Shoppers do not only want handmade gifts this Christmas. They want to make them. Etsy's Fall and Winter 2026 trend report calls it "Craftmas," with searches for DIY activities up 8,500% compared with last year. For a print shop or a sublimation studio, that is an opening for a new kind of holiday sale: a craft night where guests design their own ornament, mini mug or keychain and take it home pressed and finished. This guide covers how to run one, which wholesale blanks to buy, how many cases you need and how to price each seat.
Short answer: Craftmas is the trend of making holiday gifts and decorations by hand, often with friends. Etsy reports DIY activities up 8,500%, with beginner sewing patterns up 125% and needlepoint bags up 470% with Gen Z shoppers.
The numbers come from the Etsy Seller Trend Report: Fall and Winter 2026. People want the experience as much as the gift. A sublimation craft night gives them that without the learning curve: guests choose a photo or design, you print and press it, and everyone leaves with a finished piece that looks professional.
Craft nights suit print shops, studios with a storefront, bars and cafes looking for a holiday event, schools, churches and corporate teams planning a holiday party.
Short answer: Guests design, you press. Collect photos or designs before the event, print transfers ahead of time or on site, and press while guests decorate, eat and talk. Each guest goes home with two or three finished pieces.
Short answer: 3 inch ceramic ornaments are the easiest craft night blank. They come 100 to a case, press in a flat press and suit photos, names and the year.
Offer two or three shapes so guests can choose: a circle for photos, a snowflake for a classic holiday look and a star for names and initials. Ceramic ornaments can be printed on both sides, so many guests will want a photo on the front and the year on the back. If you need a cheaper ornament for a large group, our guide to budget ornament blanks for gift exchanges has more options.
Short answer: The 3 oz mini mug and 6 oz espresso mug are small, quick and perfect as party favors. The Dolphin 11 oz white mug is the budget pick when guests want a full size mug.
Mini mugs are a crowd favorite because they feel like a real mug in a gift size. Guests use them for photos, names or a holiday drink order. The 6 oz espresso mug suits coffee lovers and adult groups. The Dolphin 11 oz white mug gives guests a full size canvas for a family photo or a holiday quote, at the lowest case price of any mug we sell. For the full range of mug sizes, see our guide to wholesale coffee mugs by the case.
Short answer: MDF keychains press in under two minutes and come 200 to a case. They are the add-on that keeps every guest busy while ornaments and mugs are in the press.
Keychains are perfect for kids' craft nights, school events and large groups because they are light, quick to press and easy to personalize with a name or a small photo. Remove the protective film before pressing, and offer the heart shape for couples and families.
Planning a Craftmas event or workshop? Photo USA sells by the case with a one case minimum and no minimum number of cases, and most orders ship within 24 hours from Fremont, CA and Shepherdsville, KY. We also offer a wholesale imprint service if you would rather receive finished pieces. Email hello@photomugs.com or contact us with the items and quantities you need.
Short answer: For a 24 guest night with one ornament, one mini mug and one keychain per guest, one case each of ornaments, mini mugs and keychains covers that night with plenty left for the next events.
| Blank | Case price | Pieces per case | Guests covered (one each) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 in. ceramic ornament (circle, snowflake, star) | $135.00 to $141.00 | 100 | 100 |
| 3 oz mini ceramic mug | $111.12 | 72 | 72 |
| 6 oz espresso mug | $87.16 | 48 | 48 |
| Dolphin 11 oz white ceramic mug | $57.76 | 36 | 36 |
| MDF keychain (oval, heart, rectangle) | $270.00 to $272.00 | 200 | 200 |
Run three nights of 24 guests and one case of 72 mini mugs is used up exactly, while the ornament and keychain cases carry you through more events or into retail sales after Christmas.
Short answer: Price the seat for the experience, not the blanks. Most hosts charge per guest for a set of two or three finished pieces, plus snacks or a drink, and offer group packages for teams and friend groups.
A simple way to price it:
Once the evening is over, the same blanks sell as finished gifts at your counter or online. Our mug ROI guide shows how to work out break-even by the case.
Short answer: We recommend 400°F for 150 to 360 seconds in a flat press for ceramic ornaments, 400°F for up to 90 seconds for MDF keychains and 365 to 390°F (185 to 200°C) for 120 to 180 seconds in a mug press for mini, espresso and 11 oz mugs. These are recommended settings only.
Ceramic ornaments take the longest, so start them first and press keychains while they run. Temperature and time work against each other, and every press is a little different, so run a test piece of each blank before guests arrive. The full list is in our sublimation time and temperature chart.
Craftmas is the 2026 holiday trend of making gifts and decorations by hand. Etsy's Fall and Winter 2026 trend report shows searches for DIY activities up 8,500% compared with last year.
An event where guests choose a photo or design for a blank, such as an ornament, mini mug or keychain, and the host prints and presses it. Guests take home finished, personalized gifts without needing their own equipment.
3 inch ceramic ornaments, 3 oz mini mugs, 6 oz espresso mugs, 11 oz white mugs and MDF keychains. They are small, quick to press and easy to personalize, and guests can take them home the same night.
Plan one of each item per guest plus a few spares for test prints. For 24 guests with an ornament, a mini mug and a keychain each, one case of each blank covers the night with stock left for more events.
MDF keychains take up to about 90 seconds, mugs about 120 to 180 seconds and ceramic ornaments about 150 to 360 seconds. These are recommended times only and vary by machine.
We recommend about 400°F for 150 to 360 seconds in a flat press with medium pressure. This is a recommended setting only, so test one ornament and adjust for your press.
Price the seat for the finished pieces plus the experience, including design help, gift wrapping and snacks. Offer group packages for office parties and friend groups, and sell extra ornaments or keychains on the night.
At Photo USA, 3 inch ceramic ornaments are $135 to $141 for a case of 100, the 3 oz mini mug is $111.12 for a case of 72 and MDF keychains are $270 to $272 for a case of 200.
One last note: the press settings in this guide are recommended starting points only. Temperature and time work against each other, so a higher temperature needs less time and a lower one needs more, and every heat press and oven runs a little differently. Press one test piece and adjust for your own machine.
