- Age
- 3+
- Prep
- Minutes per ornament
- Type
- Photo Craft
Reindeer & Santa Snow Globe Ornaments up close
Every angle, before you read a single instruction.
Reindeer & Santa Snow Globe Ornaments
If you're looking for the classic Christmas classroom craft, this is it — reindeer and Santa photo snow globe ornaments. Each child's face peeks through a reindeer with jingle-bell antlers or a jolly Santa hat, all tucked into a clear ornament with faux snow. They look like something from a boutique gift shop, but each one costs very little and takes just minutes to assemble. This is the reindeer & Santa design from our photo snow globe ornament collection — it also comes in pink gingerbread and arctic animals. Same simple method for all three.
Shop the materials
The exact products we used, if you'd rather not hunt them down.
Clear plastic fillable ornaments
View on Amazon
White pom-poms
View on AmazonFoam beads
View on AmazonSnowflake sprinkles
View on AmazonRibbon for wrapping
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Some links are affiliate links. We only share things we actually use.
How to set up reindeer & santa snow globe ornaments
Follow along at your own pace.
Step 1: Print the Kit
Print the reindeer & Santa PDF — page 1 has 12 photo cutouts (reindeer with antlers and bells, plus Santa hats with holly), pages 2–3 have the kraft 'Merry & Bright' collar wraps. Cardstock gives the sturdiest characters.
Step 2: Cut Out the Characters
Cut along the outlines. Let kids pick: reindeer or Santa? In our experience it's about fifty-fifty, and the great debate is half the fun. Older kids can cut their own; pre-cut for preschoolers.
Step 3: Add Each Child's Photo
Trim each photo to fit the round face cutout and tape it behind the character. The reindeer antlers frame little faces so sweetly — this is the step that gets the 'awws' from other teachers.
Step 4: Fill the Ornament with Snow
Spoon faux snow or foam beads into the open ornament, about a third full. A few red and green pom-poms mixed into the white snow look incredibly festive against the kraft collar.
Step 5: Tuck the Character Inside
Stand the reindeer or Santa in the snow and snap the ornament closed. A small piece of tape on the back keeps wobbly characters upright.
Step 6: Wrap the Collar and Tie the Ribbon
Curl a 'Merry & Bright' collar around the base to hide the seam, then tie your ribbon in a bow over it. These are gift-ready — no wrapping paper needed.
Skills hiding inside the play
FINE MOTOR SKILLS
Cutting along outlines, trimming photos, and spooning snow into a small opening all build the hand control children need for writing and everyday tasks.
CHOICE AND VOICE
Reindeer or Santa? Letting each child pick their character makes the craft theirs — and the great debate is half the fun.
SEASONAL VOCABULARY
Reindeer, antlers, jingle bells, Santa, ornament, snow — the craft is a natural way to name the words of Christmas while making something real.
GIVING
These ornaments are made to be given. A child who makes a gift for a parent or grandparent practices generosity in the most concrete way there is.
FOLLOWING STEPS
Print, cut, photo, snow, tuck, wrap — six steps in order, each one visible. A gentle introduction to following a sequence to a finished result.
Vocabulary
- reindeer
- antlers
- jingle bells
- Santa
- Santa hat
- holly
- ornament
- snow
- collar
- ribbon
- keepsake
- classroom
- Christmas
Conversation starters
Reindeer or Santa — which one are you picking, and why?
What makes a reindeer a reindeer? What do you notice about the antlers?
Who would you give your ornament to?
What should we mix into the snow to make it look festive?
What does Santa's hat look like? What about the reindeer's bells?
How does your ornament look different from your friend's?
books we love
Some links are affiliate links. We only share books we actually read.
Ways to change it up
Same setup, different challenge.
- GINGERBREAD SNOW GLOBES
The same method in pink gingerbread — each child's photo inside a gingerbread character with 'You're Too Sweet' collars. See the Gingerbread Snow Globe Ornaments activity.
- ARCTIC ANIMAL SNOW GLOBES
The cool-blue version — a penguin, a polar bear, and an arctic fox holding each child's photo. See the Arctic Animal Snow Globe Ornaments activity.
- DIY SNOW GLOBE PARTY FAVORS
The original snow globe favor tutorial — acrylic charms and printable collars for classroom gifts. From the blog post that started the collection.