Free Printable Jolly Santa Beard Countdown Calendar!

The Santa Beard Countdown is such a fun and easy way to mark off the days of December with your little one.   We’ve added our own spin with a magical original poem to accompany the calendar and make it even more special.

Grab your instant download of our free printable Santa countdown calendar and start building the anticipation of Santa’s visit with your little one!

Note: This post contains some affiliate links. This means that we may earn a small commission when you click on such links, at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases. We only share links to products we would use ourselves and all opinions are our own. You can read the full disclaimer here.

The Santa Beard Christmas countdown is a super simple Christmas advent calendar idea for little ones.  Each day a cotton wool ball is added to Santa’s beard so that by Christmas it is full and fluffy.

This fun activity is perfect for helping children visualise the time passing until Christmas. It takes virtually no time to set up and even very young children can glue cotton balls themselves.

Download Your Santa Beard Countdown Printable Today and Begin the Magic!

What’s The Best Age For The Santa’s Beard Christmas Calendar?

Of course it’s great for any age!  But we think this Christmas countdown works best for young children, aged 2-6.

The sensory aspect of the sticky glue and fluffy cotton wool makes it very engaging for little hands.

And the task of gluing on the cotton wool balls each day is simple enough that they can do it on their own.   Great for promoting independence (whilst under a watchful eye of course!)

Sneaky Skill Development!

The Santa’s beard activity is not only a fun Christmas craft but also an educational one.

It engages kids’ fine motor skills, number recognition and counting skills.  We’ve purposely muddled up the numbers on Santa’s beard as well so that your child can enjoy searching for the right day, just like on other advent calendars.

It also encourages creativity and cultivates the joy of anticipation during the month of December.

Learning through play – it’s a win: win! 

Creating your very own Santa Beard Christmas Countdown is as easy as it is delightful!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• Free Printable Santa Beard Countdown Calendar (Download link below)
• White cardstock or paper
• White cotton balls or white pom-poms
• Glue stick

Print out the Santa’s Beard Christmas calendar and pop it on the sideboard, hang on a door, or use magnets to attach it to the fridge. 

Starting on December 1st, let the fun begin!

Each day, take a cotton ball or pom-pom, and with a dab of glue, place it on Santa Claus’ beard, watching the magic grow. 

Continue this fun craft each day, watching Santa’s beard get fuller and fluffier as you approach December 24th & Santa’s arrival.

Please note that all our Christmas craft activities should be carried out under adult supervision.

Click here to download your free printable Santa’s Beard Christmas Countdown.

We know how much children love stories, so we’ve created an original poem that beautifully complements the Santa Beard Countdown Calendar.  Download your free copy below.

It weaves a story about filling Santa’s beard and hints at even catching a glimpse of the man himself on the big day (well, night!).  This poem adds an extra layer of magic and excitement to each day’s cotton ball addition.

It’s a fun and interactive way to engage with your little one as you craft Santa’s fluffy beard together.

Download your free printable copy of the Santa’s Beard Countdown poem here.

Hang it next to your Santa Beard advent calendar and read it regularly with your little one to help build the excitement!

Building The Magic

We think it would be fun to leave a few wispy bits of cotton wool around the fireplace or near the stockings on Christmas Eve.

This will make the story really come to life and feel extra magical come Christmas Day.

Santa’s Beard Countdown Poem 

If you’d prefer to handwrite the poem or print it out in some other format, we’ve included a copy here for you:

As with all our free printables, please note this is for personal use only.

Looking to make the Santa Beard Countdown even more enchanting for your little ones?  We’ve got you covered with these imaginative and engaging ideas:

Design Your Own Santa Face

Rather than printing out a Santa face, turn it into an art project by inviting your child to draw and/or colour their very own Father Christmas face.  Just ensure there’s plenty of space to add the cotton wool wisps of Santa’s beard below.

Cotton Wool Hide & Seek

Add an element of mystery and adventure to the countdown by hiding the cotton wool ball each day and leaving a clue for your child to find it.

You can even get your visiting elf to deliver the daily clue! This not only builds anticipation but also means each day of December starts with a fun treasure hunt game.

Tell Stories Each Day

Turn each day’s cotton ball addition into an enchanting storytelling session.

As you place the cotton ball, weave tales about Santa’s preparations for his big night, his mischievous elves, and his heart-warming adventures. Engage your child’s imagination by letting them contribute to the story too.  Our original poem is sure to encourage thoughts of Santa’s visit on Christmas Eve as well!

Beard of Kindness

Create a “Beard of Kindness” with the Santa Beard Countdown!

Instead of simply adding a cotton wool ball, encourage your child to perform a small act of kindness or a thoughtful gesture before receiving the cotton ball.

Watch as the beard becomes a symbol of their growing kindness and joy, reminding everyone of the true spirit of the holiday season.

Customise & Create Cherished Memories

These creative ideas provide plenty of ways to enhance the Santa Beard Countdown to match your family’s traditions and preferences.

Whether you’re igniting imagination through storytelling, encouraging kindness, or embarking on a merry treasure hunt, these extensions transform the countdown into a month-long celebration of holiday magic.

Feel free to mix and match these ideas, or even put your own spin on them.

The aim is to create lasting memories, foster creativity, and make the holiday season even more special for your little ones. Embrace the magic of Christmas as you craft, share stories, and engage in heart-warming activities together!

Print out and share the instructions below.  We hope you have great fun creating and using this cute Santa Beard Christmas Countdown Calendar.

Whether you’re a parent, guardian, or teacher, this Santa Beard Countdown guarantees a month of smiles, creativity, and holiday magic.

Dive into the Christmas spirit with our free printable calendar and create lasting memories with your little ones.

After all, it’s the most wonderful time of the year!