Life Size Santa

Each year I build a cheap Christmas father (Santa Clause) for my decorations outside. I only bought the glue and some cotton balls, since I received an old costume which was on its way to the dustbin.

What you will need:

• Gloves
• Christmas suite
• Big Shoes
• Glass
• Paint
• Lots of newspaper
• Scarf (optional)
• Chair (optional)
• Glue (optional)
• Cotton balls (optional)

Where to start.

Place all the things you will need where you want to place the Christmas father, as moving it will be a hastle, and then usually you probably will kill christmas father and it does not fit well with small children.

The foundation that I use is newspaper, so wet seasons might be a hastle for him. But if you use the shiny newspapers, then he is more durable. My setup will never be up for more then two weeks and a got old sail to cover them up when it rains. But you can use plastic bags or a water proof suite.

Firstly crumble up the newspapers and stuff the shirt, until he has a nice and big belly. To make is water proof you can place the newspaper inside plastics bags because you stuff him. I use an old t-shirt instead of just the suites vest, because mine can't button up. Roll up 3 pieces of newspaper which will not crumble easy, witch you place at the bottom of the shirt, this will act as hips and keep him from falling over easily.

Next stuff the pants with newspaper and again role up a piece of newspaper at the bottom to act as anckles. Now the tricky parts is the assemble the torso. I place the stuffed pants on the chair and then place the shirt on top of it and just tuck in the shirt.

Now in my case since I used a t-shirt I still have to stuff the arm. Where I fold pieces of newspaper, so it looks more or less correct and then stuff the arms, by placing the crumbled up newspaper between the folded newspapers, more or less the same as is shown in the picture of the gloves.

As in the arms I use the same principal, but never start with the thumb, or the newspaper will just get in the way. Now stuff the hand so it will look realistic.
Do not attach feet or hands yet.

The face is probably the trickiest if you cant find a proper mask. Last year I build a face with paper messhy, but I tried you speed things up by placing it in the microwave, and ended up with a burnted chrstmas father and he had to wear sunglasses to cover up a shot I could quite fix.

This year a bought a cheap white paper machy mask for Halloween and just glued a piece of paper on the inside of to mask and ensuring the eyes where rounded. After that I painted eyes and just the hat of christmas father, which is also stuffed to keep the face on my old face. I then made some red cheeks and lips.

The beard is messy, if you do not have one. I use a piece of sturdy newspaper and simply stick cotton to it. And then stick it onto christmas fathers face. Now christmas father will be able the get an head, I used and old big bottle as a base of the face so I can just cram in a lot of rolled up newspaper and force it in between the newspaper in the shirt.

Now just add the hands and boots and place him into a position you like.

Now all he needs is some milk and cookies. I got an old glass and just lined it with white paint and some kids brought him cookies.

Share your thoughts about christmas and what you are planning to do. Feel free to ask ant quaestions you have.

YouTube Link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tCkk5yF4FQ

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