Walking in a 3D Printed Wonderland at Christmas

It’s almost Christmas, and in the words of Holly Gennaro-McClane from one of my favorite Christmas movies, Die Hard, (yes, it’s a Christmas movie and I will die on this hill!), “Families, stockings…Chestnuts? Rudolph and Frosty? Any of these things ring a bell?” But I think we should add 3D printing to that festive list. If you agree, read on for another fun, annual list of Christmas prints you can make at home this holiday season!

Wrapping Paper Cutter

Christmas means presents under the tree, and while I typically just put items in gift bags, many people prefer to wrap presents for their loved ones; if I was any good at wrapping, I’d probably prefer that too. Some of my favorite holiday memories include watching my nieces excitedly rip the paper off their gifts when they were younger. So why not make gift wrapping easier with this paper cutter by Thingiverse user Baskut? Printed on a Wanhao Duplicator 12 with no supports, this tool helps you achieve “a better cutting performance” with two scalpel blades.

Desktop Christmas Tree

Christmas presents go under Christmas trees, and there are many 3D printed versions, though most aren’t tall enough to hide presents. This one I found on Pinshape is by the STEMFIE Project, which offers free, open source, 3D printable construction set toys. You can find the assembly instructions for this tiny tree, which is made of 86 3D printed parts, on the STEMFIE website.

“This STEMFIE project builds a small Christmas tree you can assemble in under 15 minutes and decorate using coloured STEMFIE fasteners.”

Jumpy Tree

Christmas would be a lot more exciting if your tree jumped as much as this one by Thingiverse user Tomo_designs! It prints in two parts, with no supports, and is an easy snap-fit. When you push this little tree down, it jumps back up on its little legs, and “brings a touch of nature’s magic to your playtime.”

“Cool filament? You can buy it Basics PLA Green, Matt Latte Brown White.”

Christmas Tree Ornament Rotatable

MyMiniFactory user Courier Creative shared this tree, with five layers that can be rotated independently of the others. Featuring a star on top that can be used to hang it from your actual tree as an ornament, this rotatable tree was printed in just 90 minutes out of PLA with 0% infill, 0.15 mm resolution, and no supports.

“Ornament designed to celebrate the holidays and also the functionality of 3D printing. The model takes advantage of print in place. Which means that the assembly can be used directly off of the printer without need for further assembly.”

Christmas Flat word Ornaments Decorations

Speaking of ornaments, Pinshape user Nick Brandt designed a set of six simple, flat ornaments that can be hung on your tree. Each one is about 4″ in diameter, and has a different word in the middle: Peace, Merry, Faith, Believe, Joyful, and Noel.

“Make sure the bed is level, and first layers is good to go, otherwise happy printing.”

Christmas Ball – Medium Diamond Lattice

I think this ornament by Thingiverse user dazus is just beautiful. Printed on a Prusa I3 MK3S with no rafts or supports, he used MatterHackers Quantum PLA filament, and while a couple versions of the lightweight ball have been included, he recommends printing the two-piece one, as it’s “a lot smoother that way.” It only needs a few layers of infill—about 25-30%—in a couple of places “where something starts to print unsupported.”

“I originally designed this as a mini ornament. It looks great at that size (1X), but looks even better at 1.5X and should look good at even larger sizes. At 1X, it’s about the size of a golf ball. At 1.5X, it’s a standard Christmas ball size. I assume most people will print this at 1.5X, so that’s what I’ve used the the time estimate.

“I’ve provided my PrusaSlicer 3MF files and MK3S+ GCODE for the 2 piece print at all 1X and 1.5X. I’ve provided the ball as 1 piece mostly in case someone wants to experiment with cutting it in a different place or you want to print the ball as 1 piece using a 3 color filament.”

Snowflake Tea Light Holder

If you want a fast, easy print to bring what Thingiverse user Endk7 calls “a perfect christmas atmosphere” to your home, I suggest these 3D printed tealight holders shaped like snowflakes! He’s included three different versions, and you can print them in whatever festive colors you like.

Stencils for painting glass with snow

The outside of your home can be just as festive as the inside with these 3D printed stencils by Cults3D user Soy Manitas! These Christmas stencils are meant to help you “embellish your windows with snow sprays.” There are several versions, including Santa’s sleigh being pulled by some reindeer, a snowflake, Santa Claus himself, and more.

“Transform your windows into a magical winter landscape with ease and style!”

Print In Place Flexi Grinch

It’s not Christmas without the Grinch—and his heart that eventually grows three sizes. I definitely don’t need a 39 and a 1/2 foot pole to touch this cute, “super easy print” by Cults3D user Mighty Makers! The print-in-place design doesn’t need any supports, but you should use 20% infill “to be safe,” and PLA filament works great. Now, please pass the arsenic sauce?

“Hey everyone! 🎉 Welcome to the Mighty Makers ! 🌟 Today, I’m thrilled to release the first design on Cults3D, and guess what? It’s absolutely free for all of you until Christmas! 🎄🎁 So, presenting the Flexi Grinch in two versions – one as the regular Grinch and the other decked out in Christmas attire. 🎅🏻🎄”

SANTA CLAUS / PAPA NOEL’S BEARD

Finally, if you’re feeling like some festive cosplay this Christmas, Cults3D user Hypermik3D has your back with this 3D printed Santa beard! The flat model is “easy to print,” with a 0.4 nozzle, 0.28 layer height, 10% gyroid infill, and two wall lines. Plus, if you want to shape the beard to your face, “just do it with a hair dryer.”

Happy holidays, and as always, happy 3D printing!