You and I both know that Christmas is a great time of year for making craft projects!
The glitter! The hot glue gun! … The vacuum cleaner?!? 😮
Christmas crafts are a fun activity to do with your kids, but sometimes they can get a little messy.
If you are looking for a simple, original Christmas craft to make with your kids that does NOT involve skin-scalding glue, glitter or paint, then you’re in the right place!
In this Christmas craft tutorial, you’ll see how it easy it is to turn an old drink carton into a cute reindeer to use as part of your Christmas decorations.
If you’re planning to go wild with DIY Christmas crafts this year, I’ve got a SACK full of ideas, including delicious smelling cinnamon Christmas candles , Christmas tree ornaments to sew, Christmas stars and fun for kids with Christmas, baking, more sewing and even more crafts.
Get your Christmas jingles ready and start making some new Christmas décor!
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning that I get a small commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you.
How to make your own easy reindeer Christmas decorations
This holiday craft is so much fun to make and kids of all ages will get a kick out of their funny milk carton reindeer!
Older children should be able to manage this project themselves, but obviously littlies will need help with the scissors and a couple of steps along the way.
This Christmas craft is a great way of recycling old milk and juice carton too! Save space in your rubbish bin and decorate your home for Christmas! AND doesn’t cost a fortune in supplies. 👍
We have made 2 reindeer so far, but you could create enough reindeer to pull Santa’s sleigh, with Rudolph and his red nose at the front!
What you’ll need to make your own reindeer craft with milk cartons
1 milk or juice carton, thoroughly rinsed out and dried
2 milk / juice carton lids, rinsed and dried
A roll of brown packing / wrapping paper
2 craft googly eyes
1 small pompom, black or red (for Rudolph)
A sheet of brown cardstock
Scissors
Sticky tape
Liquid craft glue
Pencil or pen
Christmas music to play in the background 🎄🎶
01. Prepare the milk carton for creating your reindeer
Using your scissors, cut in a straight line along the ridge around the top part of the milk carton.
This upper, angled section of the milk carton will not be needed for this reindeer craft and can be thrown away. But do keep the lid, if you don’t already have 2 set aside!
02. Cut the paper to create your reindeer’s brown “fur”
Place the milk carton on the brown packing paper.
You need to cut a piece of paper that is approximately 20 cm taller than the milk carton AND wide enough for all 4 sides of the milk carton to be covered when rolled up inside the paper.
03. Wrap your milk carton reindeer
Lay the milk carton so that there is approximately 10 cm of paper above the top edge of the carton and approximately 10cm below the bottom of the carton.
Make sure it is also close to one long edge of the paper.
Place a strip of sticky tape along the edge of the paper to hold it firmly to the carton.
Now, roll the carton over in the brown paper so that all 4 sides of the milk carton are now wrapped in paper.
Use sticky tape to hold the paper together.
04. Finish snugly packing your reindeer
At the bottom end of the milk carton, fold the brown paper as if you were wrapping a gift.
Again, use your trusted tape to hold the paper together.
At the top end of the milk carton fold over the paper approximately 2cm, and again, and again, to create a folded top edge.
Once more, use sticky tape to hold the paper together.
Your milk carton reindeer should look like this 👇 so far.
05. Give your Christmas milk carton reindeer a face
Glue a googly eye in each of the milk carton lids and then glue those onto the reindeer body.
Trace around both of your child’s (or your own!) hands on the brown cardstock.
Cut them both out.
Glue one, then the other onto the back side of the reindeer, close to the “head” top edge to form the reindeer’s antlers.
Next, your reindeer needs a nose! Glue the pompom into place.
Draw on a mouth…
06. Merry Christmas milk carton reindeer!
…. and now you’re done!
You’ve successfully finished your very own cute reindeer Christmas craft using an old milk carton!
Such a fun festive craft to make! Easy, quick, budget-friendly AND child-friendly. What more could you want when the kids ask “What can we make for Christmas?”?
How many milk carton reindeer will you be making this Christmas? Drop a comment below!
