How to make Santa's beard: Step by step and necessary materials

Christmas is coming up and children are really enjoying this time of year full of magic, lights and joy. If you are planning to dress up someone from Santa's family, one of the essential parts of the outfit that cannot be missing is the iconic white beard that characterises him so well. Today I bring you a complete tutorial on how to make Santa's beard with simple materials, step by step and with some additional tips that will help you achieve an authentic and festive look.

Materials needed to make Santa's beard

• Wadding or cotton
• Scissors
• Fabric glue (or hot glue)
• Elastic
• Beard mold (you can download or create one yourself)
• Pencil
• Thick white felt

How to make Santa's beard mold

The first step in creating your beard is to get the right shape. You can download one from the internet, or draw it yourself in the size you prefer. Remember that the traditional Santa beard is voluminous and covers a good part of the face, so make sure the shape covers from the top of the lip to almost the chest.

Print and cut out the beard template. Then, place the template on the thick white felt. Mark all around with a pencil to clearly see where to cut.

Trim the felt beard

Once you've marked the felt with the outline of the pattern, it's time to cut it out. Use sharp scissors to make precise cuts and prevent the felt from fraying or having uneven edges.

Placing the batting: Creating the real beard effect

To give the beard volume and create that fluffy, Santa-like texture, you'll use batting (cotton can also work). Start by applying fabric glue in small amounts to the surface of the felt. Avoid covering the section where the mouth would be to allow the costumed person to speak comfortably.

Start gluing the batting from the top sections down to achieve a natural effect. You can overlap layers if you want the beard to look thicker or longer. Tip: Using batting instead of cotton can give you a more professional finish and is less likely to fall apart when you use it.

How to adjust the beard with the elastic

Once you've finished gluing the batting, it's time to make sure the beard stays on the wearer's face. The elastic will be key to this.

Make two small holes on the side edges of the felt beard (right where the cheeks would be) and thread the elastic through from the outside in. Then, adjust the length of the elastic to make sure it fits snugly and firmly around your head. You can glue the elastic down with fabric adhesive or sew a small seam for extra security.

Tip: If the elastic is going to be very tight, make sure it is soft and stretchy to avoid discomfort, especially if children will be wearing it.

Additional Tips for Customizing Santa's Beard

• If you want a curlier beard, you can use white wool or white sisal rope and glue it on instead of batting.
• You can go even further and add small details like glitter powder to give it a special Christmas sparkle.
• If you don't have batting or cotton, felt alone can work, although the result will be less fluffy.

Now all that's left is to complete the costume with a big red hat (which we'll do soon) and a good Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas!