How to Make a Quick and Simple Father Christmas for Crafty Projects

Something I adore about Christmas is all the crafting I get to do. I usually start around August (I just can't wait!) and make cards, gift tags and decorations for myself, my family and now my business too. One of my favourite festive characters is Father Christmas (who I actually saw on Saturday at a craft fair!) as he embodies the child like delight of the season.

I use Santa's image in lots of ways from cards and tags to felt decorations. A new and easy design I've come up with this year is the one below which I'll be using in different ways to add a jolly Christmas feel to my crafting; and I'll show you how you can make him too.

How To Make A Quick and Simple Father Christmas

You will need:

• sheets of card or paper (depending on how you're using the finished figure) in red; white; and peach
• a ruler
• scissors
• a pencil
• a black pen
• paper glue

Step one

Take the red card and use the ruler to draw a triangle on it with a curved line at the base - as in the picture below. (draw it to the size you require for what you will use the finished Father Christmas for). Use your scissors to cut this out.

Step two

a. Now take the white card and place the red triangle cut out in step one on it. Draw around the triangle.

b. Draw lines as shown in the picture below to make a beard shape and cut in out.

c. Also cut out a small circle which will be the bobble for his hat and two tear drop shapes which will be his moustache.

Step three

a. Take the white beard shape cut out in step two and draw around this onto the peachy coloured card.

b. Draw the lines as shown in the picture below to create the shape of his face.

c. Cut out this shape.

Step four

a. Using the glue, stick the white beard shape onto the red triangle where the two sides of the red and white pieces are in line.

b. Now glue the peach piece onto the white beard as shown in the picture.

c. Next stick the white circle, cut out in step two, at the top of the hat and each of the white tear drop shapes onto the peach piece as shown below.

Step five

Use your black pen to draw in two eyes and a nose as shown in this picture.

Ways to use Father Christmas...

...as a Christmas card

Simply stick your Father Christmas onto a card with any background or other decoration you'd like and add a greeting.

...as a gift tag

Make sure he's made out of card for this one. Use a hole punch to punch a hole in his hat and thread a ribbon through this to attach it to a gift. Use the back to write your message on.

... as bunting style decoration

Make a few Santas and attach them to a length of string or ribbon. You could glue them onto the string or hang them up with little pegs.

Or let your imagination run wild! However you use this cute Christmas character you're sure to make your craft project extra jolly for the holidays.