The holidays are a time for joy, celebration, and—of course—fabulous food! One of the most whimsical and crowd-pleasing ways to elevate your festive spread is by creating a Santa charcuterie board.

Wood board filled with deli meats, cheese, vegetables and fruit to make a Santa charcuterie board.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links for your shopping convenience. Should you chose to purchase through these links we make a small commission at no extra cost to you. You can read our full disclosure here.

Whether you’re hosting a Christmas Eve gathering, a holiday brunch, or looking for a festive appetizer to take to a potluck, this board is the perfect centerpiece. Shaped like jolly Saint Nick himself and filled with sweet and savory treats, it’s as delightful to assemble as it is to devour.

Why You Will Love This Holiday Board

There’s so much to love about a Santa charcuterie board.

First, it’s visually stunning—guaranteed to impress guests and spark conversation.
Second, it’s highly customizable to suit all taste buds, whether you’re leaning sweet with fruits and cookies or going savory with meats and cheeses.
Third, it’s incredibly fun to create, making it an ideal project for families, especially those with little ones eager to help shape Santa’s beard or fill in his rosy cheeks with berries.

Another major bonus? This board requires minimal cooking, meaning you can focus more on celebrating and less on prep. It’s a creative way to serve snacks that doubles as festive decor—win-win!

Different Ways of Adapting This Board Throughout the Holiday Season

One of the best aspects of a Santa charcuterie board is its flexibility. Here are several ideas to keep things fresh all season long:

1. Sweet Tooth Santa

Opt for marshmallows, yogurt-covered pretzels, white chocolate chips for the beard, and strawberries or raspberries for the hat. Add candy canes for his smile and chocolate truffles for his eyes and buttons.

2. Savory Santa

Use slices of salami or pepperoni to build the red hat, mozzarella balls or goat cheese for the beard, and olives for the eyes and buttons. Add crackers, cherry tomatoes, and fresh herbs for texture and flavor.

3. Healthy Santa

Focus on whole foods: banana slices, Greek yogurt dip, and cauliflower florets for the beard; strawberries and pomegranate seeds for the hat; blueberries or black grapes for eyes and facial features. Great for kids’ parties or lighter entertaining.

4. Mini Santas for Individual Servings

Instead of one large board, create mini Santa faces in small ramekins or plates—perfect for COVID-conscious entertaining or personalized gifting.

5. Themed Variations

Add a New Year’s twist by swapping the Santa hat for a party hat and using gold-wrapped candies and festive sprinkles. Or, incorporate regional treats for a multicultural spin, such as panettone, lebkuchen, or tamales around your Santa base.

Ingredients Needed

Deli Meats:
- 6 sausage sticks
- 2 ounces’ salami for rose
- 6 thinly sliced round ham
Cheeses:
- 1 package brie
- 2 1/2 ounces string cheese
- 1/2 cup mini mozzarella
- 2 Babybel cheeses
- 3-4 slices light yellow semi-hard cheese for snowflakes
Berries and Vegetables
- 1 olive for eyes
- 1 dried sweet cherry
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 3/4 cup dark grapes
- 1 cup green grapes
Crackers, Nuts
- 16 round saltine crackers
- 1/3 cup almonds
- 1/4 cup Brazil nuts.

A collection of meats, cheeses, crackers, vegetable and fruit needed to make Santa charcuterie board.

How to Make a Santa Charcuterie Board

Place semi-hard cheeses on board and use cookie cutter to form snowflakes. Use red Babybel wax to make imprints.

Using a cookie cutter to cut snowflake shapes out of cheese.

To straighten and untangle the string cheese, boil water. Pour boiling water over the cheese and leave for 5-7 minutes. Put on gloves and straighten the string cheese. Roll a pompom out of the cheese. For the edging of the hat, braid a pigtail out of the string cheese. For the mustache, cut 5-inch-long threads. Pat the remaining cheese dry with a towel. Store it in the refrigerator.

Placing cheese string in a bowl of water.

Scald the serving board with boiling water and wipe dry. Cut off the rind of the brie cheese. Use cherry tomatoes to form a hat. Lay out the edging and pompom out of the string cheese. Cut the olive into semicircles and place them instead of the eyes. Fold the ham in half and fan it out.

Arranging cheese and meat to make a Santa.

Arrange the green grapes on the left at the top and the dark ones on the right. Border the dark grapes with thin sausages. Roll a rose flower out of salami. Place the salami rose, then place the remaining salami on the ham. Place crackers on the bottom right.

Adding meat, vegetables and fruit to a charcuterie board.

Next, place Santa’s nose, beard and moustache. Place Babybell cheese and nuts on the empty spaces. Decorate the board with cheese snowflakes.

Complete the serving with dipping sauces, don’t forget the disposable forks. Merry Christmas!

Let the Holiday Season Begin

A Santa charcuterie board is more than just a delicious display—it’s a joyful, creative experience that brings the holiday spirit to your table. With endless ways to customize, adapt, and personalize, this board will quickly become a beloved tradition in your seasonal celebrations. So grab your ingredients, gather your loved ones, and let the festive food art begin!

How to Make a Santa Charcuterie Board

Looking for a whimsical and crowd-pleasing way to elevate your festive spread? This DIY Santa charcuterie board is just the ticket!

No ratings yet

Print Pin Rate

Author: Jane and Sonja

Ingredients

Deli Meats

6 sausage sticks
2 ounces’ salami for rose
6 thinly sliced round ham

Cheeses

1 package brie
2 1/2 ounces string cheese
1/2 cup mini mozzarella
2 Babybel cheeses
3-4 slices light yellow semi-hard cheese for snowflakes

Berries and Vegetables

1 olive for eyes
1 dried sweet cherry
1 cup cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup dark grapes
1 cup green grapes

Crackers, Nuts

16 round saltine crackers
1/3 cup almonds
1/4 cup Brazil nuts.

Instructions

Place semi-hard cheeses on board and use cookie cutter to form snowflakes. Use red Babybel wax to make imprints.
To straighten and untangle the string cheese, boil water. Pour boiling water over the cheese and leave for 5-7 minutes. Put on gloves and straighten the string cheese. Roll a pompom out of the cheese. For the edging of the hat, braid a pigtail out of the string cheese. For the mustache, cut 5-inch-long threads. Pat the remaining cheese dry with a towel. Store it in the refrigerator.
Scald the serving board with boiling water and wipe dry. Cut off the rind of the brie cheese. Use cherry tomatoes to form a hat. Lay out the edging and pompom out of the string cheese. Cut the olive into semicircles and place them instead of the eyes. Fold the ham in half and fan it out.
Arrange the green grapes on the left at the top and the dark ones on the right. Border the dark grapes with thin sausages. Roll a rose flower out of salami. Place the salami rose. Place the remaining salami on the ham. Place crackers on the bottom right.
Place Santa’s nose, beard and moustache. Place Babybell cheese and nuts on the empty spaces. Decorate the board with cheese snowflakes.
Complete the serving with dipping sauces, don’t forget the disposable forks. Merry Christmas!