Car Reindeer Hack! Light It Up With LEDs and Bike Lights

Turn your car into a two ton reindeer and delight children and adults alike! Click on the video to see it in action!

My son wanted a nose and antlers that would glow so here is our hack for a glowing reindeer car.

Step 1: Gather the Stuff You Will Need

What you will need:

• Reindeer Car set (includes antlers and nose) I purchased mine at a local dollar store for about eight dollars.
• Velcro
• Clear tape
• Pipe cleaners
• Red thread
• Scissors
• Seam ripper
• Sewing machine or needle and thread
• LED lights in colors of your choosing (At least ten would be good)
• Red bike light
• CR2032 or CR2016Batteries

Step 2: Let It Rip!

Use the seam ripper to open up the nose

Hold the bike light up to the nose to see how much of the seam you need to rip. You do not want to rip more than you need since the material is stretchy. Rip about 1/2 inch less than the length of the bike light.

Doesn't it look like a creature with a mouth once it is opened?

Step 3: Pull Out the Stuffing

Getting ready to sew in the velcro.

Take out all of the stuffing and set it aside.

Step 4: Cut the Velcro

Determine how much Velcro you will need to close the seam you just ripped open by placing the Velcro on the nose

Round the corners at the top to keep the round shape

Step 5: Sew in the Velcro

Line up the Velcro strips and sew the Velcro in by whatever method you want.

I had my machine handy so I used it!

Sew all around the entire Velcro strip, not just the top or the bottom of the strip. Remember, you want the bike light to be secure!

Step 6: Stuff the Nose and Place the Light Inside

Place the stuffing back in the nose and place the red bike light on top of the stuffing pointing out.

The nose is done!

Step 7: Attach the LED Lights to the Batteries

Attach the LED lights to the batteries

LED lights have two wires called electrodes, a short electrode and a long electrode. Generally speaking, the longer electrode is the positive one but check your LED light.

Attach the LED light to the battery making sure the correct sides line up. You will know everything is working if the LED lights up. Using the clear tape, tape as many LED lights you would like around your antlers.

Step 8: Connect the Pipe Cleaners

You will want to wrap the pipe cleaners around the antlers so lengthen the pipe cleaners by twisting two together.

Once you have twisted them, twist them around the antlers. Be creative. The pipe cleaners will be the anchor for the LED lights. Always twist the pipe cleaners to each other so that they are not loose on the antlers.

Attach the LED lights to the antlers using the clear tape. Attach the LED lights around the entire pipe cleaners. Do not just tape to the front of the pipe cleaner. Wind more pipe cleaners over the body of the battery if you want to conceal the battery.

Step 9: Attach the Antlers and the Nose to Your Car

Attach the antlers and nose according to the directions on the package and enjoy your two ton reindeer! Click on the video to see it in action!

If you like my Instructable, please vote for it.

Thanks!

Tips:

1. The material is soft enough so that the nose can be turned off and on without having to open up the nose each time if you position the on and off button at the top of the nose.
2. When placing the nose on your car, the Velcro side should be up.
3. You can use two bike lights to make a more extreme effect!

Step 10: