Christmas tree shadow box SVG
A decorated Christmas tree under an arch of stars, with snowy firs on the hill behind it, a nutcracker standing guard, a pile of presents, and candles and candy canes at the front. 5 sheets of card, cut and stacked with a gap between each, make the picture. The files are free, and every part of the scene can be moved, swapped or resized below before you download.
5 sheets at 8 × 10 in, zipped, with a note on putting them together.
Free for personal and commercial use, no sign-up. What you can do with it.
The 5 sheets
Sheet 1 is the back and sheet 5 is the front. Each one is a single piece with the same frame round its edge, so they line up when stacked. The colours shown are the “Lit from behind” set; cut them in any card you like. Cut sheet 5, “Candles”, the slowest: at 1 mm it has the thinnest part in the scene, and sheet 5, “Candles”, fills the most of the view, 36% of it.
| Sheet | What is on it | Narrowest part | Seen from the front |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Stars | A whole sheet with holes for: 11 × Plain disc | over 2 mm | 29% |
| 2. Far firs | Rolling ground, with: Three Christmas trees in a row, Classic pine tree and Simple pine tree | over 2 mm | 6% |
| 3. Tree | A gentle slope, with: Christmas tree with bauble cut-outs | over 2 mm | 18% |
| 4. Presents and nutcracker | A gentle slope, with: Stack of three presents, Nutcracker silhouette and Gift box with a lid and bow | 1.6 mm | 11% |
| 5. Candles | A gentle slope, with: Three candles, Square present tied with ribbon and 2 × Solid candy cane | 1 mm | 36% |
Measured from the files at 8 × 10 in. The narrowest part is the thinnest neck of card that holds anything on; sharp tips are not counted. “Seen from the front” is the share of the picture that sheet fills once the sheets in front of it are in place.
Will it cut at your size?
The download is 8 × 10 in. The scene maker above makes the same scene at any of these sizes; the thinnest part scales with it.
| Frame opening | Each sheet | Narrowest part | Depth needed | Fits a 12 × 12 in mat | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 × 10 in | 203.2 × 254 mm | 1 mm | 17 mm | Yes | Cuts easily |
Depth needed allows 3 mm of foam between sheets and 5 mm for the card itself and the backing.
Making this one
The arch suits a mantelpiece: stand the frame upright with a string of warm white lights behind it and the baubles, which are holes in the tree, light up. The presents have ribbons and patterns, so cut that sheet slowly.
- Cut all 5 sheets from 160 to 220 gsm card at the same size.
- Lay them out in order, sheet 1 at the back.
- Put strips of 3 mm foam tape round the border of sheet 1 and press sheet 2 onto it with the edges level. Carry on to sheet 5.
- Fit the stack into a deep frame with the front sheet against the glass. For a light box, run a strip of warm white LEDs round the inside of the frame behind the stack.
The zip includes these steps as a text file, each sheet as its own SVG and all 5 side by side in one SVG. More on paper, frames and lights is on the shadow box page.
The parts, on their own
Everything in the scene comes from the free SVG library, where each has its own page and file:
Questions
Can I have a plain window instead of the arch?
Yes. Choose the rounded or the square window in the maker. The tree and everything round it keep their places.
Can I add a name or a year?
Not inside the maker yet. Cut the name from the lettering in the library and glue it to the border at the foot of the arch.
Can I sell boxes I make with it?
Yes. Finished pieces are yours to sell. The files themselves may not be sold or shared; send people to this page. See the licence.
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