As we enter the holiday season, it means people are out there shopping, searching, and connecting with brands online like never before. With all that digital hustle and bustle, accessible design becomes more than just a nice-to-have—it’s essential.
A few thoughtful tweaks, like color choices that pop for everyone, can make a world of difference. With inclusive design practices, we’re committed to creating festive experiences that everyone can enjoy. ’Tis the season to check your designs (twice) and make sure they are accessible across channels.
What is Accessibility?
Accessible design makes sure everyone—including those with visibility challenges—can view, navigate, understand, and enjoy digital content. In the online world, this means we’re talking color contrast that pops, a font that’s actually readable, and alt text for those that use screen readers. At Well Done, we follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)—the trusty rule book to keep designs friendly, festive, and inclusive for everyone.
Print vs. Pixels
Outputs may look similar, but designing for screens isn’t quite the same as designing for the printed page. Once the ink dries, print content doesn’t change much. It’s still important to consider colors and fonts, but it’s not quite as complex as digital assets. On the other hand, digital content appears different based on different devices, screen sizes, and lighting conditions (like midnight holiday shopping scrolls). With all these variables, accessible design becomes a must-have to give your audience the best experience, whenever and wherever they interact with you.
The Magic of Accessible Holiday Colors
Celebrate with Contrast
Contrast is key to keeping your festive colors merry and readable! In this case, contrast refers to the difference in brightness, or “luminance,” between two colors, like text color and background color. This brightness difference is expressed as a ratio:
- White on white has a contrast ratio of 1:1.
- Black on white has a contrast ratio of 21:1.
For example, black text on a white background has a contrast ratio of 21:1, meaning black is 21 times brighter than white, providing strong visibility and readability. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG AA) require a minimum contrast of:
- 4.5:1 for normal text (14pt – 16pt)
- 3.1:1 for large text (18pt +)
Holiday hues like green, red, silver, gold, and blue need the right balance of contrast to stay accessible. Pair dark green with gold, or blue with silver. Use white text for dark red or green backgrounds for a classic holiday look that’s easy on the eyes. Check it twice with tools like WebAIM’s Contrast Checker to make sure your colors pop in all the right ways.
Go Beyond Red and Green
Love that red-and-green combo? So do we—but it’s not ideal for color-blind users. To keep everyone in on the holiday cheer, make sure these colors have enough contrast, or try pairing them with other festive shades that have the right amount of contrast. To improve accessibility, it’s probably best to avoid using red and green together in digital content.
Add Flair Beyond Color
Textures and patterns aren’t just for decorations—they’re a great way to make design elements stand out without depending on color alone. Plus they add a little extra flair, making your design visually interesting and festive.
When Fonts Get Too Festive for Their Own Good
Readable typography is the unsung hero of accessible design. Sure, holiday-themed fonts bring festive flair, but their tightly spaced letters and fancy swirls can be a bit of a nightmare to actually read. These fonts are great for a sprinkle of holiday charm in headings, but for longer text, opt for simple, easy-to-read fonts.
Picture-Perfect Images
Keep It Festive, Not Fussy
Go for high-quality, festive images that bring on the holiday cheer without causing sensory overload. Choose visuals that meet your goals but aren’t packed with distracting details. This way, everyone can enjoy the holiday vibe without needing to squint or search for meaning.
Paint a Picture with Words
Alt text is a must for those who need screen readers to engage digitally. Screen readers read the alt text out loud to users with visual impairments so they can understand what the image is showing. Craft alt text that sets the scene, like “A snowy village with twinkling holiday lights” or “Festive wreath with red and gold ornaments.”
Let’s Put a Bow on It
Accessible holiday design isn’t just a box to check—it’s all about spreading cheer and making everyone feel welcome. Since implementing these accessible design practices, we’ve seen increased engagement, positive feedback from users with vision needs, improved readability for all users, and a notable boost in conversions. With thoughtful design choices, you too can create a more enjoyable and accessible environment for all your audience members. If you’re curious about more ways to keep your designs accessible, or if you need a hand bringing these ideas to life, we’re here to help! Here’s to a season full of warmth, joy, and accessible designs that everyone can enjoy.