How to Make a Cute Origami Santa

By
Chrissy Pk
Chrissy Pk
Chrissy Pk
Chrissy Pushkin, also known as Chrissy Pk, is an origami and paper craft expert and writer with 15 years of experience. Chrissy founded the popular website and YouTube channel, Paper Kawaii, where she creates tutorials, templates, printable origami paper, and handmade crafts.
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Updated on 09/13/20
origami santa tutorial 01

The Spruce / Chrissy Pk

Project Overview
  • Yield: 1 snowman
  • Skill Level: Kid-friendly

This easy origami Father Christmas is a great origami project for kids over the winter holidays.

You only need one sheet of square paper for this origami Santa. Preferably it will have a red and a white side. If you don't have any of this kind of origami paper, simply just use plain white printer paper and color in the red sections after it's folded.

Children may need some help with this origami model at first, but kids aged 8+ should be able to fold it once and get the hang of it.

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • Heavy book (optional)
  • Black pen
  • Pink pen
  • White pen

Materials

  • 1 piece 7.8- x 7.8-inch paper (20 x 20 centimeters)
  • Glue (optional)
  • Wool

Instructions

  1. Create Creases

    Start with your paper with the colored (red) side facing upward. Fold the paper in half, from bottom to top and from left to right. You will now have a neat cross. Flip the paper over to the other side (white side). Fold the bottom edge up to meet the horizontal crease and unfold. Fold the left edge to meet the vertical central crease and unfold. Fold the bottom right corner up to the top left corner, then unfold.

    Step 1 origami Santa
    The Spruce / Chrissy Pk

  2. Rotate and Fold

    Rotate the paper so that the diagonal line is vertically centered and flip the paper over to the other side. Check to make sure that your paper is the same as indicated. Fold the bottom section up as shown and unfold. Fold the bottom corner up to the previous crease and unfold.

    Step 2 origami Santa
    The Spruce / Chrissy Pk

  3. Continue to Fold

    Fold the bottom corner up to the crease you just made. Unfold. Fold the bottom corner up again to the crease you just made. Flip the bottom section up. Flip it up again, and fold it up once more.

    Step 3 origami Santa
    The Spruce / Chrissy Pk

  4. Flip the Paper Over

    Flip the paper over to the other side, and rotate the paper so that the folded corner is now at the top. Bring the top left and right sections in towards the middle. Collapse the top section down and fold well. Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner.

    Step 4 origami Santa
    The Spruce / Chrissy Pk

  5. Make Santa's Hat and Beard

    Fold the top corner down, leaving a small gap between Santa's hat and his beard. Fold another small section down, creating Santa's mustache. Flip the paper over to the other side. Fold the bottom right corner up to the top corner.

    Step 5 origami Santa
    The Spruce / Chrissy Pk

  6. Finish Folding Your Santa

    Fold the bottom left section up to the top corner. Fold the right edge to the center, folding all of the layers. Fold the left section the same way. Fold the bottom corner up a little bit, completing your origami Santa! You can use some glue to stick the back down, or you can leave it inside a heavy book overnight and it will be flat in the morning.

    Step 6 origami Santa
    The Spruce / Chrissy Pk

  7. Decorate the Santa

    Now it's time to decorate it. Use a black pen for his eyes, a pink pen for the nose, a white pen for the buttons, and a small ball of wool for the top of Santa's hat.

    origami Santa
    The Spruce / Chrissy Pk