- Easy
- 20–30 minutes
- No glue
- about 3.5 × 3.7 in (9.0 × 9.4 cm)
Bring some cozy holiday cheer to your desk with an adorable Santa paper squishy featuring rosy pink cheeks, a fluffy white beard, and a classic red hat with a pom-pom. Our free printable PDF gives you 3 versions in both US Letter and A4 sizes: a ready-to-use color design, a line-art coloring page, and a blank outline to draw your own face. Pair him with a festive snowman paper squishy to create a cute winter duo!
What you need
How to make it, step by step
1Print the Santa template
Print your template at 100% scale on plain printer paper (make sure “fit to page” is turned off). Check the scale line in the top corner: it should measure exactly 2 inches (50 mm on A4). If you picked the coloring page, color his hat bright red and add rosy cheeks now, then let any marker ink dry completely.
2Tape the pieces
Cover only the 2 pieces—the front face and the back hair piece—with strips of wide clear packing tape, rather than taping the entire sheet. Smooth each strip down from the center outward without stretching it, since stretched tape wrinkles later. This glossy coat makes your Santa shiny, strong, and extra squishy.
3Cut out both pieces
Cut out the front and the back along the solid outer line, keeping the small white border all the way around. Take your time steering the scissors smoothly around the side pom-pom and the gentle waves at the bottom of his beard.
4Add a tape border to the back
Lay the back piece printed side down onto strips of regular clear tape, sticky side facing up. Cut the tape about 1 cm (½ inch) past the paper edge, then snip into this border every 2 cm (1 inch) right up to the paper. These little flaps will hold your Santa squishy together around the curved hat and beard.
5Join front and back
Put the front piece on top of the back, white sides together, matching the pom-pom and the beard. Fold the sticky tape flaps over the edge of the front one by one and press them down firmly. Leave a 3.5 cm (1½ in) gap open on the side for the stuffing, right where the pink line in the picture shows.
6Stuff it
Tear your plastic bags, cotton, or fiberfill into small pieces and push them inside through the open gap. Fill the far corners first—tucking bits into the side pom-pom, the top of the hat, and the bottom beard curves—and stop when he feels soft and puffy. Too much stuffing makes the taped seams pop.
7Close the gap
Fold the last tape flaps over the gap and tape it shut with an extra strip of clear tape. Run your finger firmly along all edges around the scalloped beard and hat rim to press the tape down well.
8Squish!
Done! Squeeze your jolly Santa squishy and watch his fluffy beard puff right back up. If you want a slow-rising squishy, prick 1 tiny pinhole into the back of his white hair so the air escapes slowly.
Free Santa Squishy Template
- Color
- Coloring page
- Blank, design your own
- Step-by-step guide
One free PDF: the template in three versions (pages 1–3) and the step-by-step guide (pages 4–5). Print the template at 100% on plain printer paper.
Tips for the perfect squish
- Beard feels too hard. It has too much stuffing inside. Gently open the side gap, take some filling out of the center, and tape the edge shut again.
- Wrinkles across the red hat. Tape wrinkles when it gets stretched while laying it down. Use shorter strips and smooth them on across his face without pulling.
- Seam splits at the pom-pom. Curved spots like the hat pom-pom and the beard waves take extra pressure when squeezed. Put a new short strip of clear tape across the edge, overlapping the old ones.
- Red marker colors smeared. Bright red markers need a moment to set on plain paper before taping. Let your markers dry fully before adding tape; printer ink is fine right away.
Questions
What are some fun Christmas paper squishy ideas to make as a set?
This jolly guy looks adorable next to a Christmas tree paper squishy in a handmade holiday gift basket or stocking. Print both templates at 100% so their sizes match nicely.
Can I use glue instead of tape on my Christmas paper squishy template?
Not for the edges. Glue does not stick to tape-covered paper, so the seams would open. The snipped tape border folded over the edge holds best.
What paper works best for printing?
Plain printer paper (80–100 gsm / 20–24 lb) works best. Cardstock makes the beard and hat stiff, so the squishy will not squish as nicely.
What can I stuff it with?
Use plastic grocery bags for a crinkly and light feel, or cotton balls and fiberfill to make him soft. You can also use small pieces of memory foam for a slow-rising squishy.
Can I make this craft with a class or holiday group?
Yes! Print 1 sheet per person and cut the tape strips in advance. Kids can color the coloring page while you help with taping—plan about 30 minutes.
More paper squishies to make
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