Santa & Reindeer Display
 

Assembly

Print out the sleigh and reindeer grids. Mark off 6"squares on 1/2" thick plywood on an area 5' 6" long and 3' 6" high, sketch the outline for the sleigh including the marks for the light holes. (Information on enlarging patterns here.) Note that the santa face is flipped to fit, the reverse side is out. Drill the light holes, most lights fit in a 7/16" hole (see below), then cut the sleigh out. Mount the Santa's face to the back of the sleigh frame where indicated, first determining which way the sleigh will face, this depends on the situation where you will be mounting the display.

Make a cardboard pattern for the reindeer marking out 6" squares as for the sleigh, then place it on plywood and cut out as many reindeer as desired, Santa had eight, there are only five in the photo and this still makes an impressive display. Another option is starting with a minimium number and adding more each year.

Print out the paint guides and paint the sleigh and reindeer as shown, alternating the colours of the reindeer harness makes a even more colourful display. If you use brown spray paint for the reindeer antlers and hooves you can also lightly spray over the beige on the bodies for an added touch.

Print out the wiring guides for the sleigh and reindeer to string the lights. Clean out the holes with the drill you orginally used, push the lights through the frames from the back. Join the figures with lengths of outdoor extension cords.

 

Tools Required

 

Drill Bit

Drill

Jig Saw

Additional Notes

Use up your scrap material by lapping joints of the reindeer between holes with a second piece.

Select strings of lights with tapered sockets, measure the diameter of the widest part of the socket to determine the size of hole to drill. Make sure that there is at least 6" spacing between lights, some bargain sets are spaced to close together to work.

 Note: The glass bulbs from indoor sets are interchangable if they are from strings with the same number of lights, straighten the wires that run through the holes of the plastic base and pull the glass part out, insert it into a base from the outdoor set and bend the wires over.

This display can be mounted on a wall or fence, for a free flying effect mount the figures on two lengths of clothesline strung 18" apart between two stable objects. Use a small cable clamp and a length of wire twisted around the frame.

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