Kids' Christmas costumes: ideas for the kindergarten tree party

At the end of November, a similar message almost every year appears in the kindergarten group chat: “Christmas tree party in mid-December, boys – gnomes, girls – deer, please take care of the costumes yourselves.” For some parents it is a fun task, for others one more item on an already long December list.

Children’s Christmas costumes make up most of our December shipments. Last season alone we packed several hundred elf, gnome and forest animal costumes, so we clearly see which roles repeat every year, where sizes most often go wrong, and what is still possible to manage when you learn about the party just a few days before.

Costume for the Christmas tree party: the roles teachers assign most often

Kindergarten scripts change little: Santa’s helpers, forest animals who come to the tree, a Besmegenis (the “brainless one”), a few angels and sometimes Snow White. Before buying anything, read the teacher’s message once more. “Gnome” and “elf” mean the same thing to some people, but not to others.

Elves and gnomes

Elf and gnome are the most common request. Last season, from November to early January, our best-selling costume was Christmas elf costume for kids: we shipped 30 of them. It is green and red, with a hat, and sizes run from 104 to 158, so it suits both a three-year-old and a primary school child whose class is also preparing a Christmas performance.

If the teacher asks specifically for a gnome, see the green and red gnome costume for kids: a jacket with a belt, trousers and a hat. It suits both boys and girls. Girls, however, more often choose a dress: we shipped the female elf costume with a dress, belt, hat and tights 24 times last season, and for the smallest we have a gnome dress with a hat from size 98. All models are in the elf and gnome costumes category.

Forest animals: fox, bunny, hedgehog, deer, wolf

The forest theme suits teachers: every child gets their own animal and nobody feels like a secondary character. For girls, the most often bought is the fancy deer costume for girls – a brown dress with a white and brown tulle skirt and a headband with antlers. We shipped 16 of them last season. For boys, a more comfortable option is a jumpsuit, for example a children’s elk costume with a hood and zip. For a bunny we have a white bunny costume, just know that it runs small and suits children aged 1-3 better. We have gathered all the forest animals in one place: forest animal costumes for kids.

Besmegenis

The Besmegenis is seen from afar on stage, but in kindergarten the size often causes problems. The children’s Besmegenis costume includes a small jacket, trousers, hat, scarf and nose, but its smallest size is 128, which is roughly a child aged 6-8. A kindergartener will most likely find it too big. A smaller child is easier to dress in a white jumper and light trousers, with a scarf and hat added on top.

Angels and Snow White

These roles usually go to girls who recite a poem at the party. An angel needs only three parts: our angel set for kids includes a white tulle skirt, wings with elastic shoulder straps and a headband with a halo, and it fits girls wearing size 92-104. You can find other options in the angel costumes category.

For Snow White it is worth checking in advance. Some teachers imagine a white winter Snow White, others a red Christmas dress. Our Snow White (gnome) costume for girls is red: a dress and a little cap, for children 109-134 cm tall. Before ordering, send a photo to the teacher so you avoid surprises at rehearsal.

Christmas costume for boys and girls

Elf and gnome trouser sets suit both, so there is no need to look for a separate model. The difference is usually just that girls want a dress, while boys prefer a jumpsuit or trousers in which it is comfortable to sit in a circle. If a brother and sister are going to the same party, you can choose a matching pair, for example an elf and a female elf: in photos such a pair looks lovely, and a shy child feels braver climbing on stage when not alone.

What to ask the teacher before buying

Five minutes of conversation saves a lot of nerves. A child who is the only one in the group looking different sometimes simply refuses to go on stage.

• Colour. If all the gnomes will be red, a green costume will stand out. Sometimes that is good, sometimes not.
• Full costume or just an accent. For animals it is often enough to add a mask or ears to their own clothes.
• Who will dress the child. Teachers dress the whole group in a short time, so a zip or hook-and-loop fastening is better than small buttons on the back.
• Footwear. Usually they dance in slippers or trainers. An elf or gnome suits striped Christmas tights and dark slippers; they look tidier than bright trainers.
• Floor games. Long tails and very full skirts get in the way in a circle, so then a shorter version is better.

Size: too small will spoil the party, too big only a little

The most common mistake is ordering the same size the child wears every day. Wear the costume over long-sleeved T-shirts or a thin jumper, because in December the kindergarten hall is not always warm, especially while children wait their turn at the door.

1. Measure the child’s height without shoes and compare it with the size chart on the product page. Many costumes have one attached.
2. If the height is between two sizes, take the bigger one. Sleeves and cuffs can be pinned up, but shoulders that are too narrow cannot be fixed.
3. Read the notes in the description. The deer costume, for example, is sized small: size 98 suits children who wear 92-98, although the packaging will say 110.
4. If you want to wear the elf or gnome costume next year too, one size up often pays off.

When a few days are left before the party

It happens that the role is learned a week or even less before. Then masks and accessory sets work best: you do not need to guess the size, and with your own brown or grey jumper the child looks like a real forest animal.

• Children’s hedgehog mask is actually a hat with spikes, fastened with elastic. We shipped 62 of them last season. With a brown jumper and trousers the hedgehog is ready.
• Fox set – ears and tail, suitable for both children and adults. If the fox role falls to mum, one set can serve both.
• A wolf hat with a grey sweatshirt – a simple solution for a boy who got the wolf role.

On the day of the party

Write the child’s name on the costume label or inside the hat. When twenty gnomes change in one group room, identical hats get mixed up within minutes. Bring the costume in the morning in a bag rather than dressing at home: on the way the child will get cold, and breakfast cocoa on a white Besmegenis hat looks sad. Put small details, such as the nose or the headband with antlers, in a separate envelope.

How much a costume for the Christmas tree party costs

The budget is easiest to plan according to what the kindergarten asks for. Prices in our shop at the end of October 2026:

An elf and female elf costume for a brother and sister together cost €46.80. Add the hedgehog mask and you will exceed €49, and from this amount delivery to a parcel locker is free.

When to order to make it in time

Items are kept in our warehouse in Lithuania, so normally a parcel reaches the LP parcel locker within 1-2 working days. In December everything is slower: parcel lockers are overfilled, and Christmas tree parties in most kindergartens take place in the same weeks. The most popular sizes run out first, and right before the holidays they are not always restocked.

So order in November or at the very start of December, as soon as you learn the role. There will be time to try it on, and if the size does not fit, an unused item in its original packaging can be returned within 14 days. The conditions are described on the pages about delivery and returns.

Frequently asked questions

Does the same costume suit both a boy and a girl?

Many elf and gnome costumes with trousers suit both. Girls often choose the dress version, but that is a matter of taste, not of rules.

What size should I choose for a 4-year-old?

Usually size 104 or 116 fits, but go by height, not age. If the height is on the borderline, take the bigger one.

Can the costume be washed?

Most of our children’s costumes are made from polyester. First check the label. Costumes with tulle or glitter are safer washed by hand and dried on a hanger.

What should we do if we learned the role only two days before?

Choose a mask or ear set and combine it with your own clothes. A single-colour jumper and trousers with a suitable mask look tidy on stage.

If the role is already known, do not wait until the last week. Browse all the Christmas costumes for kids, measure the child’s height and choose a size while it is still in stock.