The Science of Festive Design Elements in Logos: From Colors to Iconography

The definition of logos and branding has dramatically diversified over the years. The internet and technology have allowed brands to interact with and stay connected with customers all year round, making the competition even fiercer. Seasonal branding is one of the best ways to capture the audience’s attention.
Seasonal branding refers to changes based on the approaching event, festival, or season. At this time of year, we all know what Christmas is. Consumers have started embracing the seasonal spirit, and some have even started shopping for Christmas and the New Year.
So, now is the best time to capitalize on the moment and create a distinct festive-themed logo. However, some brand owners ask whether we should update our brand identity. Let’s discuss that first.
Is It Important To Change Your Logo For The Holiday Season?
Yes and No. Well, it’s a little more complicated than that.
Tweaking your logo a bit for the holiday season is an excellent idea. It can evoke emotions, promote joyous feelings, and make your brand more human-like, wanting to celebrate the holiday season. From the sales perspective, it can better connect with customers and may even encourage them to switch to your brand.
Please remember that it can also backfire if you are not careful. Wrong tweaks or irrelevant festive design changes may alienate your brand identity. If you are unsure about it, getting help from a professional logo designer or an online logo maker is better.
Take Google Doodles for example. The latest Christmas-themed Google Logo features glowing festive lights tied around the original logo, complementing each other beautifully. However, things are different for big and renowned brands. They already have an established audience familiar with their brand identity and may even expect seasonal changes when the time comes.
If you are still operating as a startup or a small business, it may be best to focus on brand awareness for now. On the other hand, if you are past that stage and are growing decently, don’t shy away from playing around with your brand logo and identity, especially if it’s Christmas. Experiment with different festive backgrounds and design elements to finalize a few for your logo, but remember, simple and minimalistic logos are the best. Also, don’t use too many elements to avoid losing your brand’s original spark.
Design Elements Associated With Christmas Feelings
We all see the Christmas decorations shine in different colors every year. Those yellow stars, rainbow light trees, red bells, and whatnot have you ever wondered what they mean? We know we have. Let’s dive into a bit of exciting history.
Symbols
First, we will go over the different Christmas symbols and decorations.
• Christmas Tree

Historically, trees that remained green all year, especially in the dead of winter, were considered exceptional by the people. They reminded them of hope and gave them strength. Today, the tree has become the centerpiece of Christmas. It is also where all the gifts are. Christmas Trees evoke joyous feelings and accurately represent the festive spirit.
• Christmas Star

The star is the most recognizable Christmas symbol, primarily an eight-pointed one. It is often seen hanging from street lights, near houses, and atop Christmas trees. The Star is significant because people believed its light to be their guiding light. Not many people know about its history today, but it attracts them in many ways.
• Wreaths

Wreaths made of evergreen branches are hung outside the doors. They signify eternal life, symbolize unity and completeness, and produce feelings of love.
• Candy Canes

The striped candy shaped like a shepherd’s crook is a sweet Christmas symbol that signifies sharing love and spreading happiness.
• Christmas Lights

Found almost alongside every festive decoration, Christmas Lights are meant to illuminate life and shine through the darkness. They evoke feelings of hope, joy, and attachment.
• Stockings

Stockings are often found by the fireplace, on Christmas trees, or anywhere else; they may also be hidden. Often, people like to fill them with small gifts and treats, which triggers the surprise emotion.
• Mistletoe

Mistletoe is also a beautiful Christmas decor item that symbolizes goodwill and brings out the feelings of love and acts of love. People often use it as a gift for their loved ones and other items.
• Christmas Gifts

Giving and receiving gifts is one of the most important aspects of Christmas. It reflects the generosity and love we all should feel for and share with our family, friends, people we know, and even those we don’t know.
These are essential Christmas symbols, evoking joy, attracting people, and causing them to interact. However, not every element will fit every logo. There are seven different types of logos, and you must choose aspects according to the kind of your brand logo.
Colors
Now, let’s come over to the festive colors.
• Red and Green

Red and Green are the traditional festive colors. Red symbolizes warmth and love, while green symbolizes energy and everlasting life.
• Gold and Silver

The colors gold and silver symbolize the gifts that the wise men used to give. Gold represents wealth and royalty, while Silver represents protection and communication.
• White

White is the color of snow and snowflakes, representing purity and honesty. It is also a part of Christmas decor as a backdrop or main ornamental element.
• Blue

Blue symbolizes winter in some ways, like the color of icy ponds and starry nights. It also represents feelings of calm and trust.
• Jewel Tones

Emerald green, royal blues, ruby reds, and other sophisticated, elegant, and civilized tones signify status and luxury.
All of these Christmas colors are also highly attractive and meaningful in branding. You can use a single or multiple tones as a backdrop or to replace your primary color theme. However, we highly recommend that you understand the color theory first.
How To Create A Festive-Themed Logo?
Creating a festive-themed logo is not fun and games. You cannot just attach a Christmas Tree or a Santa Gift Bag to your logo. It must be pleasing to watch while still retaining your original theme. Here are the steps to creating (or upgrading to) a festive-themed logo.
1. Pick Your Favorite Seasonal Elements, Colors, and Font
First, finalize the design elements. Choose some festive elements and colors from our above lists for your logo. Christmas lights, snowflakes, mistletoe, a Santa hat, ornaments, and bells are the best symbols, while the color choice depends on the type of brand. So, choose wisely.
Regarding typography, you can change your current font to match the holiday vibe or leave it be. If you decide to hop on the Polar Express, Script fonts are more elegant, Serif fonts are traditional, and Bold fonts are more festive and unique.
2. Balance Brand Image and Seasonal Changes
The most important thing to remember before creating a festive logo is that your original brand identity must be recognizable. You can add small and subtle elements, create a separate festive logo other than your existing one, and avoid overwhelming your brand identity. The next thing is to ensure that your festive-themed logo is consistent with your brand identity, scalable for different needs, and versatile for effective marketing.
3. Take Help From A Logo Maker
We understand that thinking of color combinations, design choices, and festive theme ideas can get complex. Sometimes, too many ideas confuse the mind and cloud the judgment. For such stressful times, get help from Free Logo Creator. It only takes minutes to design ideas, whether you wish to create a logo from scratch or just want some inspiration to ignite the creative spark. Moreover, you can get vector files or download logos in PDF, PNG, or JPEG format, ready for print and digital media.
Wrapping Up
This year, the 2024 holiday spending is expected to exceed $1,600 per shopper. These include both online shoppers and customers in brick-and-mortar stores. If you wish to take your piece of this humongous festive share, you must also embrace the holiday spirit and put some festive clothes on your logo.
Festive-themed logo designs are an excellent seasonal marketing idea that has long helped brands. They easily represent your holiday plans, attract shoppers with exciting deals and surprise offers, and put more green lines on the sales chart. Ensure your festive logo is user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing, and consistent with your brand identity.