I made this Chocolate Santa in the Chimney late last night but couldn’t resist posting it today in case anyone sees it and can use it over the holiday! My friend I texted last night said it was “too cute”! I copied it from Melanie, @sternenglanzpapierzauber, a Demonstrator (I assume) in Germany. She didn’t have directions but I figured it out! All you have to do is make (or use) a box and stick a chocolate Santa inside!

My Santa is a Lindt chocolate Santa and a decent size, not really small. You could use a smaller Santa, just make the box smaller.

I started with Real Red cardstock 5 1/2″ x 10 1/2″. Score at 3″, 5″, 8″ and 10″. Turn the paper longways to score the bottom flaps at 1 3/4″. Just like we do on most boxes and bags, cut those flaps on the score lines up to the score line going across. Cut off the tiniest 1/2″ section. Crease well, see how it goes together, then glue that 1/2″ flap to the other side. Fold in the flaps and apply adhesive. I like to stick my bone folder inside and rub to really adhere the bottom flaps together.

For the white fur part at the top, I cut a 2″ x 11″ strip of Basic White and then just cut it curvy freehand! You may have a die to use as Melanie did on hers. The only thing is you want the ends to match in width so that when you get to the back of the chimney where they meet up, you don’t want one narrow and one wider (If you want it perfect!). I applied adhesive and placed the middle of the strip in the center of the chimney on the front and wrapped the ends around the sides and to the back. Since I was copying, I just punched out a Gold Foil star with a retired punch (you can use a die) and adhered that to the white.

For the belt, I cut a 3/4″ x 11″ strip of Basic Black and adhered it the same way as the white above. Just use your fingers to crease on the edges to make a tight fit rather than trying to score and having it not fit right.

For the belt buckle, I cut a 1″ x 1″ piece of Gold Foil, adhered that, then adhered a 3/4″ x 3/4″ piece of Basic Black in the center to look like the belt going through the buckle.

It’s just that easy! I suppose you could even emboss the Real Red cardstock to look like brick or some other texture. You could even omit the white fur and belt and make it look really like a chimney and maybe add a greeting to the front. Whatever you like!

Growing up, Christmas Eve was really my favorite day because my family opened presents at our house on Christmas Eve with my grandparents and maybe other visiting relatives, maybe going to church before or after. Then on Christmas Day we would go to my grandma’s house, who hadn’t hauled her presents to our house, and have Christmas dinner at her house then open presents from her. Of course, Santa came to our house on Christmas morning! What is better than being a young child and having Santa come??!!! My mother would often”apologize” on Christmas Eve that my parents couldn’t buy us more than one or two gifts on Christmas Eve because they didn’t have the money! But Santa always came through!! LOL!

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas Eve!