How to make an origami Santa
Learn how to make this cute origami Santa with our brilliant step-by-step tutorial. This project is designed for beginners, and we have photos to guide you through each fold.
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Make your own origami Santa using a single piece of square paper. There is no cutting or glueing involved in this tutorial, and although there are a lot of steps, there are no tricky folds, and we have step-by-step photography for each step.
This origami Santa will take around 10 – 15 minutes to fold, although you may take a little longer the first time around. Work on a hard, flat surface so that you can achieve the best folds. If you have a bone folder or paper creaser, use this to burnish each fold and flatten the creases for crisp folds. This will help you later in the tutorial too, as there become more layers to fold at once, and the paper becomes stiffer.
This origami Santa will lay flat, so it’s ideal for adding to the front of a card as a focal feature!
Choose some paper that is single-sided with a white reverse side, as this will create the fur lining to Santa’s outfit. We’ve gone for red paper with a white reverse for the steps tutorial, but we love the green version! If you fancy boosting your stash, we’ve rounded up the best origami paper.
If you like this origami Santa tutorial, you might like some of the other origami projects we have here on Gathered. We highly recommend this origami dragon, origami rabbit, origami duck and this origami swan!
If you’re looking for super easy origami projects for children, be sure to check out these fantastic easy origami projects for kids and this easy origami butterfly. All our origami tutorials have easy-to-follow, step-by-step photos for each stage in the construction of the models, so you can fold with confidence. We also have these (super easy) origami cats and this adorable origami owl!
Or, why not keep it simple with this origami heart? Browse our pick of the best origami books, or if you’re on the hunt for more easy origami projects, we have them all collated here, in our easy origami for beginners article.
We love seeing what you make, so don’t forget to share your origami projects with us on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, too!
Buy an origami kit!
Give the gift of origami this Christmas with this fantastic origami paper kit! It contains 90 sheets of double-sided origami paper, plus a magazine full of instructions to make 30 different origami models. After you’re done, finish off your papercraft masterpieces by adding eyes to your animals with the included sticker sheet.
The double-sided origami paper is made up of 30 different designs (three of each) split into 10 animal patterns, 10 kaleidoscope patterns and 10 Japanese patterns, all printed with coordinating colours on the reverse.
Origami Santa tutorial
This easy origami Santa can be made with no knowledge of origami, as long as you take it slow. If you want to jazz up your origami Santa, experiment with different types of paper, or why not give him a white pompom at the end of his hat? We’ve wrapped his legs in black paper, and given him a belt across his belly to finish.
We love to see your origami models, so be sure to tag us on Instagram if you try out this tutorial!
For the purpose of this origami Santa step-by-step tutorial, we have used paper that is red on one side and white on the other.
Step 1
Start with a square piece of paper. We’re using a piece 25 x 25cm, as this origami Santa gets much smaller as you fold it.
Step 2
Turn the paper over, and fold it in half, so that the crease is at the top.
Step 3
Keeping the folded edge at the top, fold one of the corners down so that the vertical edge meets the bottom of the paper.
Step 4
Repeat on the other side, creating a triangle shape.
Step 5
Open the paper back up.
Step 6
Fold one of the corners up. If you’re using a piece of 25 x 25cm paper like we are, this should be around 2cm. This is the start of the fuzzy sleeve cuffs to your origami Santa!
Step 7
Fold that corner up again to give the sleeve cuff its shape.
Step 8
Turn the paper over, and repeat on the reverse on the same side as the front (so with the paper turned over this will be on the other side). Fold the corner up first to create the small triangle.
Step 9
Fold that same corner up again to create a mirror image of the cuff.
Step 10
Turn the paper back over again so the cuffs are on the left-hand side.
Step 11
Fold the paper in half to create a square shape.
Step 12
Next, open up the front layer of paper and flatten to create a triangle shape, with a square shape to the right-hand side.
Step 13
Turn the model over.
Step 14
Fold the left-hand edge up, so that it lines up with the top of the model.
Step 15
Fold down the top layer, so that the corner meets the fold.
Step 16
Push this corner up, so that there’s a gap between the corner and the fold.
Step 17
Mountain fold along the first line, so that it tucks inside the model.
Step 18
Open up the model to reveal a square shape.
Step 19
Fold the tip of this square up.
Step 20
Close the square again, bringing the bottom left-hand corner back up to the top right.
Step 21
Fold the top right-hand corner down, leaving a gap in the middle. The top white line is the brim of Santa’s hat, the middle part is his face, and the triangle at the bottom is his beard!
If you want to draw a face on your origami Santa, leave a slightly larger space in the middle.
Step 22
Fold the right-hand side down, so that the edge meets the middle. Crease the fold.
Step 23
Open it back out again.
Step 24
Fold the bottom right-hand corner up, so that the horizontal line at the bottom meets the middle. Crease the fold.