[For Seniors] Recommended for December Wall Decorations! Santa Craft Ideas
Christmas is one of the hallmark events of December, isn’t it?
Many nursing homes and day service centers also hold Christmas parties, don’t they?
In this article, we’ll introduce indoor decorations that will enhance the fun, festive Christmas atmosphere.
Since it’s Christmas, we’ve gathered plenty of Santa Claus wall decorations and craft ideas.
You’ll find lots of ideas, including projects with simple steps and ones you can make using items from 100-yen shops or materials you already have on hand.
Please use this article as a December craft activity to enjoy together with older adults.
We hope you spend a wonderful time with seniors in the warmth of an indoor setting.
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[For Seniors] Recommended for December Wall Decorations! Santa Craft Ideas (1–10)
Santa felt bag
Let me introduce felt bags that are great not only for decoration but also for holding sweets and small items.
Since you can attach pieces using craft glue or a hot glue gun, you can make them without sewing.
The steps are simple, so they should be easy for older adults to try as well.
Designs like Santa Claus or reindeer are perfect for craft activities in December.
Prepare four circular pieces of felt and glue them together in pairs to create two double-layered pieces—one for the front and one for the back.
For the front, attach felt pieces to create Santa’s or a reindeer’s face.
Then glue on the bag’s handles and the side gusset to add depth.
Finally, attach the back piece, and you’re done.
Santa Claus wrapped in yarn
Everyone, have you heard of the fairy called a Tomte? A Tomte is a fairy from Nordic folklore, a guardian spirit that protects the people of the house it inhabits.
In Sweden, they even call Santa Claus “Jultomte.” Let’s make a Tomte decoration that’s perfect for Christmas.
Wrap yarn around a triangular piece of cardboard, and attach a craft pom-pom.
Then glue on cotton and star decorations, and it’s done.
The pom-pom nose and cotton beard give it a cute finish.
Since you’ll use your fingers a lot—like when wrapping the yarn—it also makes for a fun brain-training activity.
Nodding Santa Claus
Let’s make a Santa Claus decoration that adorably sways back and forth.
Cut slits in the top of a paper cup and insert the parts of Santa’s face.
For Santa’s face parts, use clothespins and craft them to work like a pendulum.
If you also glue colored paper onto the cup to look like Santa’s outfit, it will turn into an even lovelier piece.
Some older adults might find themselves reminiscing about Christmases spent with family as they look at the finished decoration.
It also seems like a project that would delight a grandchild as a gift.
[For Seniors] Recommended for December Wall Decorations! Santa Craft Ideas (11–20)
Santa and the Reindeer
When you think of Christmas, you often picture Santa Claus and his reindeer in the starring roles.
There are lots of songs about Santa, and “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” is the most well-known reindeer song in the world.
Wouldn’t it be fun to cover an entire wall with these popular characters? It’s best to create Santa while keeping a good balance of red and white.
Be sure to design it so the white parts of his hat and outfit don’t overlap with the white of his beard.
Using cotton for the beard will give Santa a three-dimensional look, and making the eyes big will create a youthful, childlike Santa.
To make them look like good friends, give the reindeer the same hat as Santa, too.
Santa Claus on 100-yen shop socks
We’d like to introduce a Santa Claus craft that makes use of a sock’s shape.
Cut a few centimeters off the opening of the sock, then sew on a circular piece of fusible interfacing.
Fusible interfacing is a stiff fabric with adhesive and will be used for Santa’s face.
Next, sew on the yarn and nose parts.
Stuff it with filling, shape the face, and it’s done.
Since there is a sewing step, this is a project that seniors who are skilled at sewing will find satisfying.
Of course, feel free to use this idea as a reference and get creative.
If you replace the sewing steps with glue or change the design to make it no-sew, many more seniors will likely be able to take part.
Santa Claus made with craft bands
DIY and handmade crafts using craft bands are really popular, aren’t they? These days you can even find craft bands at 100-yen shops, making them easy to pick up.
Let’s use those craft bands to make a Santa Claus! Take a red craft band, dampen it with water to soften it, then apply wood glue and roll it up as you shape it into a cone.
Use the cone as the base and start making the facial features.
You can make those with craft bands as well.
It’s a bit of detailed work, but you’ll end up with a very cute Santa Claus!
Santa Claus sitting on a swing
This is a playful wall decoration of Santa Claus on a swing.
Fold a red sheet of origami paper in half, make two slits, open it up, and cut out the center of the slit area to form Santa’s face, hands, and feet.
Cut a black sheet of origami into a thin strip to make a belt, and use the cut-out red pieces to make the hat—then Santa is complete.
Next, attach yarn to the seat part made from gold origami to create the swing, and seat Santa on it to finish! The folding steps are simple, so give it a try at your facility.
