Christmas Drawing Ideas: 60 Things to Draw for Xmas, Easy to Hard
Things to draw for Xmas, sorted by skill: 60 Christmas drawing ideas from easy doodles and cute sketches to cool, realistic scenes, plus AI coloring pages.
Looking for things to draw for Xmas? This list has 60 Christmas drawing ideas, sorted from quick doodles to realistic scenes, so you can pick the things to draw for Christmas that fit your skill level and the time you have. Every section has pictures for inspiration, a few tips on how to draw it, and more ideas to draw for Christmas underneath.
Short answer: the easiest Christmas things to draw are a tree made from stacked triangles, a candy cane, a snowflake, an ornament, a stocking, a gingerbread man, and a reindeer face. For something more ambitious, try a fireplace with stockings, a tree seen through a frosty window, or Santa’s sleigh crossing the moon. Scroll down for step-by-step drawings, a 24-day December drawing challenge, and prompts that make your own Christmas drawing references with AI.
Christmas Things to Draw at a Glance
Not sure where to start? Use this table as quick Christmas drawing inspiration: these Christmas items to draw are ordered roughly by difficulty. The times are for a clean line drawing with simple color.
| Idea | Skill level | Time | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas tree | Easy | 5 min | Cards, kids, warm-ups |
| Candy cane | Easy | 2 min | Doodles, borders, gift tags |
| Gingerbread man | Easy | 10 min | Kids, cookie tags |
| Reindeer face | Easy | 10 min | Kids, stickers |
| Snowflake | Easy to medium | 10 min | Window art, pattern practice |
| Penguin in a scarf | Easy | 10 min | Cute cards |
| Wreath with ornaments | Medium | 30 min | Cards, coloring pages |
| Santa’s sleigh at night | Medium | 45 min | Card fronts, posters |
| Cozy fireplace with stockings | Medium | 45 min | Scenes, shading practice |
| Realistic reindeer portrait | Hard | 1 to 2 hours | Realistic study |
| Snowy village at night | Hard | 2 hours or more | Framed art, gifts |
Easy Christmas Things to Draw for Beginners
Start with shapes you already know. Almost every simple Christmas doodle is a triangle, a circle, or a rectangle with a few extra lines, which makes these the best drawing ideas Christmas has for beginners and kids.
Classic Christmas tree
Stack three triangles, give the bottom edges a wavy hem, add a trunk and a star. Baubles are just small circles.
Reindeer face
An upside-down pear for the head, two leaf ears, and antlers drawn as a Y that branches again. Keep the nose round and big.
Glowing candle
A tall rectangle, a teardrop flame, and a few drips down the side. Shade one side to make it look round.
Tree-top star
Draw a five-point star, then connect each point to the center. Color one side of every point darker for a 3D look.
Ribbon bow
A small knot in the middle, two loops like rounded triangles, and two tails with a notch cut at the end.
Gingerbread man
A circle head and a rounded star body. Add icing zigzags on the arms and legs, gumdrop buttons, and a smile.
More easy Xmas things to draw when you only have a few minutes:
- Candy cane: a hooked line, a parallel line next to it, and diagonal stripes that curve slightly so the cane looks round.
- Round ornament: a circle with a small rectangle cap and a loop on top. Fill it with stripes, dots, or a tiny snowflake.
- Mittens: one rounded shape with a thumb, mirrored for the second mitten, joined by a string.
- Holly sprig: two pointed leaves with wavy edges and a cluster of three red berries.
- Jingle bells: a bell shape with a slot near the bottom, tied together with a bow.
- Gift box: a cube in two-point perspective with a ribbon crossing the top and a bow.
How to Draw a Christmas Tree in 4 Steps
- Stack three triangles, each one wider than the one above it and overlapping slightly.
- Add a star, a trunk, and a hem. Turn the straight bottom edges into small scallops so the branches look soft, and erase the lines where the tiers overlap.
- Drape garlands and hang baubles. Draw each garland as a curve that dips in the middle, then add circles along it.
- Color it in. Use a mid green for the tree, a darker green for the scallop lines, and red, gold, and blue for the baubles.
Cute Christmas Drawing Ideas
Cute drawings are all about round shapes, big heads, small bodies, and rosy cheeks. They are fun Christmas things to draw for stickers, gift tags, and kids’ cards.
Penguin in a scarf
An egg-shaped body, a white belly, tiny flippers, and a scarf that flutters to one side.
Santa with a candy cane
Make the beard a big cloud shape, close the eyes into happy curves, and let a giant candy cane steal the scene.
Toy train with gifts
Boxes on circles. Puff the smoke into a cloud and load the wagon with presents or tiny trees.
More cute and fun Christmas things to draw:
- A chubby reindeer tangled in fairy lights, with a surprised face and tiny antlers.
- A puppy peeking out of a gift box, one paw over the edge and a bow on its head.
- A snowman family holding hands, each in a different scarf and hat.
- A kitten asleep in a stocking hung from the mantel.
- A mug of hot cocoa with a face, marshmallows for hair and a candy cane stirrer.
Christmas Drawing Ideas for Kids
For kids, the best stuff to draw for Christmas is big, simple, and personal. The drawing ideas for Christmas that work best at home or in class are directed drawings (follow-along steps), coloring pages, and drawings about their own Christmas: they keep kids busy and proud of the result.
Christmas coloring pages
Print outlines of their favorite things, or turn a family photo into a coloring page they can color in themselves.
Make a coloring page
An illustrated letter to Santa
Write “Dear Santa” at the top and draw each wish instead of writing it. It doubles as a keepsake.
Christmas List Drawing Ideas
Christmas list drawing ideas turn a wish list into a mini art project. Fold a sheet into a grid of eight boxes and draw one wish in each box, draw the gifts stacked under a tree with a label on each tag, or draw a long scroll unrolling from Santa’s hands. Younger kids can cut pictures out of catalogs and add drawn bows and ribbons around them.
More ideas for Christmas drawings with kids:
- Draw your family as elves, with pointy hats and striped stockings.
- Design your own ornament on a big circle, then cut it out and hang it.
- Shape-by-shape snowman: three circles, two sticks, a carrot triangle, and a hat rectangle.
- Roll-a-snowman game: each number on a die adds one part, so every snowman ends up different.
Cool Drawings for Christmas
Want cool Christmas drawing ideas that do not look like every card in the store? Take a classic symbol and drop it somewhere unexpected: the best Xmas drawing ideas in this group are a familiar shape in an unfamiliar place. These Christmas cool drawings work well for teens and adults, and cool Xmas drawings like these make great stickers and profile pictures.
Astronaut reindeer
A space suit, a round helmet, and antlers poking through. Put snowy mountains and stars behind it.
Gingerbread cookie monster
Flip the cute cookie into a fuzzy, sprinkle-covered monster. Two tiny gingerbread men add the punchline.
Fantasy elf ranger
Swap the cheerful helper for an adventurer: hooded cloak, boots, a spear, and a determined look.
More cool Christmas things to draw:
- Santa on a snowboard, goggles on and scarf flying, carving down a mountain.
- Graffiti “Merry Christmas” lettering with drips, highlights, and snowflakes around it.
- A neon Christmas tree drawn with glowing lines on black paper (white gel pen plus bright markers).
- A reindeer in sunglasses with lights tangled in its antlers.
- Santa’s sleigh with rocket boosters and flame decals.
- A snow globe with a whole city inside, or a galaxy instead of snow.
Looking for cool things to draw Christmas Eve while the cookies bake? Pick one of these, set a 30-minute timer, and keep it loose.
Christmas Sketch Ideas for Pencil
Pencil is perfect for quiet evenings. These sketch Christmas drawing ideas focus on texture and light rather than color, so they are good practice for shading.
A row of stockings
Draw one stocking shape, then vary the patterns: dots, stripes, cables, and snowflakes.
Snowman study
Shade the side away from the light with soft blue-gray, and leave the paper white for the highlights.
Detailed snowflake
Six arms, then branches that copy each other exactly. A ruler and light guidelines help.
More Christmas sketches to draw:
- An old-fashioned lantern in the snow, with icicles hanging from the frame.
- Pinecones, studying the overlapping scales from the base to the tip.
- An angel with flowing robes and feathered wings drawn in soft strokes.
- A sprig of mistletoe tied with a ribbon.
How to Draw a Snowflake
Draw three lines crossing at the center so you get six evenly spaced arms. Add a V-shaped branch halfway along each arm, then smaller branches near the tips and the center. Whatever you add to one arm, copy on all six. Finish with blue lines on a pale background and a few dots of sparkle. These Christmas sketching ideas are also great for paper cutting and window art.
Realistic Christmas Drawing Ideas
Ready for a challenge? These realistic Christmas drawing ideas test reflections, fur, flame, and texture. Work from a reference, block in large shapes, and save the tiny details for last.
Fireplace with stockings
Practice warm light: the fire is the brightest spot, so darken the bricks and logs around it.
Reindeer portrait
Map the fur direction before you shade, and keep the antlers lighter at the tips.
Ornament wreath
Draw a ring guide, then layer leaves, berries, ornaments, and a bow. Great as a coloring page too.
More hard Christmas drawing ideas:
- A candle with dripping wax surrounded by pinecones and holly.
- A nutcracker soldier with gold buttons, a tall hat, and a painted face.
- A glass ornament reflecting a window and the lights around it.
- A frosted window pane with ice crystals creeping in from the corners.
- Hands holding a mug of cocoa, with knitted sleeves and rising steam.
Good Christmas drawing references make realistic work much easier: it is far simpler to draw Christmas ideas convincingly when you can see how the light falls. If you cannot find the exact angle you want, generate one with the prompts further down this page.
Beautiful Christmas Drawing Scenes
A beautiful Christmas drawing usually tells a small story: a tree glowing behind a window, a sleigh crossing the moon, Santa resting after a long night. Scenes take longer, but they make the best framed gifts and card fronts.
Tree through a frosty window
The window frame does the composition for you. Add curtains, snow outside, and warm light inside.
Santa’s sleigh at night
Dark blue sky, a big pale moon, and a red sleigh as the only warm color. Simple and striking.
Santa in his armchair
A cozy interior with presents, a small tree, and Santa with his boots up after delivery night.
More Christmas picture ideas to draw as full scenes:
- A snowy village at night, with roofs blanketed in snow and every window lit.
- An outdoor ice rink with skaters in bright scarves.
- A candlelit Christmas table with garland and glowing glasses.
- A frosty pine forest with a lantern and footprints leading into the trees.
Christmas Decoration Ideas: Drawing Ornaments, Tags and Patterns
Drawing is not only for paper you frame. Some of the most useful Christmas stuff to draw ends up on the tree: these Christmas decoration ideas drawing fans can cut out and hang are a cheap way to decorate, and they double as Christmas designs to draw when you want to practice patterns.
- Ornament designs: draw circles on card stock, fill each with a pattern, cut them out, and punch a hole for string.
- Gift tags: small rectangles with a holly corner, a tiny tree, or a reindeer face, plus space for a name.
- Paper garland: draw stars or mittens on a strip of folded paper, cut through all layers, and unfold a chain.
- Nordic sweater pattern: a grid of small pixels with snowflakes, hearts, and reindeer. Graph paper makes it easy.
- Candy stripe borders around cards, menus, and place cards.
- Window stencils: draw large snowflakes or stars, cut them out, and trace them onto the glass with window markers.
Pattern-based Christmas design ideas drawing beginners can repeat across a page include holly repeats, candy-stripe diagonals, and alternating stars and dots. If you like grid patterns, the cross stitch pattern maker turns a drawing or photo into a stitchable chart.
December Drawing Ideas: A 24-Day Christmas Drawing Challenge
Need something to draw for Christmas every day, and never want to wonder what to draw Christmas week again? This challenge gives you one Christmas idea drawing a day from December 1 to Christmas Eve, getting a little harder each week. Copy the prompts for your sketchbook, a class, or a group chat: they work as Christmas themed drawing ideas for kids and as holiday drawing ideas for the whole month.
Week 1: Dec 1–6
Dec 1: A mug of hot cocoa with marshmallows
Dec 2: Your favorite ornament
Dec 3: A pair of knitted mittens
Dec 4: A candy cane tied with a bow
Dec 5: A snowflake with six matching arms
Dec 6: A stocking with your name on it
Week 2: Dec 7–12
Dec 7: A gingerbread house with icing on the roof
Dec 8: A penguin wearing a scarf
Dec 9: A wreath on a front door
Dec 10: A string of Christmas lights
Dec 11: A snow globe with a tiny scene inside
Dec 12: A reindeer face
Week 3: Dec 13–18
Dec 13: Holly leaves and berries
Dec 14: A cozy fireplace with stockings
Dec 15: A sleigh crossing the moon
Dec 16: A Christmas tree seen through a window
Dec 17: Your pet in a Santa hat
Dec 18: A plate of cookies and milk for Santa
Week 4: Dec 19–24
Dec 19: A snowy village at night
Dec 20: Wrapped presents under the tree
Dec 21: A winter forest with a lantern
Dec 22: Your Christmas list, illustrated
Dec 23: Your family as cartoon elves
Dec 24: Santa on a snowy rooftop
Christmas Drawing References: Generate Your Own With AI
Can’t find the right angle or pose? These prompts make clean Christmas images drawing beginners can copy or trace, plus a few detailed studies for advanced artists. Paste one into the text to image generator, then draw from the result. They are also a fast source of Christmas drawing inspo when you are stuck.
Penguin coloring page
Coloring page of a cute penguin wearing a knitted scarf and holding a small wrapped gift, bold clean black outlines, no shading, white background, simple shapes for kids
Christmas doodle sheet
Sheet of simple Christmas doodles evenly spaced on white paper: candy cane, round ornament, holly sprig, mitten, star, gingerbread man, gift box, snowflake, black ink line art
Pencil sketch of a snowy cabin
Graphite pencil sketch of a small snowy cabin among pine trees at dusk, light hatching, visible paper texture, simple composition that is easy to copy
Realistic reindeer study
Realistic charcoal drawing of a reindeer head in three-quarter view, detailed fur texture and antlers, soft side lighting, plain light gray background
Snowboarding Santa
Cartoon illustration of Santa Claus snowboarding down a snowy mountain, goggles and a flying red scarf, bold outlines and flat colors, dynamic pose
Window scene for a card
Colored pencil drawing of a decorated Christmas tree seen through a frosty window with red curtains, warm light inside, falling snow outside, square layout
Treat AI images as references, the same way you would use a photo. Your own lines, color choices, and mistakes are what make the drawing yours.
Turn a Christmas Pic Into a Drawing
Want a Christmas pic drawing of your family, your pet, or your decorated tree? You do not have to draw it from scratch. The photo to line art tool turns a photo into clean outlines, a pencil sketch, or a printable coloring page, which you can color by hand or trace onto nicer paper.
To make a personalized Christmas coloring page:
- Make the photo festive. Add a Santa hat with the Santa hat editor, or a snowy scene with the AI Christmas photo generator.
- Convert it. Upload the result to photo to line art and choose Coloring Page for bold outlines or Sketch for a pencil look.
- Print and color. Print at 100% on plain or card-stock paper and color it with pencils or markers.
If you would rather skip the coloring and go straight to an illustrated look, the Christmas filter has a Christmas Anime style, and photo to cartoon turns any portrait into a cartoon you can draw over.
Tips for Better Christmas Drawings
A few habits make any festive drawing look finished, and turn these drawing ideas Christmas-card worthy:
- Sketch light, ink dark. Use a hard pencil for the first lines, then go over the keepers with a fine liner or marker.
- Limit the palette. Three or four colors plus white looks more finished than every marker in the box.
- Repeat shapes. Ornaments, stars, and snowflakes look best when they repeat at two or three sizes across the page.
- Leave white space for snow, highlights, and a greeting if the drawing will become a card.
- Add one light source. Decide where the light comes from (a fire, a window, the moon) and shade everything on the opposite side.
A Christmas color palette
| Color | Hex | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Berry red | #C62828 | Santa, ribbons, berries |
| Evergreen | #2E7D32 | Trees, holly, wreaths |
| Gold | #F9A825 | Stars, bells, lights |
| Snow white | #FAFAFA | Snow, beards, highlights |
| Midnight blue | #1B2A49 | Night skies, winter scenes |
| Gingerbread brown | #A0522D | Cookies, trunks, reindeer |
What you need
You do not need much: printer paper or a sketchbook, a pencil and eraser, a fine black pen, and colored pencils or markers. Add a white gel pen for snow and sparkle, and metallic markers for stars and ornaments.
How to Take a Good Christmas Drawing Photo
Want to share your work? A good Christmas drawing photo starts with daylight: put the paper near a window, turn off overhead lights to avoid yellow casts, and shoot straight down so the edges stay square. Fill the frame, tap to focus, and crop away the table. If the photo comes out soft, the image enhancer can sharpen it, and the sticker maker can cut out a doodle and turn it into a sticker.
More Christmas Ideas
- Christmas painting ideas: watercolor, acrylic, window, and rock painting projects.
- DIY Christmas picture frames: frames to make for your favorite holiday photos.
- AI holiday photo generator: festive looks for Christmas, New Year, and more.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I draw for Christmas?
If you are not sure what to draw for Christmas, start with a symbol everyone recognizes: a Christmas tree, a candy cane, a snowman, a reindeer face, or a wrapped gift. Once you are warmed up, try a cozy scene such as a fireplace with stockings or a tree seen through a frosty window. Pick a simple idea when you have ten minutes and a scene when you have an evening.
What are easy Christmas things to draw for beginners?
The easiest Christmas things to draw are built from basic shapes: a tree from stacked triangles, a candle from a rectangle and a teardrop, a star from five points, an ornament from a circle, and a gingerbread man from circles and ovals. Draw lightly in pencil first, then go over the lines you like with a pen or marker.
What are some cool Christmas drawing ideas for teens and adults?
Cool Christmas drawing ideas usually put a twist on a classic: a reindeer in a space suit, Santa on a snowboard, a gingerbread cookie monster, neon or graffiti-style lettering, a snow globe with a whole city inside, or a fantasy elf ranger. Bold outlines, unusual color palettes, and dramatic angles make them look fresh.
What is a hard Christmas drawing to challenge myself?
Try a realistic reindeer portrait, a glass ornament with reflections, a candle with dripping wax and pinecones, or a snowy village at night lit from the windows. These test texture, reflections, and light. Work from a good reference photo or an AI-generated reference, block in big shapes first, and add detail last.
What colors should I use for a Christmas drawing?
The classic palette is deep red, evergreen, gold, and white, often with a dark navy for night skies. For a softer look, swap in sage green, blush pink, and cream. Limiting yourself to three or four colors plus white makes almost any Christmas drawing look more polished.
How do I turn a Christmas photo into a drawing or coloring page?
Upload the photo to the photo to line art tool on EzImgMaker and choose the Coloring Page style for bold, closed outlines with no shading, or Sketch for a pencil look. You can add a Santa hat or a festive filter to the photo first, then convert it, to get a personalized Christmas coloring page. The AI tools are free to try with the credits you get when you sign up.
Can I draw famous Christmas movie characters?
Characters from films, books, and brands are protected by copyright and trademarks. Drawing them for private practice is common, but selling, printing, or publishing them usually needs permission. The ideas in this list are traditional motifs, such as Santa, reindeer, snowmen, and gingerbread, that anyone can draw and share.
What can I draw on a Christmas card?
Good card drawings are simple and read from across a room: a single ornament, a wreath, a snow globe, a sleigh crossing the moon, or holly and bells. Leave space for a greeting. You can also scan your drawing and lay it out as a printable card with the AI Christmas card generator.
What are good December drawing ideas besides Christmas?
December drawing ideas do not all have to be about Christmas. Winter animals such as foxes and owls, snowy landscapes, cozy mugs and knitwear, Hanukkah candles, and New Year fireworks all make good holiday drawing ideas, and they work for a daily drawing challenge too.
Characters from films, books, and brands are deliberately left out of this list: every idea here is a traditional holiday motif that anyone can draw, share, and put on a card.