Origami for Christmas

Christmas trees are easy to fold. Add a few cuts, and your transform your origami to kirigami. A kirigami tree allows you to add a star, and the pointed edges signifying branches of the tree. These trees were made from foiled paper (wrapping paper), and brass wire mesh.

Wire mesh is fairly easy to fold, although it resists being folded in the opposite direction of your original fold. It can be done, but it is not as easy as with paper. It will cut easily with a pair of craft scissors, and is available in most craft stores. You might want to wear heavy gloves when working with the mesh, or work very carefully. Otherwise, it is easy to hurt your fingers on the sharp edges of your square sheet of mesh.

The nice thing about making origami from other materials is that it is a wonderful surprise to many people. And if you are making the origami to give as a gift, surprises often make the best gifts!

Origami cranes are a wonderful ornament at this time of year when we think of messages of "Peace and Goodwill for all". While these cranes are folded from polymer, they can be just as beautiful when folded from paper or even wire mesh.

Origami cranes are symbols of peace, prosperity, long life and fidelity. Folding cranes has also been seen as an act of meditation. Maybe one day, a Christmas tree without an origami crane will seem as empty as one without stars, or angels.

Four points, five points, six points, eight points, and more. You can fold a variety of stars for the holiday decorating from origami. There are instructions for stars and other patterns available on-line.

These stars could be used to decorate a gift package. They could be made into ornaments. Or they could hang in a group on the wall for a seasonal decoration. I am sure many other ways of using them in your holiday decoration could be imagined.

Whether you are stuck with what to do for that hard to shop for teen, or looking for something to give your restless school age child, origami might just fill the bill. Giving money always seems like a gift that didn't involve much effort or thought. You can easily change that perception when you fold the dollar bills into a variety of forms. A little rubber cement can be used to safely attach the piece to a card, or simply wrap it in a box. I have folded bills into a shirt and pants for that person who loves to shop. There are books specifically geared towards folding origami from dollar bills, and there are instructions available on the web.


Beyond folding dollar bills, consider an origami book or paper for a school age child, or the crafty friend. It is a great hobby, with endless possibilities. And, learning origami can also help a child learn about shapes, forms, and how to follow diagrams and instructions.

Another Origami gift idea? How about a set of napkin rings, folded from a sheet of polymer clay. They will be a unique and long lasting gift that is perfect for that friend who loves to entertain.

Modular Origami involves folding from 6 to 60 or more individual units, and then interlocking those units to make a larger, multi-faceted form. These dodecahedrons are folded from business cards with images on one side. I have seen them folded from used commuter rail cards. They can also be folded from regular paper. These forms are simple to fold, and can be quite impressive in appearance.