Sometimes the smallest gestures carry the most meaning.

Picture tying a ribbon around a wrapped gift and adding a little reindeer tag that feels like it came straight from Santa’s workshop.

With its rustic peanut shell face and hand-drawn antlers, this tag whispers holiday cheer. Even after the present is opened, many will save it as a sweet reminder of the season.

Materials Needed

• 6-8 peanut shells (about 1.5-2 inches, intact)
• 5-6 blank kraft paper gift tags (3”×5” size)
• 1 fine black marker or pen
• Red acrylic paint or red marker (for Rudolph’s nose)
• Small paintbrush (size 1 or 2)
• Craft glue or hot glue gun
• Twine or ribbon (12-18 inches per tag)
• Optional: brown or orange paint

Step-by-step Guide

Step 1: Select a peanut shell that has a nice oval shape, it will become Rudolph’s head.

Step 2: Glue the peanut shell onto the center of the kraft tag and let it set firmly.

Step 3: Use your black marker to draw simple antlers branching upward from the shell. Keep them whimsical; they don’t need to be perfect.

Step 4: Paint a small red dot at the tip of the peanut for the nose. This is what gives your reindeer its signature Rudolph charm.

Step 5: Add tiny black eyes above the nose. You can keep them round or give your reindeer a cheeky expression with angled brows.

Step 6: Finish by writing a holiday greeting at the bottom, such as “Feliz Navidad” or “Merry Christmas.” Thread twine or ribbon through the tag and attach it to your gift.

Tips:

When I made these, I found that the slight imperfections made each reindeer more adorable, some looked sleepy, others looked surprised.