Every December, my husband decorates in his own way. He does not hang lights. He does not touch the tree. He runs a tree, then holds his phone up next to ours like they are the same thing. They are not. His has better branches.
Christmas is one of the best times of year for Strava art (or GPS art): a run planned so the line on your map draws a picture or a word. A tree on your feed on Christmas Eve morning is the running version of an ugly sweater. Everyone gets it, and everyone comments. Here is how to run one without spending your evening squinting at maps.
Updated October 2026
Quick answer
The easiest Christmas Strava art is a bold, simple shape: a Christmas tree, a candy cane, a star or a heart. Open the free Run Art Route Maker with the shape already picked, choose a grid neighborhood and anywhere from 2 to 15 miles, download the GPX for your watch, and start a few blocks from home to keep your address private. For words, short and blocky wins: "Ho Ho" and "Joy" draw much cleaner than "Xmas," because an X is all diagonals.
- Christmas tree route (free): the classic, and the one to run if you only run one.
- Candy cane route (free): short, sweet and very forgiving on a grid.
- Heart route (free): for the runner who is home for the holidays and a little sentimental about it.
- Ho Ho Hold My Gels socks ($19.99): the stocking stuffer that matches the art run.
Run & Tell was started by Tal, a mom of two, when she couldn't find gifts for her runner husband Shalev that weren't cheesy or generic.
The Christmas shapes, each linked straight to the tool
Our free Run Art Route Maker takes your spot, a shape and your miles, and finds a route on real streets that draws it. Each link below opens it with that shape already selected.
- Christmas tree. Clean lines and instantly recognizable. In our test runs at a 5 mile target, the tree scored 87% match on Manhattan's Upper West Side, 90% in Chicago's Lincoln Park and 95% in Midtown Sacramento.
- Candy cane. The quiet overachiever of the holiday tab: 91%, 97% and 99% in the same three test spots. A great pick if your neighborhood is not a perfect grid.
- Star. Put it on top of the tree you ran last week. It scored 95% in Lincoln Park and Midtown Sacramento, and 73% in Manhattan. If yours comes out lopsided, try another start a few blocks away.
- Gingerbread man. Run, run, as fast as you can. It scored 83% to 93% in our tests, so it reads, but give it a mile or two extra if the arms come out stubby.
- Heart. Not technically Christmas, but nothing says "home for the holidays" like a heart around your parents' neighborhood. It scored 96% in Lincoln Park and 100% in Midtown Sacramento.
- Snowflake. The honest warning: it is the hardest shape in the gallery. Its six arms and little branches fight a square street grid, and it scored 34% to 69% in our tests. Run it for the fun of it, not for the score.
Scores depend on your exact streets, so treat these as a guide, not a promise. The tool shows your own match score before you run.
Text ideas: Ho Ho, Joy and friends
Open the Text tab and type it in. The tool turns letters into a route, and the jumps between letters show up as faint connector lines that you run too. Short words with blocky letters read best. Ideas that work:
- Ho Ho. Our favorite. At a 5 mile target it scored 87% in Manhattan, 70% in Lincoln Park and 95% in Midtown Sacramento. Feeling extra? Type "Ho Ho Ho" and give it more miles.
- Joy. Three letters, lots of straight lines: 78%, 90% and 95% in the same spots at 5 miles.
- Xmas. The X is pure diagonals, and city blocks do not do diagonals. At 5 miles it scored only 41% to 76%. At 8 miles it climbed to 90% in Lincoln Park and 87% in Midtown Sacramento (59% in Manhattan). If you want Xmas, plan a long run.
- Noel, Elf or your kid's initials. All fair game. If a word looks jagged, add miles before you give up on it.
How to run a Christmas tree, step by step
- Pick your spot. Tap "Use my location" or type a city or ZIP. Visiting family? Use their town.
- Pick the shape. The tree link opens with it already selected.
- Pick your miles. Anywhere from 2 to 15. Around 5 miles gives a tree room for proper branches. Add your pace for an estimated time, or check it on our running pace calculator.
- Make your route. You'll see it on your streets with the real distance and a match score.
- Download the GPX. Import it in Strava (Create a route), Garmin Connect or Coros, then send it to your watch.
- Run the line. Don't stop recording until the last branch. A tree with a missing corner looks like it lost a fight with the cat.
- Post it. Save the art card or the story image and share it before the cookies are out of the oven.
Winter art run tips
Pick a grid. Straight blocks make straight branches. Big parks with curvy paths can make shapes wobbly.
Go bigger if it looks messy. More miles means more blocks per shape, and more detail. This matters most for text.
Tap "Try another fit." The tool tries different sizes and angles. The next option is sometimes cleaner.
Be seen. December mornings are dark. Wear lights and something reflective, and give icy corners the respect they deserve.
Check the route first. Some streets may be busy or closed. Stick to sidewalks and paths, and follow traffic rules. The tool finds streets from map data, so it does not know about holiday parades, construction or a snowbank where a sidewalk used to be.
Keep your home private. Start a few blocks away or use a privacy zone in your app. Show everyone the tree, not your front door.
For the runner who decorates with their feet
If your runner's Strava is now officially the family Christmas card, the My Strava Has Better Art Than My Living Room tee says what everyone at the table is thinking. The Ho Ho Hold My Gels socks are the stocking stuffer for the run itself. And for the one who ran you a heart, there is the Ran 10 Miles to Draw You a Heart tee.
Not affiliated with Strava. Strava is a trademark of Strava, Inc.
More ideas for under the tree: browse our holiday gifts for runners and stocking stuffers for runners.
FAQ
How do I run a Christmas tree on Strava?
Open the Run Art Route Maker with the tree selected, pick your spot and miles, and tap "Make my route." Download the GPX, import it in Strava, Garmin Connect or Coros, and follow it on your watch.
What are easy Christmas Strava art ideas?
A Christmas tree, a candy cane, a star or a heart. For text, short blocky words like "Ho Ho" or "Joy" read best.
Can I write Xmas or Ho Ho Ho with my run?
Yes. Open the Text tab and type it in. Letters with diagonals, like X, need more miles to look right, so plan a longer run for Xmas than for Ho Ho.
How far is a Christmas art run?
You choose, anywhere from 2 to 15 miles. Around 5 miles is a good start for a tree. Text and detailed shapes look better with more miles.
Why does my snowflake look rough?
Its six arms meet at angles that a square street grid can't really draw. It is the hardest shape in the gallery. A tree or a candy cane is a much easier win.
Is it free?
Yes. No app and no sign-up. Tag us if your tree comes out great.