Introduction: Scary Santa

I few years ago, I created a monster for Christmas.

I had no intent to do so, I actually just wanted to create a Santa Claus figure to put up in front of my house in December as a unique Christmas decoration. My attempt failed in my opinion, and the creature that I created somewhat resembles Santa Claus has yet to be put outside for either Christmas or Halloween...

Step 1: Get Inspired...

One December a few years ago, I was driving through Mount Dora, Florida looking at the nice Christmas decorations that the city puts up all over. As I was leaving, I passed by a house with a tall, but rather skinny Santa Claus figure on their front lawn. I rode by the house rather quickly, so I didn't get much time to study the prop or take a picture, but I knew I liked it. A few days later, I started constructing my own giant Santa prop of my own.

The prop I built is documented in this Instructable. A few years later, I was in Mount Dora once again around Christmas and happened to come across the prop that inspired me. This time I snapped a picture. It turned out that the Santa that I had built was a bit different from my inspiration...

Step 2: Santa's Skull

Santa Claus may be a magical old man, but he still has bones. That's why I started out by making Santa's skull...

When I built my first Witch for Halloween, I made several paper mache skulls to use in future projects. This was one of the future projects. Follow the first few steps on my Witch Instructable to make the skull, or be creative and use something else for the base of Santa's head.

Step 3: Build Up Santa's Head

Using duct tape and crumpled newspaper, build up Santa's facial features over the skull.

I attached Santa's hat directly onto his head by making a cone out of newspaper and taping it to the top of the head.

Step 4: Paper Mache

Put a layer of paper mache over Santa's duct tape face. Make glue out of flour and water, then dip paper towels or white paper in the glue and stick it to the head, then allow to dry.

Step 5: Beard

For Santa's beard, I cut up a white towel into strips. One by one, I stapled and glued the towel strips onto Santa's head.

Step 6: Red Hat

Cover the hat with red duct tape.

Step 7: Body

Santa's body is made from newspaper, duct tape, and PVC pipe. I started out by getting several sheets of newspaper and laying them out flat on the floor. I covered each sheet with red duct tape. It was a bit time consuming since each strip of tape isn't very wide, and I had lots of paper to cover. If the larger 1-ft wide rolls of duct tape came in red, this process would be much faster.

I then rolled and taped the sheets into cylinders. The diameter of each cylinder depended on the size of the body part that I was making. Santa's torso was obviously the largest cylinder, while the arms and legs were much skinnier. I taped up one end of each of the cylinders and then stuffed them with crumpled newspaper. The legs would be supporting the most weight, so I inserted PVC pipe bones going through the legs. Everything was then taped shut, and then taped together.

Using some black duct tape, I gave Santa a belt and some boots.

Lastly, I cut a hole in the top of the torso and inserted another PVC pipe for Santa's neck.

Step 8: Put It All Together

Stick Santa's head onto his neck, and that's my Scary Santa Claus.

To properly finish the Santa, I would give him eyes, hands, and feet, but that's not going to happen by this Christmas. This scary Santa has been in this state for a few years now, and I always mean to redo him and make him a into something that won't scare the neighborhood kids, but it never happens.

If I were to put Santa outside right now, I would first put some polyurethane on the face to keep it from melting off if it rains. I would then hammer some stakes into the ground, and slide the PVC leg bones over them.

Homemade Holidays: Holiday Decorations

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Homemade Holidays: Holiday Decorations