When to Order Custom Christmas Ornaments
Key Takeaways
- ‣ Start your bulk custom Christmas ornament order at least 60 days before you need them in hand.
- ‣ The proof approval and artwork process takes more time than most businesses expect, so plan for it.
- ‣ Custom ornaments make lasting holiday gifts that keep your brand on clients’ trees year after year.
- ‣ The Monterey Company specializes in B2B bulk ornament orders with worldwide shipping and 35+ years of experience.
Don’t wait until December to think about your holiday gifts. Get a free quote on custom Christmas ornaments at The Monterey Company and get ahead of the season today.
The holidays have a funny way of sneaking up on everyone. One day it is summer, and the next you are staring at a calendar realizing December is two weeks away, and you still have not ordered anything for your clients. If custom Christmas ornaments are part of your business gifting plan this year, this is your sign to start now. Seriously, right now.
When to Order Custom Christmas Ornaments for Your Business
The short answer is 60 days before you need them in hand. That window gives you real breathing room to dial everything in without the stress of a ticking clock. It accounts for the back-and-forth on your ornament design, the proof-approval process, the actual production time, and the shipping methods you end up using. Many businesses underestimate how long the artwork phase alone can take, especially when ordering custom metal ornaments in larger quantities with multiple design elements. The 60-day rule is not about being overly cautious. It is just smart planning.
The 60-Day Rule Explained
Here is something many people do not realize until they are in the middle of their first bulk order. There is more to it than picking a design and clicking buy. When you are working on a holiday gift that represents your business, you want it to look right. That means submitting the artwork, creating it, reviewing it carefully, requesting any changes, and sometimes going through that loop again. Each revision round takes time. And once production kicks off, you are looking at several weeks, depending on the style, quantity, and complexity of your ornament design. Custom acrylic ornaments can take as little as 5 days to produce, while photo-etched brass can take 25 days.
Working with The Monterey Company means your artwork gets real, human attention. You submit your design concept, receive a digital proof showing exactly how your ornament will look, and work through any adjustments from there. Maybe you need a logo resized. Maybe you want a family name repositioned or the year added. Those details turn a good ornament into a perfect gift. Building time for the proof approval process into your schedule is not optional. It is the whole game.
A Simple Timeline to Work Backward From
If you are new to ordering custom Christmas ornaments in bulk, here is roughly how those 60 days tend to break down:
- ✔︎ Days 1 to 3: Finalize style, quantity, and submit your artwork or design brief
- ✔︎ Days 4 to 14: Proof approval rounds and revision requests
- ✔︎ Days 15 to 40: Production time
- ✔︎ Days 40 to 52: Shipping in transit
- ✔︎ Days 52 to 60: Buffer for delays, address corrections, or any reorders
That last buffer is not optional. Peak holiday shipping is unpredictable, and having a cushion built in is the difference between a smooth gifting season and a genuinely stressful one.
What Happens When You Wait Too Long
Rushing a custom ornament order has real consequences. Rush production fees can significantly raise your per-unit cost, and shortened proof approval windows mean less time to catch mistakes before your entire order goes to production. Perhaps worst of all, you might receive your super nice custom glass ornaments after Christmas has already passed, which is about as helpful as a snowblower in July. Quality materials and a thoughtful ornament design deserve enough time to get it right.
What Goes Into a Bulk Custom Ornament Order
The Artwork and Proof Approval Process
When you work with The Monterey Company, you are not just uploading a file and hoping for the best. There is a real human review process behind every order. You submit your design concept, receive a digital proof, and work through any adjustments until everything looks exactly right. Maybe you want paw prints added for pet-themed custom leather ornaments. Maybe you need a logo repositioned or some colors adjusted to match your brand. Those small details are what turn a decent ornament into a thoughtful gift. I think this part of the process is honestly one of the more enjoyable parts of working on a custom order, even if it requires a little patience.
Choosing the Right Ornament Style
Not all customized ornaments are created equal, and the material you choose really does affect how the final product lands with your recipients. Acrylic ornaments are lightweight, durable, and catch light beautifully, which is a nice bonus if you plan to share anything on social media. Ceramic ornaments have a more traditional, premium feel that works especially well for upscale gifting situations. And personalized photo ornaments are a standout option when you want to add a genuine personal touch, whether that is favorite photos, family portraits, a team image, or a product shot. For milestone gifts like a baby’s first Christmas ornaments or a keepsake marking a new home, photo-based designs tend to feel more like heirlooms than promotional items, and honestly, that is a really good thing for your brand.
What About Ordering One-Off Custom Ornaments?
Not every situation calls for a bulk order, and that is completely fine. If you are an individual looking for a single customized ornament as a thoughtful gift for a loved one, there are plenty of vendors who specialize in small-run and one-off orders. Platforms like Etsy, Shutterfly, and similar marketplaces offer a wide range of personalized photo ornaments, family-name ceramic ornaments, or holiday decor pieces that feel genuinely one-of-a-kind. They are a great option for personal holiday gifts, offering plenty of variety, from favorite photos and family portraits to holiday-themed cards that capture a specific memory or moment.
That said, even one-off orders from smaller vendors can take one to two weeks to arrive during the holiday season. Do not assume you can place an order on December 15th and have it show up in time. The same principle applies regardless of where or how much you are ordering: give yourself more time than you think you need.
The Monterey Company focuses on B2B wholesale orders and larger quantity runs, and that is exactly where the pricing, quality, and production capabilities really shine. If you are a business looking make custom ornaments, a genuine part of your annual holiday tradition with clients and employees, that is the kind of order they have been fulfilling for over 35 years, backed by more than 1,000 five-star reviews.
Making Custom Ornaments Part of Your Brand’s Holiday Tradition
Why Businesses Love Custom Ornaments as Holiday Gifts
Custom ornaments make surprisingly effective corporate gifts. Unlike a branded tote bag, coffee mug, or even custom hats, an ornament goes on the tree. It gets pulled out every single year. It becomes part of someone’s family tradition and holiday decor in a way that most promotional items never do. Your logo, tastefully incorporated into a well-designed ornament, sits on someone’s Christmas tree for years. That is a long time to stay top of mind, and it happens with zero additional effort on your part after the initial order. As far as holiday gifts for business owners go, it is hard to beat that kind of staying power.
What to Put on Your Custom Business Ornaments
This is where it gets genuinely fun. A lot of businesses go with their logo and the year, which is clean, classic, and always looks sharp. Others lean into a theme that reflects their brand personality, maybe a signature product, a mascot, or a company milestone worth celebrating. Some add an engraved heartfelt message that ties into the holiday spirit to their customized wood ornaments. Whatever direction you go, spending even a few minutes thinking through your ornament design is worth it. A thoughtful gift is remembered long after the holiday season ends. One that looks like it was thrown together in an afternoon is also remembered, just not in the way you want.
Ready to make your business the one everyone remembers this holiday season? Start your custom Christmas ornament order at The Monterey Company and give yourself the time to get it exactly right.
Eric Turney
Eric Turney A devoted father, football fanatic, and stand-up comedy enthusiast who loves nothing more than bringing people together over great food and a good time. When he’s not cheering on his favorite team or experimenting in the kitchen, you can find him connecting with others on LinkedIn
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