Here’s a quick and easy Christmas photo keepsake craft kids will love! Make a star elf photo ornament to hang on your tree.
This is a fun printable Christmas activity with colour-in cartoon elf options included if you don’t want to make a photo elf.

Kidmade ornaments make great keepsakes to decorate your tree with year after year. They provide a festive snapshot of kids at developmental levels that will be gone too soon!
Even better if the ornament has an actual snapshot like these elf photo stars. There’s a colour-in version or a full-colour ornament to make, plus space for kids to autograph it or write a Christmas message.

But why stop at kids? You can elf the whole family, or even the dog and cat with this template.
There are glue-on elf ears and hands in six different skin tones. I know there are way more than that in real life, but six is a good start and there should be a close enough match to most printed photographs.

You could also use these ornaments as gift tags. Imagine Nanna’s surprise when she goes to open her present on Christmas morning and discovers her grandson is one of Santa’s helpers!
This craft is recommended for ages 5 and up. It involves basic cutting, colouring, handwriting and gluing.
How to make Star Elf Photo Ornaments
You will need:
- White card stock
- Markers if colouring your own
- Scissors
- Glue stick
- Hole punch
- Ribbon, twine or similar
- Photo printed to white card stock – use a headshot printed at approximately 7.5×7.5cm (3”). You can fit six per page if working with a group of kids
- The Elf Star template, available from our printables store and TPT store
How to:
Print the star ornament of your choice to white card stock.

Colour the graphics if using one of the colour-your-own pages.


Cut the shapes out.
If using the photo option, cut out the hands and ears that are the closest match to your own skin tone in the printed photo. Cut around your head and hair.

Glue the face, hands and hat in place. Glue the elf ears over your own ears.

Punch a hole and tie a ribbon through the top star point.

Easy as that!


You might also like our Elf Cube Christmas Countdown
