Letterpress Christmas Cards

National Waterfront Museum is hosting a letterpress Christmas card workshop over the weekend of 21 and 22 November, with sessions running from 12pm to 3pm both days. It's a family drop-in, so you don't need to book a slot in advance — you just turn up when it suits you and get stuck in.

The whole thing is built around vintage letterpress printing, which is a far cry from the digital stuff we're used to. Instead of clicking a button, you're working with physical type — individual metal or wooden letters that you set by hand, ink up, and press onto paper. It's a slow, tactile way of making things, and the result is a card with a real, indented texture that you can feel under your fingers. If you've never seen a letterpress in action, this is a good chance to see how it actually works.

Printmaker Mark Pavey is leading the sessions, so there's someone on hand to show you the ropes rather than just leaving you to figure it out. You'll be making your own Christmas cards, and because it's a drop-in, it works as well for a quick half-hour as it does for a longer afternoon. It's set up for families, so it's as much for kids as it is for adults — the kind of thing you can do with the little ones and still come away with something you're proud to post.

It's free to take part, and the museum is at the waterfront in Swansea, SA1 3RD. With the sessions running 12pm to 3pm on both Saturday 21 and Sunday 22 November, you've got two afternoons to choose from.