Well, it’s that time of year again.

Irrespective of religion, for many fortunate people in the UK, December 25^th marks an important and cherished time of the year. An often-unique period where family is prioritised and sharing is encouraged via personal time, presents, food and an annual dose of festive music and TV.

Of course, it also represents a lot of hard work for many, over indulgence, money spent and the inevitable family arguments.

But it’s not until you take a step back and start to think about everything that goes into making this day/period special, that you fully appreciate the role of print within it.

So, where does print touch this celebration? I guess that it starts with a greetings card, but other elements include the numerous pieces of packaging, mainly printed using a flexo or offset process, that house not only our presents but also our food and drink. Indeed, when you list out everything we purchase for these gatherings that include printed packaging, you quickly appreciate why packaging is one of the fastest growing print markets.

But that’s not all. Gravure print is also traditionally used to produce the wrapping paper that dress our presents. Offset printing is crucial to our ability to tell terrible cracker jokes around the table, and for some, also the sharing of our church services too. Digital printing is now also used to produce a wide range of our paperbacks, which despite electronic competition, are always popular gift ideas and less impactful without a physical form.

And it goes much further. Screenprinting is key to decorating the clothes we wear and the clothes we give away as gifts. What’s more, its presence is also felt in the forms of material labels on our napkins, table cloths and other textiles. It’s also critical in the printed circuit boards used to control the electric devices and games we use and give away during this period.

At drupa this year, I was reminded of how digital print is also being used to provide information directly onto some food products, as well as image the top of coffee froth given to guests in airport lounges. Amazing technical advances. No doubt we will see applications like this adorning our festive tables in years to come.

Whilst festive gatherings are primarily about family and friends, it’s quite clear that print in all its many forms continues to be a fundamental enabler for these special celebrations. Externally, digital media may bring us together, but it’s print that facilitates our physical day and powers our fabulous memories. Long may this continue.

So, as you and your family prepare for this year’s festivities, why not keep an eye out for cool uses of print – print that’s positively impacting your celebrations. And if you feel inclined, why not share #GreatFestivePrint?