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Good Christmas banners do one job: tell people what is happening, when and where. Schools use them for nativity dates and fairs, churches for service times, shops for late opening and gift ideas, and families for a festive welcome. Pick a short headline, add the key details, and choose a size people can read from the pavement.
Ideas for school gates
Parents walk past the school gate twice a day, which makes it the best noticeboard you have. A school banner on the railings in late November does more than a newsletter that nobody opens.
- Nativity and carol concert dates: “Our Nativity, Thursday 2pm, all welcome” with the hall entrance shown.
- Christmas fair: the date, time and one line about what is on, such as a grotto, tombola or cake stall.
- Christmas jumper day: a friendly reminder with the charity’s name.
- Thank you: “Merry Christmas from all of us at” and the school name, left up until the new term.
Tip: leave the date off the main design and add it on a separate strip, or keep it small, so the banner can be reused each year.
Ideas for churches
A church banner at the gate or on the railings tells the whole street about services that many people only attend once a year.
- Service times for Christingle, carols by candlelight, midnight mass and Christmas morning.
- A simple welcome: “Everyone welcome this Christmas” with the church name.
- A message for the season, such as a line from a carol, set large over a starry night or nativity image.
Churches often reuse their Christmas banner for years, so pick a design that does not date and a durable material such as 440gsm PVC with metal eyelets.
Ideas for shops, cafes and markets
Retail Christmas banners have to compete with every other window on the street, so keep them bold and simple.
- Late opening: “Open late every Thursday until Christmas”.
- Gift ideas: “Gift vouchers available” or “Christmas hampers to order”.
- Booking reminders: restaurants and pubs can push Christmas party bookings and Christmas Day menus.
- Market stalls: a long thin banner across the front of the gazebo with the stall name and what you sell.
A business banner on the railings or above the door is often seen by more people than a window poster, especially on a busy road.
Ideas for offices and parties
Indoors, Christmas banners are about atmosphere rather than information. A banner behind the buffet or across the bar with the company name and “Christmas party” makes the photos look planned. For a photo point, go bigger: a party backdrop with a winter scene and your logo gives everyone a place to pose.
Wording that works
Keep the main line under six words where you can. Some starting points:
- Merry Christmas from all at [name]
- Christmas Fair, Saturday, 10 till 2
- Carols by candlelight, all welcome
- Now taking Christmas bookings
- Seasons greetings to all our customers
- Santa stops here
Design tips for a festive banner
Choose two colours and stick to them
Red and green, navy and gold, or white and silver all read well. Too many colours makes a banner look busy from a distance.
Mind the background
Snowy scenes are popular, but white text on a pale snowy background disappears. Put text on a solid band of colour, or use dark lettering on a light image.
Size the text for the distance
On a school gate read from across the road, the main line should be at least 100 mm tall. Details such as times can be smaller, but not tiny.
Leave room for the eyelets
Keep words at least 50 mm in from every edge so the eyelets and hems do not cut through them.
Timing your Christmas banner
A banner that goes up in the middle of November gives a school or church a full month of reminders before the big dates. Shops usually want theirs up in time for the first late-opening evening. Work back from the day you want it on the railings: allow the production days shown on the product page, the delivery time, and a few spare days in case you want to adjust the artwork after our team has checked it.
Which size to choose
For railings and gates, 6ft x 3ft or 2m x 1m covers most needs. Church railings and long school fences can take 3m x 1m. Indoors, a 1.5m x 1m banner is plenty above a table. Everything is printed on weatherproof PVC, so a banner made for the gate in December can go back up the following year. See the full Christmas banners range for sizes and options.
Questions
What should I put on a Christmas banner?
A short headline, the key detail such as a date, time or service, and your name. Keep the main line under six words so it can be read from the street.
What size Christmas banner suits school railings?
A 6ft x 3ft or 2m x 1m banner fits most school railings and can be read from across the road.
Can I reuse a Christmas banner next year?
Yes. PVC banners are weatherproof and can be rolled and stored. Keep dates small or leave them off so the design does not go out of date.
Are Christmas banners waterproof?
Our PVC banners are made for outdoor use and cope with rain. Wipe them dry before rolling them up for storage.
Can you design my Christmas banner?
Yes. You can add our Artwork and Design Service when you order and a designer will set out your wording and images.