also help your Christmas scrapbook pages feel more coordinated.
What Christmas memories should I put in my junk journal?
You could record Christmas traditions, favourite foods, Christmas films, days out, Christmas markets, presents, funny moments, family memories and little everyday moments. Even simple things like what you ate for breakfast or which Christmas songs you listened to can be lovely to look back on.
Are Christmas junk journals the same as scrapbooks?
They are similar, but they don’t have to follow the same rules. Scrapbooks often focus on photographs and carefully arranged layouts, while junk journals tend to be more relaxed and use lots of recycled and found paper items. You can easily combine both styles.
How can I use old Christmas cards in a junk journal?
Old Christmas cards can be turned into pockets, journalling cards, page decorations or little memory cards. Cut the front from the card, glue three sides onto a journal page and leave the top open to create a simple pocket.
Is junk journalling expensive?
It doesn’t have to be. One of the biggest appeals of junk journalling is that you can use things you already have. Reusing Christmas cards, wrapping paper, packaging and other paper scraps can keep the cost very low.
What should I save for a Christmas junk journal?
Keep anything that reminds you of the festive season. Christmas cards, gift tags, wrapping paper, receipts, tickets, labels, photographs, handwritten notes and little pieces of packaging can all become part of your Christmas junk journal.
When should I start my Christmas junk journal?
You can start whenever you like. Starting in November gives you time to prepare, while starting on 1st December can turn it into a December daily project. You can even make your journal after Christmas and use it to collect your favourite memories from the whole festive season.
Can children make Christmas junk journals?
Yes. Christmas junk journalling can be a fun creative activity for children, especially when they can choose their own papers, stickers, photographs and decorations. Keep the project simple and let them make their pages in their own style.
What is the best thing about Christmas junk journalling?
For me, it’s the fact that ordinary little things can become memories. A scrap of wrapping paper or an old Christmas tag might not seem important at the time, but years later it can take you straight back to that Christmas.
Further reading
Ultimate junk journaling guide – a year of prompts
