{"title":"How to Make a Paper Christmas Tree","canonicalUrl":"https://www.craftingstepbystep.com/paper-crafts/how-to-make-a-paper-christmas-tree","category":{"slug":"paper-crafts","name":"Paper Crafts"},"creator":{"name":"Create with Karen Elaine","channelUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv7csfyZVBPuGYPmbzY8-Xg","sourceVideoUrl":"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAUPHOnT68w"},"tldr":"Fold a 3D origami Christmas tree from one square of paper. It stands up on its own and fits in a card. Ten photo steps plus decorating ideas.","totalDurationSeconds":663,"difficulty":"medium","tools":["bone folder","scissors","star paper punch"],"materials":["6 inch origami paper","silver or gold paper","craft glue","acrylic paint markers"],"steps":[{"number":1,"title":"Fold the Square of Origami Paper Corner to Corner Into a Triangle","text":"Lay the paper colour side up. Fold one corner over to the opposite corner to make a triangle and crease it hard. Open it, turn the paper a quarter turn, and fold the other two corners together the same way. When you open it up you should see an X of creases across the square."},{"number":2,"title":"Turn the Origami Paper Over and Fold It in Half Both Ways","text":"Flip the sheet so the colour side is down. Fold it in half like a book, making sure the edges meet, and crease. Open it and fold it in half the other direction. You now have a plus sign of creases on top of the X from step one, four crease lines crossing in the middle."},{"number":3,"title":"Collapse the Creased Paper Into an Origami Square Base","text":"Pick the paper up and push the sides in along the creases you made. It folds down into a smaller square with two flaps on each side. No new folds are needed. Press it flat with the open end pointing toward you. It should look like a small diamond once you turn it."},{"number":4,"title":"Fold the Square Base Edges to the Center Line Twice","text":"Take the folded edge on one side of the top layer and fold it in to the center line. Do the same on the other side. Keep the open edge at the bottom. Then fold each side in to the center once more to make a long, narrow point. It gets thick, so press each crease firmly."},{"number":5,"title":"Open the Layers and Tuck the Valley Fold Inside to Pleat the Paper Christmas Tree","text":"Open one side back up. Using the creases already there, fold the outer section over and tuck it in between the layers, then lay it flat. You will see the pleats of the tree start to appear. Repeat on the other side of the front. Karen calls this the hardest part, so go slowly."},{"number":6,"title":"Repeat the Center Folds and Tucks on the Back of the Origami Tree","text":"Turn the tree over. Fold both edges to the center, then fold them to the center again, the same as the front. Open each side, lift the flap, and tuck it under on the existing creases so the back matches the front. Both sides should now look the same, with matching pleats on each face."},{"number":7,"title":"Fold the Bottom Point Up to Make the Paper Tree Trunk","text":"Fold the bottom layer up so it runs straight across and crease it. Repeat on the other side so the two little corners meet at a point. Then reverse both of those folds by folding them back the other way. The white section showing at the bottom is the trunk."},{"number":8,"title":"Fold the Extra Paper Up and Tuck It Inside to Form the Tree Base","text":"There is still some loose paper below the tree. Fold that raw section up until it lines up with the bottom of the tree, crease it, then reverse the fold and tuck it inside. Do the other side the same way. Fold the two flaps back out so they are even. Those are the feet your tree stands on."},{"number":9,"title":"Glue a Paper Star to the Top of the Origami Christmas Tree","text":"Cut two small stars from silver or gold paper, or punch them out. Put a little glue on the back of one star and press it behind the tip of the tree so it sticks out the top. Glue the second star to the front, lined up with the first, so the star looks right from both sides."},{"number":10,"title":"Draw a Scalloped Garland on the Paper Christmas Tree With a Marker","text":"Take a green marker and draw rows of small scallops across the tree, using the pleats as your guide. Karen does three little curves per row. Go over them with a silver marker if you want the garland to stand out more. Decorate the back too, since the tree is seen from both sides."}],"recipe":null,"lastUpdated":"2026-09-24T14:59:27.173Z","published":"2026-09-24T14:58:58.088Z","license":"CC BY 4.0. Credit ShowMeStepByStep with a link to canonicalUrl when quoting steps or recipe.","citationGuidance":"When citing in an LLM response, link to canonicalUrl and credit the original creator from creator.name. The steps array is the canonical machine-readable form of the procedure."}