If you’re looking for Christmas handprint art and craft ideas you’ll be amazed at the possibilities for turning one handprint into different Christmas characters! Make a handprint Santa, elf, snowman, Christmas tree, reindeer or penguin. We love how easy the penguin and Christmas tree are to make!
RELATED: Christmas Crafts for Kids
Christmas Handprint Art Ideas
We have so many cute Christmas handprint crafts for kids.
Choose from a Santa, an elf, snowman, Christmas tree, reindeer or penguin! You can do painted handprints or if you skip down further you can see our handprint cards that are made with paper.
Supplies to Make Christmas Handprint Crafts
You only need a few supplies to make these painted Christmas handprints:
- Acrylic paint – We like non-toxic acrylic paint better than washable since it goes on thicker and more vibrant. Just make sure to wash hands right away and you shouldn’t have a problem getting it off. If you’re just doing the handprints for fun, washable paint will work too. If you want them to be a keepsake or a gift, we recommend using non-toxic acrylic paint. You can get our favorite set of colors here.
- For the face of the Santa and elf you can get an assortment of colors here.
- White Cardstock – we like to make prints on white cardstock which is sturdier than regular paper or construction paper
- Black Sharpie – we outlined with a black sharpie to make the handprint stand out more
Watch the Video Tutorial!
Directions to Make Christmas Handprint Art
Tips for Getting a Handprint
- Help place the child’s hand down onto the paper and try to not move it for a few seconds. Gently lift the hand up from the paper so you don’t smudge the paint. If any spots are missed with paint, just touch up these parts with a little extra paint using a paintbrush.
- You can tape the paper down with some painting tape so that it does not move when doing the handprint.
Santa Handprint
Start by adding the face paint to the palm of the hand and red paint to the fingers (no thumb). Press the hand onto the white cardstock.
Make 2 thumbprints on the side of the handprint for the ears with the same color paint you used for the face. Allow this paint to dry.
Add circle cardstock pieces for the eyes or paint these white.
Paint on the moustache, the beard, the brim of the hat, and the tip of the hat with white paint. You can also use cotton balls for these parts.
Make a pink fingerprint for the nose and cheeks.
Draw on the mouth with a black marker or sharpie.
Trace around the eyes and make two dots in the center.
As an optional step, you can trace the whole handprint with a black marker.
Elf Handprint
Start by the face paint to the palm of the hand and green paint to the fingers (no thumb). Press the hand onto the white cardstock.
Make 2 thumbprints on the side of the handprint for the ears with the same color paint you used for the face. Allow this paint to dry.
Add circle cardstock pieces for the eyes or paint these white.
Paint on the brim of the hat and the tip of the hat with white paint. You can also use cotton balls for these parts.
Make a pink fingerprint for the cheeks.
Draw on the mouth with a black marker or sharpie.
Trace around the eyes and make two dots in the center.
As an optional step, you can trace the whole handprint with a black marker.
Snowman Handprint
Start by adding white paint to the palm of the hand and black paint to the fingers (no thumb). Press the hand onto the white cardstock.
Paint on the face with 2 black dots for the eyes and dots for the mouth. Paint on an orange carrot nose.
Paint a strip of black for the top of the hat or use an extra finger print for this spot. Then paint another line of green or red above this.
Make a pink fingerprint for both sides of the cheeks.
Paint on the scarf or use extra finger prints to make these spots.
Once the paint is dry, add lines to the scarf with a black marker.
As an optional step, you can trace the whole handprint with a black marker.
Christmas Tree Handprint
Paint the whole hand green and place down on white cardstock. Allow to dry.
Add red fingerprints to the tree to make ornaments.
Paint on a star or add a glitter star sticker to the top.
Paint on the tree stump.
Trace around the whole handprint with a black marker, if desired.
As an optional step, you can trace the whole handprint with a black marker.
Reindeer Handprint
Start by adding light brown paint to the palm of the hand and dark brown paint to the fingers (no thumb). Press the hand onto the white cardstock, trying to leave a space in between the middle of the fingers so you have 2 closer together on each side.
Make 2 thumbprints on the side of the handprint for the ears with the same color paint you used for the face. Allow this paint to dry.
Add circle cardstock pieces for the eyes or paint these white.
Make a pink fingerprint on both sides for the cheeks.
Paint a red nose on.
Draw on the mouth with a black marker or sharpie.
Trace around the eyes and make two dots in the center.
As an optional step, you can trace the whole handprint with a black marker.
Penguin Handprint
Paint the whole hand black and place down on white cardstock. Allow to dry.
Add circle cardstock pieces for the eyes or paint these white.
Add a white circle for the belly with paint or you can leave this portion unpainted when doing the handprint. You can also add an extra white circle made from cardstock and glue on.
Paint on the nose with orange paint.
Add two small pink dots for the cheeks. You can dip the back of a paintbrush into pink paint and use that to make the dots.
Add black dots in the eyes with a black marker or with black paint.
As an optional step, you can trace the whole handprint with a black marker.
Polar Bear Handprint
Paint the whole hand white and place down on white cardstock. Allow to dry. For this handprint, because it’s white on white, you could do it on black paper or you can just trace the handprint instead.
Once the paint is dry, use a marker to draw on the polar bear’s ears, eyes, nose and mouth. Add a few marks to the feet.
Add two small pink dots for the cheeks.
As an optional step, you can trace the whole handprint with a black marker.
We just love how fun these cute little handprints turned out! Turn one into a gift for a relative or friend or add them to a gift package!
More Christmas Handprint Crafts
More Christmas Handprint Craft Ideas
These Christmas handprint cards are a lot of fun to make!
You can also make a Christmas handprint tree card!
And for a keepsake from salt dough, try these Salt Dough Christmas Handprint Ornaments!
Great ideas .Thank you for sharing .
Such cute ideas- great project and craft for kids for the holidays! Thanks for sharing 🙂