Glenn Stewart of Hawesville, Kentucky originated the design of a Turkey and Santa carved back to back. He gave me the pattern fifteen years ago and recently wrote an article for Woodcarving Illustrated on this Turkey and Santa carving.

The easiest way to carve this project is to draw the outline of a turkey on a piece of basswood a quarter inch thick, two inch wide and two inches long. Next carve the basic shape of a turkey using the photograph as a guide. Do not attempt to copy the turkey exactly as depicted in the photograph. Instead carve your own design of a turkey as there is no right way other than make it look like a turkey. Leave the back side of the turkey flat. When the turkey is carved to one’s satisfaction, turn it over to the flat side on the back of the turkey. Turn the shape of the back so that the head and neck of the turkey is horizontal across the top. This will become the ball and stocking cap of Santa. Use the photo of the Santa side of the carving to guide in drawing the basic outline of a Santa face, mustache, beard and hair. Proceed to carve the Santa into your own design following the outline.

Once the Turkey and Santa are carved to one’s satisfaction, use Howard Feed N Wax as a finish or artist oil color Raw Sienna mixed with boiled linseed oil.

After carving one, continue to carve several Turkey and Santa combinations experiencing that each one will become easier because of the lessons learned from carving the preceding combinations. This fun carving project becomes a novelty to amaze and astound family and friends with a carving idea with back to back images. Simple carvings that appear to be complicated give way to a smile of amusement as well as curiosity of how they were carved. Therein is the novelty and the fun of carving a Turkey and a Santa as symbols of Thanksgiving and Christmas Holidays.