Consider this your guide to giving the Cricut Joy as a gift! Who would love a Cricut Joy? What exactly does it do? What do I need to buy beyond the machine? Read on for all the answers!


This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine. This post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for details.
I fell in love with the itty bitty Cricut Joy the minute I learned about it. It’s absolutely perfect for all things organizing (my favorite!) and also works well for a variety of small crafts and personalized gifts. I couldn’t open my Cricut Joy fast enough, I was so excited about all the project possibilities!
If you’re considering gifting a Cricut Joy or adding one to your own wish list, I’m here to be your guide! Let’s chat about what kinds of people will love a Cricut Joy, what exactly it does, and what you’ll want to give beyond the machine itself.
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Why The Cricut Joy Is The perfect Holiday Gift
The Cricut Joy makes a fabulous holiday gift for so many reasons! Here are my top three…
- Its low price point makes it extra giftable. The Cricut Joy is the lowest-priced Cricut machine which means it’s easier to fit in your gifting budget. For under $200, you can easily buy the machine plus the tools and a variety of materials to get started. This is also the time of year when machines tend to be on sale, so that’s a plus!
- It’s small and portable – perfect for those without a dedicated craft room. The compact size of the Cricut Joy is definitely a plus for those of us without a lot of storage space for craft items. The Joy will fit just about anywhere and is easy to tote all around the house or even on the go. You could even fit it in your suitcase pretty easily!
- It’s intuitive to use and beginner-friendly. I am often asked which Cricut machine to buy and while they are all fantastic for different reasons, I recommend the Joy to most beginners. It is simple to use, can make most of the common projects, and the lower investment is nice for someone brand new to Cricut. All that said, a Cricut Joy is absolutely a fantastic addition to an established craft room and the perfect companion to the larger Cricut machines. I have both the Joy and the Maker and I definitely use them both!


Who Would Love To Unwrap A Cricut Joy
Now let’s talk for a second about who exactly is a good fit for the Cricut Joy.
- Beginner Cricut users – Like I already mentioned, the Joy is a great machine to start with if you’re brand new to Cricut. Beginners will appreciate the simplicity of this machine. It’s easy to start creating right out of the box so there’s no intimidation factor.
- Moms – The Cricut Joy is very quick to set up and get creating which is helpful for busy moms with limited time. The Joy is fantastic for labeling backpacks, toy bins, water bottles, school supplies, sports gear, and more.
- Teachers – The Cricut Joy would be very useful in a classroom! Nametags, bulletin boards, labeling bins and supplies, etc. A teacher would have a lot of fun with one of these!
- Kids – I would have LOVED a Cricut Joy as a teenager! Between school projects, DIY gifts and cards, decor for my room, labeling my school supplies….I would have used a Cricut a ton as a kid. Even younger kids who are creative or tech-savvy would do well with this.
- College Students – If I had a Cricut Joy in college, I would have made a very large amount of school spirit gear, notebook labels, and dorm decor. The small size makes it easy to travel with and compact enough to live on a desk.
- Professional Organizers – This is the perfect machine for a professional organizer! It makes quick work of custom labels of all kinds and is easy to tote around. (Definitely get the tote bag for someone who will be on the go with it a lot!)
- Empty Nesters & Retirees – If you have someone in your life who enjoys crafting or is looking for a new hobby, the Joy might be perfect for them. It opens up so many possibilities for creating and organizing.
- Cricut Fanatics – If you’re shopping for someone who is already obsessed with Cricut, the Joy is a great gift for them, too! It’s a newer machine so a lot of Cricut users don’t have one yet and it’s a great companion to their larger machines.
- A Crafty Person Interested In Selling Projects – For someone interested in selling their creations or who already sells crafts, they’ll find a lot of use for the Cricut Joy. You can make so many cool projects for a Cricut that people will gladly pay for! Plus, the Joy would be great to take with you to a craft show or event where you could offer on-site personalization. Cricut can really open up a whole door of selling handmade items if that’s an interest!
What Can You Make With A Cricut Joy?
The Cricut Joy is the perfect match for smaller projects – and if you’re into organizing like I am, then labels quickly come to mind!
Here’s just a small sampling of the types of projects you can make:
- Vinyl labels
- Iron-on labels
- Paper labels
- Greeting cards
- DIY gifts
- Custom onesies and clothing
- Iron-on designs for dish towels, tote bags, etc.
- Small home decor projects
- School spirit items
- Small paper crafts
- Small signs
- And so much more!


Cricut Joy Holiday Gift Guide
One of the biggest challenges with buying a Cricut is just deciding what materials and tools you need! There are so many possibilities with the Cricut Joy, but here’s what I recommend purchasing along with your machine to get started.


- Cricut Joy The petite size and ease of use make the Cricut Joy perfect for many types of organizing, crafting, and home decor projects.
- Starter Tool Set This three-piece set includes the essential tools you’ll need for every project.
- Smart Vinyl Vinyl is the most versatile of all Cricut materials so I always recommend new Cricut users pick up a couple of rolls to start with. The Smart Vinyl line is specifically sized for the Cricut Joy.
- Transfer Tape Transfer tape is a staple of any Cricut craft room. This roll is specifically sized for the Cricut Joy.
- Metallic Markers A set of markers opens up project possibilities like “handwritten” labels, addressed envelopes, and personal notes inside greeting cards.
- Insert Cards One of the Cricut Joy’s superpowers is creating beautiful greeting cards in minutes. I love the color palette of this card pack (make sure you get a Cricut Joy card mat to go along with these).
- Cricut Joy Card Mat If you’re getting the Cricut Joy Insert Cards, you’ll need one of these.
- Smart Iron-On If you want to make small iron-on projects, grab a roll of this. I’d probably start with white or black as a basic color that can work with many projects.
- Smart Label Writable Vinyl This material is awesome for creating custom labels for your organizing projects. You’ll want a Cricut Joy marker to write on this.
- EasyPress Mini This is a bonus recommendation! It’s definitely not required to get started, but this petite tool is the perfect companion for the Cricut Joy! For those wanting to make small iron-on projects, you’ll use it all the time!
For even more Cricut Joy product recommendations, check out my Cricut Joy Shopping Guide for a comprehensive guide to all of the materials I recommend for different projects. I even talk you through the materials I would hold off on as a beginner.
Looking for more Cricut Joy inspiration? Take a look at these blog posts:
- What is the Cricut Joy and what materials does it cut?
- 5 DIY Labels Made With Cricut Joy
- Answers To Your Cricut Joy FAQs
- Cricut Joy Shopping Guide – What Supplies You Need & What You Don’t
- Plant Lover Holiday Gift With Cricut Joy


Have a fantastic day!

