Creative Holiday Keepsakes Using Handprints and Footprints

Shania LaFreniere
Dec 9, 2025
5 min read

Introduction

Capturing childhood memories through creative and meaningful projects is important.
Using handprints and footprints is a unique way to personalize holiday decorations and gifts.
Overview of fun projects that combine creativity and keepsakes: Christmas tree footprints, Hanukkah wreaths, salt dough ornaments, and holiday plates.

Section 1: Christmas Tree Footprints

Creating a festive, personalized Christmas tree using your child’s footprints.
Purpose: A meaningful holiday keepsake that documents your child’s growth and artistic expression.
Materials: white construction paper or card stock(12x18), gold or yellow construction paper(8x11), green and brown paint, paint brushes, glitter, whips, glue, and a sharpie.
Steps:
1. First, cut out a star from the gold paper.
2. Prepare your paint on a plate and get your white paper ready.
3. I recommend doing this project on the ground with your infant for ease.
4. In a safe spot set up your paper, paint, and infant.
5. Start by painting your child's hands green. Press them down first row 1handprint , second row 2handprints , third row 3handprints, fourth row 4 handprints.
6. Once done wipe hands off with a wipe.
7. Next you will paint one foot brown and press the foot print down under row 4 .
8. After this part I recommend putting your infant in a safe seat so they can watch you shake the glitter on. Lightly shake the glitter on the wet paint {Tip: while doing this you could ask you infant what they see, how the glitter sparklers, talk about the project and how the paint felt.}
9. Next glue your star on and wait for it to dry.
10. Once dry your project is finished! I hope you enjoyed and this project will be a keepsake you always look back on!
Cute Poem I Like to add!
- I'm a little Christmas Tree as you can see.
  All the other Christmas Trees are bigger than me.
  Maybe when I grow up then I'll be
  A Great Big Merry Christmas Tree!

Section 2: Hanukkah Wreaths

Using footprints to design bright and colorful wreaths for Hanukkah celebrations.
Purpose: Creating a festive decoration that celebrates tradition and family involvement.
Materials: construction paper or card stock( you can use 8x11 or 12x18 depending how big you want the wreath), pencil, blue and light blue paint, paint brushes, black or blue sharpie, ribbon and glue. Clipboard or a cutting board to have a hard surface when you push the feet down
Steps:
1. Draw a light circle on the paper using your pencil to have a reference to place the feet or hands down.
2. On a plate get your paint ready. Next get your infant ready! I recommend doing this project in a highchair or when infant is laying on back on a flat safe surface.
3. Once infant is ready, you can start painting their feet: one blue and one light blue. {Tip: While painting there feet you can show them the different colors, talk about the texture of the paint, talk about there feelings is it making them laugh, are the unsure, or they really don't like it. }
4. Place paper on clipboard and start pressing there feet around the circle after two three prints you will need to paint feet again.
5. Once you have completed the circle, remove the paper from the clipboard and place it in a safe spot to dry. Before dried you can sprinkle glitter on if you want it to sparkle.
6. With your ribbon you are going to make a small bow to put on. Cut ribbon and tie a bow. once you have a bow put a drop of glue down on the paper where you would like your bow and press bow down on glue.
7. Lastly, with a black sharpie write Happy Hanukkah, the year and child's name!
8. Now you are all done and I hope you enjoy your Hanukkah wreath!

Section 3: Salt Dough Ornaments

Making durable, handcrafted ornaments using salt dough imprints of hands or feet.
Process overview: mixing salt dough, pressing footprints, baking, and decorating.
Keepsake value: ornaments that can be treasured year after year and hung on the tree or gifted to relatives.
Materials: circle cookie cutter, ribbon, straw, baking sheet, paint, and salt dough ingredients flour, salt, water.
How to make salt dough
- 2 cup all-purpose flour - or gluten-free flour
  1 cup Morton salt
  1 cup water
- Combine the flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add a little water at a time, mixing as you pour, to form a ball of dough. Using a dough whisk will make mixing easier for young children.
- Knead the dough for 7-10 minutes, until the dough has a smooth, firm Play-Doh like consistency. Additional water may be needed, depending upon humidity.
- Store the salt dough for future use in a Ziploc bag or airtight container to prevent it from drying out
Steps:
1. Once your salt dough is ready, roll it out thickly and cut out circles using a cookie cutter.{Tip: You can use Christmas cookie cutters and make more ornaments for infant to free paint picture below}
2. Next, get your infant ready in a high chair. Place the salt dough on the tray and press your infant's hand in the center of the circle.
3. With a straw poke a hole at the top of hand print.
4. Then let dry out for 24 hours.
5. Once dried, prepare your paint and paint the handprint. I find this way allows for the print to come out better you can always paint hand before pressing into paint. You can add glitter on top of paint for extra sparkle.
6. Once paint is dry you can bake your salt dough (steps down below).
7. When you finished baking tie a piece of ribbon through the hole and write child's name and year on back with a sharpie.
8. Your ornament is now ready to hang on the tree

How To Bake Salt Dough
- Heat the oven to 250℉. Arrange the pieces on a oil-covered baking sheet.
- Baking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of your crafts. Turn each piece frequently while baking, so that they dry out evenly. If an area puffs up, poke a hole in it with a pin or toothpick to release the air.
- How Long To Bake Salt Dough: For each ¼" in thickness, allow approximately a half hour of baking time, or bake until surface turns light golden brown. Allow the pieces to cool thoroughly before handling.

Section 4: Holiday Plates

Using handprints or footprints to design special holiday plates for display or functional use.
Outcome: Unique, creative holiday décor that showcases your child’s personality and growth.
Materials: ceramic plate, acrylic paint, acrylic paint markers, dishwasher safe mod podge, acrylic paint sealer, and wipes.
Steps:
1. Pick out a plate you like; I found this one at Dollar Tree.
2. Get brown paint out and ready. I recommend having your infant in a high chair for this project.
3. Next, get your infant ready.
4. Once ready, paint your child's hand brown and lightly press it down on the plate. Let the handprint dry up to 24 hours.
5. Now its time to take the paint markers and make the design.
6. For sealing, start by spraying with an acrylic paint sealer. Allow it to dry for 2 hours, then brush on dishwasher-safe mod podge and let it dry for 24 hours. After those steps I bake in the oven to have food safe plate (steps down below).
Instructions to bake
- Put in cold oven
- Set oven to 350
- When oven reaches temp bake for 30 mins
- After 30 mins shut oven off leave in until oven cools