12 Easy Holiday Video Ideas for Friends and Family
Video is a fun and easy way to say happy holidays with friends and family. Even better, it doesn’t take long to create a beautiful video that shows you care! Not sure what kind of video to make? We’ve got tons of inspiration. Take a look at 12 easy ways to celebrate the holidays with video this year.
Holiday video idea #1: Send a greeting card
Grab a few images or video clips of holiday preparations and add them to our Holiday Greeting template below. In just a few minutes, you’ll have a heartwarming message you can share with family and friends on social media.
Looking for a Christmas-specific message to share? Check out our festive Christmas Wishes template. The red and green color palette and upbeat Christmas music only add to the Christmas joy.
Holiday video idea #2: Say thank you
Don’t just say thank you -- show the person who sent you a holiday gift how much you’re enjoying it! Snap a photo or a short video clip to show the gift in action. Or simply record a short and sweet "thank you" message! Then create a video with the Thank You Card template below. Email or text out your message, and you’re done!
Make your thank you message fully your own by creating watermark-free videos, a feature offered for all paid Animoto subscriptions.
Holiday video idea #3: Celebrate your year
The end of the year is a good time to reflect back and remember the moments that made your year so special. A year-in-review video or end-of-year recap is a simple, moving way to do just that. The This Year’s Moments template lets you create a dynamic, fun recap using our Photo Burst block. It’s designed for sharing on social media, so you can post all your highlights where loved ones are sure to see them.
Holiday video idea #4: Share a seasonal recipe
Cooking and baking are a big part of many people’s holiday traditions, so if you have a favorite Christmas cookie or a latke recipe that can’t be beat, share it using one of our recipe video templates:
If you’ve never made a recipe video before, check out the video below, which gives you tips for setting up those overhead shots that make tutorial videos so watchable.
Holiday video idea #5: Post a holiday quote
Need an idea for a quick and uplifting social post? Put together a quote video using our Positive Social Post template. Add your favorite holiday quote to spread the joy of the season.
Looking for a quote? Check out some unique ways to say happy holidays or get inspired by the video below.
Holiday video idea #6: Send an invitation
Get the word out about your holiday party or gathering by making a video sharing all the details, then send it out in an email or as a social post. Start with our Holiday Event Invitation template, then personalize it.
In need of some cheery or celebratory photos or images to add to your invite? The Select stock library on our Professional plan features 1 million+ photos and videos from Getty Images, and the Premium library on our Teams plan offers 100 million+ photos and video clips, so you can rest assured your invitation will make a splash.
Holiday video idea #7: Share festive facts
Take a family favorite holiday tradition such as baking a fruitcake or going ice skating, and send out fun facts about it. Use our Festive Fun Facts template to get started.
Holiday video idea #8: Make a video gift
A video can be a truly personal gift, especially when it includes special photos and videos of loved ones. Whether highlighting a once-in-a-lifetime family vacation or compiling photos of your newborn to share with your parents, this seemingly simple gift is as heartfelt as it is timeless. Try using our Digital Album template for fast and easy video creation.
Holiday video idea #9: Remember past holidays
Another gift idea, or just a fun video to play at a party, is a holiday timeline. Share photos and video clips of past holidays to show how your family has changed or grown. Use our Mini-Photo Session template and add photos and video clips over several years of holiday celebrations. Add your own photos and customize the text to fit your needs.
Holiday video idea #10: Shoot a holiday stop motion
Stop motion can add some fun to a holiday greeting or recap. Learn how to create your own stop motion or use our Simple Holiday Stop Motion template to create the same effect while saving a little time.
Holiday video idea #11: Create a time-lapse
Speed up videos of you decorating or baking holiday goodies by shooting footage using your phone’s time-lapse feature. Make sure to keep your camera still by propping it up somewhere safe. A tripod is great, but even a box or shelf can work as long as it has a good view of the action.
Holiday video idea #12: Create a New Year’s greeting
Whether you’re ringing in the new year with loved ones in Times Square or enjoying the evening from the comfort of your couch, share a New Year’s wish to friends and family both near and far with our New Year’s Greeting template.
Get Started
Now that you’ve got a few ideas, it’s time to create a holiday video of your own. Browse our entire Holiday template catalog for even more video inspiration. Don't forget to tag us on social media with the #MadeWithAnimoto tag so we can celebrate with you! Merry video making!