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.
