
Santa Train Box Card
It’s looking a lot like Christmas, and it’s time for a Santa Train Box Card crafting day! If you have a train collector in your life, or you just like locomotives, this is the perfect holiday card to send or display. Trains and Christmas just go together like peanut butter and jelly.
That said, this Santa train box card doesn’t need to be only for the holidays. You could change it up with other paper colors for different seasons or celebrations.
Since this is an svg file, you’ll need an electronic cutting machine like the Silhouette Cameo to cut out the design’s pieces.
You can purchase this box card separately or with the complete Toy Land svg kit at svgcuts.com. Mary, the creator of this card, is one of my favorite svg designers. She just has a way of creating high quality paper crafts.
Now, lets get started making this cute 3D box card for you or that special someone in your life!
Materials Needed
- Electronic cutting machine (Silhouette Cameo, Cricut or other)
- Red textured card stock for the card base (I use American crafts)
- Patterned paper. My favorite is Carta Bella (I used this paper pack)
- Recollections gold paper
- 3D dots or foam squares
- Paper craft glue of choice (My preferred is Aleene’s Tacky glue)
- Ink pads to match your chosen papers (I used distress ink in fire red)
- Sponge for inking
- White gel pen of choice
- Rhinestone stickers
Everything I’ve listed I purchased myself. There are no affiliated links.
Instructions
1. Purchase your Santa Train Box Card and print off the included PDF. You can also follow along with Mary’s assembly video. Her videos are extremely helpful and I recommend you watch them before starting your project so you can see how everything goes together. It helps to watch it again step by step while you craft your own.
2. Cut out your svg pieces for the box card along with the included perfectly sized envelope. Separate all the pieces and ink the edges to add dimension. Set the inked pieces aside to dry. I did not ink the gold foiled paper.
Dot The Eyes
3. Put the Santa together. This is where you’ll need the pop dots. Once your Santa has been assembled, take your white gel pen and dot his pupils.
Assembling The Layers
4. Glue the layers to the train’s base. When gluing the gold foil paper, use a light touch and try not to let the glue ooze out from the sides. If you get glue on the foil, it won’t wipe off very easily, and may leave smudge marks on your shiny paper. I always keep paper towel on hand and use that to press over the top of my shiny papers. This helps to keep finger prints and smudges at bay.
5. Stamp your message on the white piece that goes on the back. Make sure you pay attention so you’re stamping on the correct side.
Tip: Sometimes the paper will warp or bend a little if I happen to use too much glue when adding layers, or if the glue is too “wet”. To solve this problem, I just lay my card layers between two layers of scrap paper and set a stack of very heavy books on top them. I’ll leave it sit for a day or two to flatten any bowed layers. Make sure the glue is completely dry before doing this.
Embellishments
6. Glue the smaller embellishments onto the Santa Train’s wheels, and attach the larger embellishment onto the front of the train to act as the headlight.
Putting The Santa Train Box Card Together
7. Glue together the train base by its tabs. Make sure the box card is straight and level. Let dry, then glue the front panel with the headlight on. Let this dry completely as well.
8. Now, add in the middle section of the card with Santa’s face. Make sure to glue the tabs flush and level with the card so it will sit in there straight. Once the glue takes hold, fold the train box card back and forth to make sure it folds flat.
Adding The Stars and Berries
10. Last, but not least, place your large star onto the back side of the Santa Train Box Card. I used dimensional squares to pop the star up. Add the berries and holly leaves. Gently bend the leaves down the center to give them dimension as well.
11. Do the same with the smaller star on the back.
12. Allow your creation to fully dry while you assemble and glue the included envelope that you’ve cut out. Set that aside to dry as well. Then, fold your card as Mary shows in her video, and you’re all done and good to go. Choo Choo!
Happy Crafting!

