Hello, budding artists and holiday lovers! Are you ready to draw something truly adorable this Christmas season? A cute Christmas tree is one of the most fun and easy things you can draw, whether you are 5 or 105!
This guide is your best friend for creating festive drawings that are simple, sweet, and bursting with holiday cheer. We’ll skip the hard, tricky stuff and focus on simple shapes, happy faces, and bright colors.
Why are cute Christmas tree drawings so popular? Because they bring a smile to everyone’s face! You can use them for:
- Homemade Christmas Cards: A personal touch is always the best gift.
- School Projects & Crafts: Make your reports and decorations stand out.
- Social Media Posts: Share your cute art with friends online.
- Bullet Journals & Planners: Brighten up your daily to-do lists.
This step-by-step article is perfect for beginners and even for seasoned artists who want to try a new, sweet style. Let’s get drawing!
What Makes a Christmas Tree Drawing “Cute”?
“Cute” is an art style that focuses on simplicity and warmth. It’s all about making something look instantly lovable, like a friendly cartoon character.
Here’s the secret recipe for turning a regular tree into an adorable one:
- Simplified Shapes: Instead of sharp, pointy needles, we use soft, puffy curves or simple, rounded triangles. Everything looks a bit squishy and huggable!
- Kawaii Style Features: Kawaii is the Japanese word for “cute.” The most important part of this style is giving your tree a happy face—think big, shiny eyes, a small, gentle smile, and sometimes even rosy cheeks (like Santa!).
- Soft Lines and Warm Expressions: Avoid harsh, straight lines. Use gentle, curved lines that make the tree look friendly and welcoming.
- Minimal but Expressive Details: You don’t need a hundred tiny ornaments. A few round, simple ornaments are enough. The focus is on the feeling of cuteness, not the tiny details.
- Pastel or Vibrant Holiday Colors: Use bright, happy greens and reds, or try soft, gentle colors like mint green and light pink.
Materials You Need
You don’t need a fancy art studio to draw a cute tree! You just need a few basic things to get started.
Basic Drawing Tools
- Pencil: A regular pencil is perfect for sketching the first simple shapes.
- Eraser: For cleaning up your sketch lines.
- Black Marker or Pen: To trace and make your finished lines pop.
Optional Tools for Coloring
- Colored Pencils: Easy to control and great for adding soft color.
- Crayons or Markers: Give you bright, bold colors.
- Watercolor: If you want a softer, more blended look. (Want to try painting? Check out our article: Picking up the Brush)
- Digital Drawing Tablet: If you like to draw on an iPad or computer, this works great too!
How to Draw a Cute Christmas Tree (Step-by-Step Guide)
Ready to begin? Grab your pencil and paper! We’ll make this super simple.
H3: Step 1: Sketch the Base Shape
Start with a very light pencil sketch. Draw a tall, wide triangle in the middle of your paper. This is your guide! For a super-cute look, you can also draw three or four stacked round layers that get smaller as they go up, like a fluffy tiered cake.
H3: Step 2: Add the Tree Layers
Now, turn that triangle into a puffy tree. Instead of straight lines, use wavy, curved lines to make the branches look soft and full. Think of drawing three or four big “swoops” or “puffs” that overlap on each side of your guide triangle.
H3: Step 3: Draw the “Cute” Face
This is the most fun step!
- Eyes: Draw two large, simple circles in the middle of the tree. Make them sparkle by adding a tiny white circle inside for a highlight.
- Expression: Add a small, open-mouth smile or a simple U-shape smile right below the eyes.
- Rosy Cheeks: Add two small pink or light orange ovals on either side of the mouth.
H3: Step 4: Add Decorations
Keep the decorations simple so they don’t hide the cute face.
- Ornaments: Draw a few perfectly round circles scattered on the branches. No need for complicated shapes!
- Garlands: Draw a gentle, curved line wrapping around the tree like a ribbon.
- Candy Canes: Add a couple of simple, hooked shapes on the ends of the branches.
H3: Step 5: Draw the Tree Trunk
At the bottom of the tree, draw a short, soft rounded rectangle or a small pot. Make sure it looks sturdy but still simple and cute.
H3: Step 6: Add the Star on Top
Draw a simple 5-point star right on the tip-top of the tree. If you want to be extra cute, you can give the star its own little happy face, just like the tree!
H3: Step 7: Outline and Color
Use your marker or dark pen to trace your best lines. Erase all your pencil marks. Now it’s time to color!
- Use bright greens, reds, and yellows.
- Keep the coloring neat, but don’t worry about perfection.
- Add tiny white dots with a white pen or colored pencil for highlights on the ornaments to make them look shiny!
Easy Cute Christmas Tree Drawing Ideas for Beginners
Once you know the basic steps, you can try different fun styles!
H3: Kawaii Christmas Tree
- Style Tip: Kawaii means “adorable” in Japanese. This style is all about maximum cuteness.
- Focus: Big, sparkling eyes, a tiny blush, and a super-smooth, rounded shape (like a fluffy pinecone).
- Colors: Use pastel green, pink, and light blue for the ornaments.
H3: Chibi Christmas Tree
- Style Tip: Chibi is a type of kawaii style where characters are super-short, squat, and have extra-large heads compared to their bodies.
- Focus: A short, round, playful tree. The trunk will be very small, and the tree shape will be almost as wide as it is tall. This style is very fun and playful.
H3: Cute Baby Christmas Tree
- Focus: Make the tree small! Draw a tiny tree with just one or two layers of branches. It only needs tiny, small decorations. Think of it as the tree’s first Christmas.
H3: Smiling Christmas Tree with Presents
- Focus: Draw the cute tree, and then add a few simple square and rectangle gift boxes at the base. Draw a bow on each one. You can even make the presents look a little wobbly, like they are happy to be there!
H3: Simple Line-Art Christmas Tree
- Focus: Use only black and white. Draw the simple, puffy shape and the cute face, but don’t color it in. This minimalist design is very clean and stylish. It looks great in journals!
Cute Christmas Tree Drawing Ideas for Kids
Drawing is a great way for kids to celebrate the holidays! These ideas are extra easy and fun for little hands.
- Thick Lines for Easy Tracing: Start by drawing the tree shape with a thick marker. Kids can easily color within the lines.
- Big, Simple Ornaments: Ask them to draw only large circles for the ornaments. It’s easier and looks super cute!
- A “Connect-the-Dots” Style Tree: Draw a few dots on the paper and number them. Kids can connect the dots to form the triangle shape, then fill in the wobbly branches.
- A Tree with Cute Animal Ornaments: Instead of just circles, draw simple animal shapes like a bear, a cat, or a penguin hanging on the branches. Keep the animals super simple—just a round head and tiny ears!
Did You Know? A 2024 survey by the American Christmas Tree Association found that nearly 99% of consumers planned to display at least one Christmas tree in their homes. Even if it’s a drawing, the Christmas tree is still the #1 symbol of the season! This shows how much people love the holiday spirit—and drawing it is part of the fun!
Advanced Cute Drawing Ideas for Artists
If you have a little more experience, you can take the cute style and make a more detailed piece of art.
H3: Cute Christmas Tree Scene
Set your adorable tree inside a cozy picture!
- Add a backdrop of gently falling snow outside a window.
- Draw a warm, fuzzy fireplace nearby.
- Include tiny, cozy details like a hot cocoa mug and soft blankets.
H3: Cute Tree with Winter Characters
Draw your cute tree with friends!
- Snowman: Give a simple, three-ball snowman big eyes and a friendly smile standing next to the tree.
- Reindeer: Draw a chibi-style reindeer (short, round, and extra cute) peeking out from behind the tree.
- Gingerbread Characters: Draw a little gingerbread man and woman waving from the tree’s base.
H3: Cute Christmas Tree in Different Styles
Challenge yourself by trying a new medium!
- Watercolor: Use soft, blended colors to make the tree look like it’s glowing with light. (Learn more about art styles in Demystifying Modern Art: A Simple Guide).
- Digital Art: Use a drawing program to add bright, glowing lights and perfect, clean lines.
- Chibi Aesthetic: Create a whole forest of tiny, super-short, round trees, each with its own unique tiny face.
Cute Christmas Tree Doodles for Journals & Planners
Cute drawings aren’t just for big art projects. They are perfect for making your daily planner or bullet journal extra festive!
- Icon-Style Mini Trees: Draw a tree that is only about an inch tall. A simple triangle with a star on top is all you need for an instant holiday icon.
- Doodle Sets: Draw a set of tiny, simple holiday items next to each other: a star, a round ornament, a candy cane, and a small gift box. Use them to mark tasks in your journal.
- Step-by-Step Doodle Strips: Draw the three simple puffs of the tree in a line on a to-do list to make it look like a mini-tutorial.
- Bullet Journal Holiday Spreads: Use your cute trees as the main decoration for your December monthly view, surrounding your calendar boxes with tiny, happy decorations.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Even in cute art, there are a few things to watch out for!
| Mistake | How to Avoid It (The “Cute” Way) |
| Overcrowding Decorations | Keep it simple! Only add a few large, round ornaments so the tree’s cute face remains the star of the show. |
| Harsh Lines | Use a pencil first, then trace with a smooth pen. Use soft, curved lines for the branches instead of sharp, pointy ones. |
| Colors That Clash | Stick to a few main colors: a happy green, a bright red, and a cheerful yellow. Too many different colors can make the drawing look messy. |
| Skipping Guidelines | Always start with the light pencil triangle. It helps make sure your tree is centered and the right shape before you add the fun details. |
| Forgetting Depth and Highlights | Use a white gel pen or colored pencil to add small, bright dots on the ornaments and the eyes. This makes them look shiny and adds a professional, cute sparkle! |
Coloring Tips for a Cute Finish
Coloring is where the magic happens! Here’s how to make your cute tree drawing pop:
- Use Blush Tones on Cheeks: The secret to a truly Kawaii drawing is the blush! Use a light pink or peach color for the cheeks to make the tree look sweet and shy.
- Add Sparkles with a White Gel Pen: The easiest way to make something cute is to make it sparkle. Use a white pen to add small, three-point star shapes (or just tiny dots) to the ornaments and the star on top.
- Highlight Ornaments with Small Dots: For a 3D effect, color your ornament, then add a small, white crescent shape or a dot near the top corner. This makes it look shiny and round.
- Layer Greens for a Soft, Fluffy Look: Don’t just color with one green. Use a lighter green as the base, and then use a slightly darker green to add tiny, light scribbles near the edges of the branches. This makes the tree look soft and fluffy!
FAQs: Your Cute Drawing Questions Answered
Q1: What is the easiest way to draw a cute Christmas tree for kids?
A: The easiest way is the Stacked Triangle Method.
- Draw three triangles, one on top of the other, getting smaller as they go up.
- Round out the corners so they look puffy.
- Add two big dot eyes and a simple smile in the middle triangle. Done!
Q2: What style makes a drawing look “cute”?
A: The style that makes a drawing look cute is called Kawaii. It is known for:
- Exaggerated Features: Large eyes and large heads (like a chibi tree).
- Simple Shapes: Soft, rounded lines and easy-to-draw forms.
- Positive Emotions: Happy, gentle, or shy expressions.
Q3: Can beginners draw kawaii Christmas trees?
A: Absolutely! The kawaii style is perfect for beginners because it relies on simple, basic shapes (circles, triangles, rectangles) that are easy to draw. You don’t need to worry about realistic details or perfect shading. Just focus on drawing a happy face!
Q4: How do I add expressions to my tree?
A: The expression is all in the eyes and mouth.
- Happy: Large, round eyes with white highlights, and a wide U-shaped smile.
- Shy/Giggle: Closed, happy eyes (like two arches) with a slight blush on the cheeks.
- Excited: Wide, sparkling eyes and an open-mouth, excited expression (like a tiny “O”).
Q5: Can I use this for Christmas cards or school art?
A: Yes, please do! A handmade card with your own cute Christmas tree drawing is always more special than a store-bought one. For school art, it’s a fun, creative, and easy way to show off your festive spirit.
Conclusion: Get Creative and Have Fun!
You now have all the steps, ideas, and tips you need to draw the cutest Christmas tree ever! Remember, art is about having fun and expressing your creativity. Don’t worry if your first tree isn’t perfect—the best part of the “cute” style is that a little bit of wobbly line art just makes it look even more charming.
The holiday season is all about light, joy, and warmth. Grab your pencil, put on some festive music, and start drawing your own perfect, adorable Christmas tree today!
Want to learn more about art and creativity? Check out these helpful resources:
What cute holiday doodle will you draw next? Perhaps a smiling snowman or a happy gingerbread man?
