How To Make Shaped Cards for Christmas

Read all of the steps before starting.

Step 1: Choose a Pattern and Print It

Choose a card to make. Download the pattern for the card and print it on cardstock.
(Paper may be used, but the resulting card will be flimsy and less able to stand up on its own.)

There are three card designs: a pine tree, Santa and an angel. All the designs have both a front and a back, and are offered in color and black & white. A plain pattern with no tree decorations is available for the pine tree design. While the color patterns are quicker to make, the black & white patterns allow for more creativity. Whichever pattern you use, personalize your cards by adding your own creative touches.

Santa-Shaped Card

Colored •  B&W

Angel-Shaped Card

Colored •  B&W

Pine Tree-Shaped Card

Colored •  B&W •  Plain

Gift Tags

Colored •  B&W

Patterns are Adobe PDF files. The Adobe Reader is available for free.

All of Aunt Annie's Crafts project patterns are designed to be printed on standard letter-size paper (8.5"x11" or A4). When printing from Adobe Reader, you may need to select Auto-Rotate and Center or Choose paper source by PDF page size to ensure the best fit.

Step 2: Color and Decorate (optional)

Use crayons, colored pencils or markers to add color to the black & white pattern. Add extras to the cards like rosy cheeks on Santa, presents under the tree or clouds beneath the angel's feet. If you make several cards, try to make each one unique.

Step 3: Score and Fold Card

Fold the card in half on the black line in the center of the card. Scoring the fold line will allow easier and neater folding.

To score a line, you need a ruler and a blunt tip (empty ballpoint pen). Place the ruler on the line and trace the line with the blunt tip. This makes a dent in the card stock that will fold naturally.

Step 4: Cut

Cut straight across the bottom of the pattern on the line marked. Cut from there around the top of the card, about ¼ to ½ inch (0.5 to 1 cm) from the image's outline. Make the cut with gentle curves, leaving a folded "hinge" on the left edge. For Santa, leave a hinge from the bottom of the card to to his elbow. For the angel, the hinge extends from the card's bottom to the left wing tip. For the pine tree, the hinge goes from the bottom to the tip of the lower left branch.

Be sure not to cut through the fold, as it's needed to hinge the card front to the card back.

Step 5: Add Your Personal Touches

• Perk up your card by adding a glitter garland to the pine tree, or maybe tufts of cotton on Santa's beard. Use your imagination!
• Write a message on the inside of the card.
• Decorate the inside of the card with images of Christmas: candy canes, ball ornaments, bells, ribbons, etc.
• Place the card in an envelope—use this pattern to make your own. You might also decorate the envelope. Tip: The Santa card fits in a standard invitation envelope.