If you’re looking for some fun ways to shake up Christmas but keep coming up ‘no dice,’ then today is your LUCKY day. We’re sharing a DIY that is sure to keep the good times rollin’! Our DIY pentagon dice has a super fun Christmas spin, and we’re sharing it with you for FREE along with a pair of Christmas game ideas – all as a part of our “12 Days Of Christmas In July” series!
Christmas-Themed DIY Pentagon Die
It’s a safe bet that our DIY pentagon die adds up to perfect fun for family or group gatherings, office parties and even for teachers to use in their classroom during the holiday season!
We were first inspired to design this GIANT dice to add a fun spin to GIFT SWAPS. Suitable for a wide range of ages and measuring 10½” tall, it’s large enough to be seen in group gatherings. In addition, the pentagon shape ensures you’ll get a good roll – every time! Constructed from foam core and Duck Tape®, this DIY pentagon die is durable enough to use year after year. But the best part, in our opinion?! The amazing, custom artwork by artist Eileen Boone!
Ready to roll with it? Okay, okay! We’ll show you how to make it in just a second. But before we do, we want to let you know that it’s great for more than just a gift swap game! We’ve thought of a few other CHRISTMAS GAME IDEAS to play with this pentagon die, and we’re sharing them just below! (We didn’t want you to miss out on those!)
What You’ll Need:
Before you get started, you’ll want to PRINT some of our FREE TEMPLATES*:
- 5″ Pentagon Template
- Black & White Christmas Art (Coloring book style) – or- Colored Christmas Art. (Or leave it blank to create your own – see game ideas below.)
- Pentagon Die Pattern Template Guide; for single or double piece assembly and suggested character die face layout.
DIY Christmas Pentagon Die
Materials
- Black Foam Core
- Duck Tape®
- X-ACTO Knife® extra blades
- Glue Stick
- Templates printed (linked above in the "What You'll Need" section.)
- Cutting Surface (cardboard works well.)
Instructions
- Print and cut out our 5" pentagon template, and choosing one of two templates, print the 12 Christmas characters for the die faces. We're sharing full-color art or create your own with our coloring-book-style template! (Linked above in the "What You'll Need" section.)
- Using the pentagon template, trace and cut out 12 individual 5" pentagons onto black foam core. (We're sharing an alternate, single or two-piece assembly option in the NOTES below.)
- Prepare approximately 30 strips of Duck Tape® in 5" lengths. (You may also wish to pre-cut 30 smaller strips of tape to help reinforce the interior.)
- When working with the individual pentagons, we found it easiest to first work in two halves with 6 pentagons each. Begin by lining up one strip of 5" Duck Tape®, about midway down, horizontally, along a pentagon edge and repeat.
- While in halves, reinforce the interior with the smaller strips of Duck Tape®.
- Secure the two halves together.
- Next, in any order you wish, glue the die faces on. (Alternatively, you may use the "Pentagon Die Template Pattern" as a guide.)
- In the words of Eileen, "IT'S GLITTER TIME!" If using accent Duck Tape®, cut 15 strips in 5" lengths. Then cut in half horizontally.
- Line the (horizontal) center of your accent tape along a die edge, wrapping it over the sides. Repeat with each edge.
- Cut another 6 strips of accent Duck Tape® in 4½" lengths, Make 4 horizontal cuts along the length so you end up with 5 strips from one piece.
- Line each photo edge on the die faces with your accent tape.
- Have fun and give it a roll!
Notes
DIY Christmas-Themed Pentagon Die Video Tutorial:
Disclaimer: Eileen and I have agreed we both tend to work harder before figuring out the smartest way to do things😂. Here in our video tutorial, Eileen demonstrates how to make your own pentagon die with twelve individual pieces (which will possibly make finding properly sized foam core board both more accessible and economical.)
However as an alternative, we also share a Pentagon Die Pattern Guide for use with our 5″ pentagon template. Although it requires a larger piece of foam core board, it offers a simple single- or double-piece cut-and-fold assembly.
Tips For Cutting Foam Core:
- It’s best to have additional cutting blades available. You’ll want a fresh blade for the cleanest (smooth-as-butter) cut. If you notice slicing panels becomes difficult, it may be time to change your blade.
- If your blade seems to have dulled but you’re not ready to swap it out, hold the X-ACTO® knife at about a 45° angle. This allows you to cut with just the tip of the blade for a clean cut.
- A hard, straight edge will provide a clean line.
- It’s best to use a cutting mat as you cut out your pentagons (cardboard works well, too.) You don’t want to end up like Lucy!
- Patience is a virtue! Instead of trying to cut through the foam core in one fell swoop, make several shallow cuts repeatedly working your way through. (Folding the foam core back occasionally may also help with persistent pieces.)
It’s All Fun & Games!
It’s all fun and games until the game is over so why stop?!
Here are some ideas for different ways to enjoy your new DIY Christmas-themed die – or dice, should you make more than one:
🎁GIFT SWAPS ↔️
Want to take a chance? Our Christmas die puts a fun spin on traditional white elephant and gift exchanges!
What happens when you roll Mr. or Mrs. Claus, or Beamer the Bronner Star™? How about one of the gingerbread cookies, snowmen or elves? Watch out for the grinchy monster or SCROOGE! We think ROLL THE DICE GIFT SWAP is sure to be a hit. With each roll of the die, you just never know what gift you may end up with.
Print the official game guide: ROLL THE DICE GIFT SWAP Game Play & Rules.
🎲CHRISTMAS YAHTZEE🎲
It may seem rather ambitious, but crafting five of our DIY pentagon Christmas dice will make for an extra festive and challenging version of Yahtzee during the holidays!
🎤SING- OR QUOTE-OFF!💬
Christmas movie buffs or music lovers in your group? Put them to the test to see who can go the longest in a song or movie quote-off to see who wins the title of the ultimate Christmas fan!
This game idea comes with loads of flexibility so you can tailor it to your group and interests:
- As an alternative to our custom Christmas characters, you can opt to use the blank 5″ Pentagon Template to create your own die faces.
- Using our Quote- or Sing-Off gameplay guide to get started, fill in the blank spaces next to each die face with suggested movies or songs.
- Choose play for different skill levels. For the easiest version, prepare a few quotes or songs and replace some of the words with blanks. When the die is rolled, read a song or quote corresponding to the roll. See who can go the longest without missing a beat! For a more difficult version, let party-goers come up with the complete quote or song lyric on their own.
In the event that you may not enjoy spit-balling quotes on the fly, our Christmas Movie Quotes Quiz may be more your speed.
12 Days Of Christmas In July!
If you’re the fun-loving type, you won’t want to miss any of our 12 days of Christmas In July! Crafts, activities, games and more – Santa’s got them all in his bag!
Our mission is to spread Christmas cheer to last throughout the year! Don’t miss a beat – we hope you’ll consider subscribing to join our community for Christmas lovers.
Free Template Use:
Consider these templates our Christmas present to you – free for your personal and non-profit use only. You may not sell an item made from this pattern or art or modify and redistribute Bronner’s templates or art without express permission.