Every December someone at the kitchen table asks for help drawing Santa. This guide shows how to draw Santa as a friendly face in six steps: a circle, the hat, the fluffy band, a big beard and then the little details that give him his smile.
The free PDF includes a step-by-step sheet, a tracing page, a practice sheet with a grid and a coloring page. It is a nice drawing to put on a letter to Santa or a homemade card.
What’s in the PDF
- Step-by-step sheet with 6 numbered steps; new lines are black, earlier lines are grey
- Tracing page with a large Santa in light grey to trace over
- Practice sheet with a small reference and two boxes with a light grid
- Coloring page with the finished Santa in bold outlines
How to draw Santa step by step
- Draw a round face. A circle in the middle of the page.
- Draw the hat. A curved line over the top of the face that flops to one side, with a round pom-pom at the tip.
- Add the hat band. A long rounded band across the forehead.
- Draw the beard. A big wavy shape around the bottom of the face. Erase the bottom of the circle that is now inside the beard.
- Add the mustache and nose. Two curly shapes under a round nose.
- Finish the face. Two dots for eyes, curved eyebrows, round cheeks and a small smile under the mustache.
Step 4 is the only one with erasing. Draw lightly in pencil until then so the chin line is easy to remove.
Trace it first
If drawing freehand feels hard, start with the tracing page. Go over the grey lines with a pencil, pressing lightly, and you will learn the shapes and the order without worrying about mistakes. Then try again on the practice sheet.
Practice on the grid
The practice sheet has a small finished Santa for reference and two boxes with a faint grid. The grid helps with size and spacing: count how many squares tall the Santa is in the reference, then draw it the same way.
Color the finished drawing
Red hat, white band, beard and pom-pom, a pink face and rosy cheeks. Leave the beard white or color it very lightly in grey or light blue so it stands out.
Drawing tips for kids
- Draw in pencil first, especially before the beard step.
- Make the beard bigger than you think; it should almost reach the bottom of the page.
- Add a few holly leaves to the hat band.
- Draw a speech bubble saying Ho Ho Ho next to him.
Download the pages one by one
Prefer a single page? Click a link to open the full-size PNG, then print it or save it. The full PDF with all pages and a cover is in the download box.
- How to draw Santa: step-by-step sheet (PNG)
- Santa tracing page (PNG)
- Santa practice sheet with grid (PNG)
- Santa coloring page (PNG)
Pair your drawing with the letter to Santa templates, the Christmas wish list and the Christmas coloring pages.
FAQ
Why do I erase part of the face?
The beard covers the bottom of the face circle. Erasing that line after you draw the beard keeps the drawing clean. The step sheet shows the chin line already removed.
What paper should I print it on?
Plain US Letter printer paper works. Use cardstock if your child will color with markers or wants to keep the drawing.
Can I use it in my classroom?
Yes. The pages are free for personal and classroom use. Print a copy for every student, and link to this page instead of sharing the PDF file.
Kids can draw Santa, then write their wishes on this printable Christmas wish list for kids.
