Here is a Christmas decoration kit you can print at home today. It is free, it needs no sign-up, and everything in it can be made by a child with scissors and a glue stick. Print it in colour, or print it in black and white and let the children colour it in.
What is in the kit
- Christmas bunting: nine flags that spell HO HO HO, with stars and a tree.
- Ten paper chain strips in red, green and gold patterns.
- Gift tags: twelve tags with "To" and "From".
- A star for the top of the tree, in two halves that slot together.
- A "Santa, please stop here" sign for the front door or the letterbox.
- A colouring page of Santa on the phone.
What you need
- A printer and A4 paper. Thin card (160gsm) is better for the tags, the star and the sign if your printer takes it.
- Scissors.
- A glue stick or tape.
- String or ribbon for the bunting and tags.
- A hole punch, if you have one.
No printer? The library prints for a few cents a page, and so do stationery shops.
How to make the bunting
Cut out each flag along the solid lines. Fold the tab at the top over a length of string and glue it down, leaving a finger's width between flags. Hang it across a window, along a shelf or over the Christmas table. Print the page twice for a longer string.
How to make the paper chains
Cut along the lines to make strips. Loop the first strip and glue the ends. Thread the next strip through the loop and glue it. Keep going. One page makes a chain about a metre long, and small children can do this for an hour.
Gift tags
Cut out the tags, punch a hole where the circle is and thread with twine. There are more ways to finish a present in our Christmas wrapping ideas.
The star
Cut out both star shapes. Cut the slot in each along the marked line: one from the top down, one from the bottom up. Slide them together to make a star that stands in three dimensions. Tape a loop of ribbon to the back, or slide the bottom point over the top branch of the tree.
The Santa sign
Cut out the sign and tape it to a ruler or a garden stake for the lawn, or stick it inside the front window. Children like to put it out on Christmas Eve with the milk and cookies.
Printing tips
- Choose "fit to page" and A4 in your print settings.
- To save ink, choose "draft" or "greyscale". The black and white version is meant for colouring.
- Print only the pages you want: the tags are page 3 and the sign is page 5.
More decorations to make
When the kit is done, try paper stars, salt dough ornaments, a garland from recycled materials or a wreath from your garden. For planning the rest of December, there are free printable Christmas checklists too.
A decoration you can hear
The colouring page shows Santa on the phone for a reason. When the decorations are up, book a call from Santa and he can tell your child how good the house looks.
The kit is free for families, schools, kindergartens and playgroups to print and share. Please do not sell it.