There is a very specific feeling when you finally turn on the tree lights and the house just smells like cinnamon and wet wool mittens.
Honestly it is the only time of year I don’t mind the absolute mess. I think finding the right Christmas coloring pages adds to that warm atmosphere without requiring me to actually bake anything.
I usually print about 15 or 16 of them and just leave a messy stack by the fireplace. The kids just grab whichever Christmas coloring sheets catch their eye.
Maybe they will pick the reindeer, or maybe they just want to aggressively color a bunch of stars. Down below you can just click on the ones that fit your morning vibe and get the PDFs.
Featured Christmas Coloring Pages
Christmas Coloring Page Highlights
Elves Decorating the Tree
This scene shows two busy elves putting ornaments on a huge pine tree. One of them is balancing on a little wooden stool to reach the higher branches. My youngest always points out the tiny details on their hats.
Getting the tree ready is a huge deal in our house. Using these coloring pages christmas themes really captures that chaotic holiday magic perfectly.
Gingerbread Family by the Snowman
Here we have a whole family of gingerbread cookies standing next to a happy little snowman. There are pine trees in the background completing the winter scene. I think the icing details on their outfits are super cute.
It reminds me of the messy cookie decorating sessions I used to run in my classroom. Handing out christmas coloring sheets like this always kept my students quiet for at least ten minutes.
Gingerbread House with Stockings
This one features a sweet gingerbread house with candy details on the roof and door. There are two festive stockings hanging right near the house and a big tree beside it. You can almost smell the cinnamon looking at it.
Kids can go absolutely wild with colors on the candy pieces. Sometimes they just color the whole thing purple. That is fine too.
Baking Christmas Cookies
An elf and a living gingerbread man are standing at a table baking together in this kitchen scene. They have a tray full of star and tree shaped cookies ready to go. The elf is even holding a little mixing bowl.
I love how cozy this whole setup feels. This is exactly the kind of free christmas coloring pages my oldest daughter gravitates toward.
Riding the Reindeer
This page shows a brave gingerbread man riding on the back of a smiling reindeer. They are trotting right through a gentle snowfall. The reindeer has this thick collar with a big jingle bell on it.
It is a bit silly but kids find it hilarious. Who knew cookies could ride animals through the snow?
Running from Santa
You can see a gingerbread man sprinting away while Santa and a reindeer watch him in surprise. Santa is standing there in his classic suit looking a little confused by the runaway cookie.
We always laugh about the old gingerbread man fairy tale when we print this one. Finding unique coloring pages christmas themes like this breaks up the usual boring designs.
Snowflake Glass Ornament
This is a beautiful close up of a single round glass ornament. It has a large detailed snowflake painted right in the center. The lines are thick enough for little hands to trace easily.
Sometimes simple is just better. Intricate designs are nice but sometimes a toddler just wants to aggressively scribble on a giant circle.
Character Ornaments
This sheet has four different ornaments shaped like holiday characters hanging together. There is a reindeer head and a little gingerbread man taking up the bottom half. The top features another reindeer and what looks like a cheerful snowman ornament.
They look like the handmade crafts my kids bring home from school every year. I always print these printable christmas coloring pages when we need a quick rainy day activity.
Tips for Coloring Christmas Pages
1. Layering Your Greens
Most holiday scenes have a lot of pine trees and wreaths. And what happens when they just scrub a single green crayon over it? It looks completely flat and lifeless.
I always tell my kids to grab at least three different green shades from the box. Start with a light green base and then add dark green shadows near the center of the tree. It makes the branches look thick and realistic.
2. Making Snow Sparkle
Leaving the snow completely blank is a missed opportunity. White paper is fine but it does not look like real fluffy snow.
Try lightly shading the edges of the snowbanks with a very pale blue pencil. You can even trace the snowflakes with a silver gel pen to add some actual shine. Kids love anything that glitters.
3. The Secret to Warm Glows
Holiday pictures often feature glowing lights or warm fireplaces. You want to make those areas look like they are actually casting light onto the characters.
Take a yellow colored pencil and lightly shade the space immediately around the light source. Then gently blend a tiny bit of orange into the yellow. It creates a cozy atmosphere that pops off the page.
4. Mixing Crayons and Markers
You do not have to choose just one medium for these christmas coloring sheets. Mixing them creates fantastic textures that kids really enjoy experimenting with.
Use markers for the small details like ornaments or candy buttons so they stand out brightly. Then use crayons for the larger background areas like the sky or wooden floors. This prevents the marker ink from bleeding through the paper too much.
5. Handling the Red Overload
There is so much red in holiday imagery between the suits and the ribbons. It is very easy for a picture to turn into a giant messy red blob.
Encourage your kids to mix up their shades of red drastically. Use a deep maroon for shadows and a bright cherry red for the main areas. Leaving tiny slivers of white uncolored can look like shiny reflections on the ornaments.
6. Creating Night Skies
A lot of these scenes happen at night on Christmas Eve. A flat black background is just too harsh and ruins the festive vibe.
Use a dark navy blue or even a deep purple for the night sky instead. You can let the kids use a white chalk marker to dot stars all over the dark background. It is a simple trick that completely changes the mood of these christmas coloring in pages.
7. Texturing Fur and Hair
Santa’s beard and the reindeer fur need a little bit of special attention to look right. Solid coloring makes them look like they are made of cheap plastic.
Teach your kids to use short quick strokes with their pencils instead of coloring in long lines. This makes the fur look rough and the beards look bushy. It takes a little more patience but the result is totally worth the effort.
8. Adding Background Magic
Sometimes the empty space behind a character looks a little too plain. You can easily fix this without having to draw a whole complex background.
Just take a pale yellow or light blue crayon and draw soft little circles scattered around the empty space. It looks like magical glowing orbs or falling snow depending on the color you pick. It is the perfect finishing touch for any of these christmas coloring in pages.