DIY Letters to Santa Photo Backdrop

Sending letters to Santa is a beloved holiday tradition. Turn that tradition into the perfect holiday photo op with a DIY Letters to Santa Photo Backdrop featuring Santa’s Nice List and the big guy himself.

Delivering Christmas Magic—One Letter to Santa at a Time

If you’re looking for a playful and photo-worthy way to celebrate the holidays, this DIY Letters to Santa Photo Backdrop is the perfect project. It’s festive, kid-friendly, and creates a magical spot where little ones can write, mail, and pose with their letters to Santa.

After creating our Letters to Santa front porch decor, we were inspired by lots of comments and questions from people looking to use the same concept to create a photo backdrop. So, naturally, I decided to create the perfect holiday backdrop that’s easy to recreate.

How to Create the DIY “Dear Santa” Envelope Wall

I’m a sucker for cute holiday-themed paper plates, and when I spotted these Dear Santa paper plates from My Minds Eye, I knew they would be the perfect thing to create a focal point for our backdrop. I started by arranging the Dear Santa Envelope Plates in a grid pattern on the large foam board. These plates make the perfect 3D “mailbox wall” effect and instantly give the backdrop a North Pole-inspired look. Use double-sided tape or removable adhesive strips to secure each envelope in place.

How to Make Santa’s Nice List

One of my favorite elements of this setup is Santa’s Nice List. To make this list, I created a Canva template with all the names of our friends and family. I had the list printed at my local print shop as an 18×24 engineer print. Then I taped each of the oversized prints together.

Next, I tea-stained the list to give it an aged parchment feel. For a whimsical touch, I added candy-cane–striped ribbon along the edges. Hang the Nice List beside your envelope wall so it drapes down for a dramatic backdrop effect.

Watch this video tutorial to see how to make your own oversized Santa’s Nice List.

Set Up a Letter-Mailing Station

Place a festive mailbox in front of your backdrop so kids can “mail” their letters to Santa. Download and print the Letters to Santa letter template for guests to fill out their Christmas wish list. This little station becomes an instant holiday tradition—and a perfect photo moment.

Capture the Magic

Once everything is set up, add garland or greenery on top, invite Santa to join the fun, and snap away. Your DIY Christmas photo backdrop is ready to make holiday memories!