We delved into the history of Blue Peter to pick out some of our favourite Christmas makes created by past presenters and even a few superstar celebrity guests! Have a go at making these festive and creative ideas with your parents, grandparents and older siblings, perhaps they’ll recognise a few of them?
Here’s some we made a lot earlier!
We’ve put together a Christmas list of some of our favourite festive makes from over the years.
Featuring Valerie Singleton’s cardboard Santas in 1971, Konnie Huq’s bubble wrapped Christmas trees in 2000, and a couple of celebrity appearances. Watch as Emma Watson helps Ayo Akinwolere make a snowman Christmas card in 2008 and Ed Sheeran helps Helen Skelton create a coat-hanger Christmas star in 2011!
So have a scroll, feel inspired, and check out how Blue Peter used to look.
Please be aware that some of these classic makes will suggest downloading templates or images from the Blue Peter website, for example a snowman cut-out. Unfortunately, these templates no longer exist. You can make your own templates to trace around.
Looking for something a little newer? Here’s one we made this year, check out the 2025 Blue Peter Christmas card.
1965: Christopher Trace’s advent crown
Let’s start right near the beginning, before Blue Peter was ever broadcast in colour!
In 1965, presenter Christopher Trace improved upon the now iconic Blue Peter advent crown, made using wire coat-hangers and tinsel, with decorative candles that would count down the four weeks until Christmas day.
Have a look at this piece of true Blue Peter history, maybe your grandparents will remember watching this back when they were in school!
If you would like to have a go at making a classic advent crown, please do not use real candles as they are a serious fire risk. You can use decorative LED candles or even swap the candles for a bauble or another decoration of your choice.
How to make Christopher Trace’s advent crown
You will need:
Please do not use real candles as they are a serious fire risk.
Who is Blue Peter’s Christopher Trace?
Christopher Trace presented Blue Peter from the very beginning on 16th October 1958 until 24th July 1967.
Without Christopher Trace there would be no Blue Peter – pure and simple! Kicking the show off in 1958 his authoritative personality helped to define the programme.
1971: Valerie Singleton’s adorable Father Christmas decorations
Now this is a timeless classic, and still so easy to make this day!
For Christmas in 1971, Blue Peter presenter Valerie Singleton demonstrated how to make these adorable decorations out of card, tissue paper and sticky-backed felt.
The instructions are so simple to follow, so why not give it a go? These would look perfect by the placemats of your family around the dinner table this Christmas!
To make Valerie Singleton’s Santa decorations
You will need:
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A piece of card, cut into a semi-circle
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Sticky-backed felt to cover your card. You could even simply just colour or paint your card.
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Tissue paper
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Your choice of decoration for your Santa to wear or hold!
If you’ve chosen to make a classic Blue Peter advent crown as seen at the start of this video, please make sure to use LED candles as real candles are a fire risk.
Who is Blue Peter’s Valerie Singleton?
Valerie presented Blue Peter from 3rd September in 1962 until the 3rd July in 1972, spending just under 10 years with us!
Val’s serious approach and her super-dooper skills helped with all of the Blue Peter makes, and was the perfect partner for John Noakes.
2000: Konnie Huq’s bubble wrapped Christmas trees!
Have you done your Christmas shopping and find yourself with lots of leftover bubble wrap? Well, we had a brilliant make back in the year 2000 for you to help upcycle your packaging!
Blue Peter presenter Konnie Huq created these pop-tastic Christmas tree decorations by simply using card and bubble wrap. You might have lots of bubble wrap at home during the Christmas season, so why not give these a go for a simple and quick decoration to make?
This make doesn’t take long to do, and they’re a brilliantly easy idea to help fill your shelves, windowsills or decorate the table for your Christmas dinner. 🎄
How to make Konnie Huq’s Christmas tree
You will need:
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A 25 x 25cm square piece of card or paper
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Shiny foil or coloured paper
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Bubble wrap
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A ruler
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Glue
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Scissors (Ask a grown-up for help when handling sharp items!)
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Any decorative bits and bobs of your choosing! Scraps of tinsel, a star, an angel to sit at the top? You’re in control of the final touches!
Who is Blue Peter’s Konnie Huq?
Konnie presented Blue Peter between 1st December in 1997 until 22nd January in 2008.
Konnie is the longest running female Blue Peter presenter so far, having presented the show for an impressive 11 years! Her cheeky qualities made her very popular with the audience.
2005: Zoe Salmon’s homemade Christmas crackers
In 2005, Blue Peter presenter Zoe Salmon created these wonderful homemade Christmas crackers, perfect for pulling around the Christmas table no matter the current year!
She was joined by Gethin Jones and Matt Baker who contributed their best (or worst, you decide!) Christmas cracker jokes.
How to make Zoe Salmon’s Christmas crackers
You will need:
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Cardboard tube, from kitchen roll or wrapping paper
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Coloured paper
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Scissors
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Sparkly sticky tape or tinfoil to glue on
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String
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Optional: A snapper, a gift and joke to fill it with!
Who is Blue Peter’s Zoe Salmon?
Zoe presented Blue Peter between 23rd December in 2004 until 25th June in 2008. She joined the team during the 2004 Christmas special episode!
Shortly after her debut, she famously said “I’d try anything once”, which started a trend in her being asked to do exciting or embarrassing things including wing-walking on top of an antique biplane and stamp collecting.
2008: Emma Watson and Ayo Akinwolere’s Christmas card
There’s still time to make someone special a handmade Christmas card, so why not have a go at this easy snowman themed Christmas card from the brilliant minds of Blue Peter presenter Ayo Akinwolere and super star Emma Watson.
This make includes templates from an older version of our website which are unfortunately no longer available, but we’re sure you’ll be able to make your own snowmen templates using a little artistic talent and some thick card!
How to make Emma Watson’s Christmas card
You will need:
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Cardboard, an old cereal box will do
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Scissors
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Glue
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A patterned piece of paper, you could even draw your own
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Paints
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Your choice of card cutouts, for example: a snowman
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Your choice of decorations. Ayo used some old wire to make the snowman’s arms, you could use a stiff piece of string or pipe cleaners instead.
Who is Emma Watson?
Emma Watson is a world famous actor known for her role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter films. She joined Blue Peter’s Ayo Akinwolere to help make the 2008 Christmas card whilst talking about a new animated film that she was starring in.
Who is Blue Peter’s Ayo Akinwolere?
Ayo presented Blue Peter between 28th June in 2006 until 28 June 2011, a fully rounded out time with us!
Chance has always played a part in becoming a Blue Peter presenter and in no case is that more true than with Ayo. Originally a runner for CBBC, he was spotted for his high energy and enthusiasm.
2011: Ed Sheeran’s Christmas star
In 2011, Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton had a very special guest in the studio to help demonstrate how to make a Christmas star decoration… It was the one and only Ed Sheeran!
Ed’s Christmas star is surprisingly simple to craft and would look great hung up on a wall or on a door, all you need are some old wire coat-hangers and plenty of tinsel!
How to make Ed Sheeran and Helen Skelton’s Christmas star
You will need:
Who is Ed Sheeran?
Ed Sheeran is a music artist with multiple UK Number 1 singles and albums. Since appearing on Blue Peter, he has toured the world selling out stadiums… We’d like to think we can take a little credit for his successful career! He joined presenter Helen Skelton in 2011 to demonstrate how to make this Christmas star decoration.
Are you a big Ed Sheeran fan? Have a go at our ultimate Ed Sheeran quiz with Radio 1 now! Can you score 10/10?
Who is Blue Peter’s Helen Skelton?
Helen presented Blue Peter between 23rd September in 2008 until 26th September in 2013.
When it comes to challenges Helen was well and truly fearless! During her time she kayaked down the Amazon, completed the Namibian Ultra Marathon, and reached the South Pole on a bicycle! A true action hero.
Classic Blue Peter Christmas makes
These were just some of our favourite classic Christmas makes from over the years on Blue Peter, but we could only pick a small handful from our huge catalogue of makes spanning the last few decades!
Do you or your family have any other fond favourites from our Christmas specials? Perhaps your grandparents remember Christopher Trace’s advent crown? Do your parents have Janet Ellis’ Christmas garland still up in the loft somewhere? Or maybe your older sibling still makes Matt Baker’s Christmas chocolate lollies!
We’d love to hear which of our classic makes that your family remembers or even still uses, so let us know all about it in the comments!
The history of the Blue Peter presenters
Did you enjoy seeing some of our past generations of Blue Peter presenters?
Discover more about the 44 brilliant personalities that have presented the show since it began in 1958 with our full History of the Blue Peter presenters page. With pictures and fun facts about each presenter, there’s plenty of Blue Peter history to get stuck into!
Where to watch more Blue Peter
You can watch new episodes of Blue Peter most Fridays at 5pm on CBBC and streaming on iPlayer.
Episodes now stay for longer on iPlayer, meaning you have plenty of time to catch up or rewatch your favourite stories, makes, bakes and exciting challenges.
Sign in to your BBC account and add Blue Peter to your iPlayer watchlist now to make sure you never miss an episode!
