A Handprint Christmas Tree

With Christmas approaching, yesterday the kids and I decided to give a handprint Christmas tree a whirl.

I love the idea of crafts with hand or footprints involved, as I see it as a way to preserve a moment in time, a memento to keep. I toyed with doing footprints initially, but the logistics of that seemed a lot trickier and messier than handprints, so the hands won out!

Thinking it through, I decided to get the children to do lots of handprints on paper for me, so that we could then choose the best ones and cut them out for the tree. This was fun and easy for them to do, as they didn’t have to think about positioning their hands or making every one perfect.

Making handprints

Once the prints were dry, we set about creating our tree.

We used a red piece of A2 card and first cut out a little black bucket from card as the tree’s base.

We then layered the prints on top of one another, from 5 at the bottom, working our way up the five tiers to just 1 print at the top. I put them all into position first to test it out, then grabbed the glue to stick them all down, with Boo’s help. Boo then wanted to add a star to the top, so we simply cut that out of yellow card and popped it on. It was then the part that they’d been excitedly waiting for all day (the paint took a surprisingly long time to dry!), time to decorate the tree. We went for yellow pipe-cleaner tinsel and multi-coloured pompom baubles. You could also do fingerprint baubles.

Handprint Christmas Tree decorating

It was easy and fun to do, and I think it looks really effective. It’ll be a sweet keepsake to bring out every Christmas.

Handprint Christmas Tree Craft

What do you think?

Mum Of One



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27 thoughts on “A Handprint Christmas Tree”

  1. I love all the hand and footprint activities. The reindeer handprints, that we printed on fabric one year, come out each Christmas and the children always measure their hands against them. Your tree looks wonderful.

  2. Kimberlye Richardson

    What a wonderful and sweet project. I still have ‘feet Rudolf’s’ and similar items from my girls, such as puzzle pieces painted and used as picture frames, tiny thumb print snowmen, popsicle sticks covered in sequins and wrapped peppermints as photo frames, from so many years ago that still get added each year to our tree. They have all been wrapped and stored for years as my girls are now 13, 18, and 21. There is really nothing quite like the memories that come with those each year as I add them to our tree or hang them on our wall. You will definitely cherish these creations and smile, perhaps even tear up a bit as they become grown up and their tiny hands evoke memories that make you wonder how that time flew by so quickly. Thank you for sharing your family’s keepsake creation and the special thoughts and feelings that come with creating those future memories.

    1. Ah, thanks for your lovely comment. I know I’ll tear up in years to come, I don’t doubt it! Lovely to have things like this to keep, isn’t it?

  3. What a simple and great way to involve kids in a Christmas craft 🙂 it’s cute that you use their handprints too! I can see my mummy wanting to do this with me this year! #letkidsbekids x

  4. Such a lovely idea and I like your approach, keeping all aspects fun and not worrying about making sure the handprints are perfect etc. I love hand and foot prints for the memory side of things too as it really does capture a moment in time xx

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