Origami, the art of paper folding, is not only a fun and rewarding hobby, but it also has many benefits for kids. It helps develop hand-eye coordination, concentration, and spatial reasoning. Plus, it’s a great way to get kids excited about Christmas. With just a few simple folds, you can create beautiful Christmas-themed origami decorations that will add a festive touch to your home. This step-by-step guide will teach you how to make three easy Christmas origami ornaments: a Santa Claus, a reindeer, and a Christmas tree.
Christmas is a time for joy, celebration, and spending time with loved ones. It is also a time for giving and receiving gifts. If you are looking for a unique and meaningful gift for someone special, why not try making them a handmade origami ornament? Origami ornaments are easy to make and can be personalized to suit the recipient’s taste. They are also a great way to add a festive touch to your home décor.
Let’s get started with the origami fun!
how to do easy christmas origami
Follow these simple steps to create beautiful origami Christmas decorations:
- Choose colorful paper.
- Start with a square sheet.
- Fold in half twice.
- Make diagonal folds.
- Unfold and squash flat.
- Fold up the sides.
- Fold down the top.
- Flip the model over.
- Fold up the bottom.
- Add details and embellishments.
With a little practice, you’ll be able to create a variety of Christmas origami ornaments in no time!
Choose colorful paper.
The first step in making easy Christmas origami is to choose colorful paper. This will help your ornaments stand out and add a festive touch to your home décor. You can use any color or pattern of paper you like, but some popular choices for Christmas origami include red, green, gold, and silver. You can also find specialty origami paper with Christmas-themed designs, such as Santa Claus, reindeer, and Christmas trees.
If you are using regular printer paper, you can add color by painting or decorating it with markers, crayons, or glitter. You can also use origami paper that has been pre-folded into squares or other shapes. This can save you time and make it easier to create your origami ornaments.
Once you have chosen your paper, cut it into a square. The size of the square will depend on the size of the ornament you want to make. For small ornaments, you can use a square that is 6 inches by 6 inches. For larger ornaments, you can use a square that is 8 inches by 8 inches or even 12 inches by 12 inches.
Once you have cut your paper into a square, you are ready to start folding your origami ornament. Follow the step-by-step instructions in the next section to create a beautiful Christmas origami decoration.
Tip: If you are new to origami, it is a good idea to practice with a few simple folds before you start making more complex ornaments. You can find many free origami tutorials online or in books.
Start with a square sheet.
The first step in making any origami project is to start with a square sheet of paper. This is because origami folds are based on symmetry, and a square is the only shape that is symmetrical on all sides. You can use any size or color of paper you like, but for most origami projects, a square sheet that is 6 inches by 6 inches is a good starting point.
If you are using regular printer paper, you can easily cut it into a square by following these steps:
- Start with a rectangular sheet of paper.
- Fold the paper in half lengthwise.
- Unfold the paper.
- Fold the paper in half widthwise.
- Unfold the paper.
- You should now have two crease lines that intersect in the center of the paper.
- Fold the paper along the diagonal crease lines.
- Trim off the excess paper.
You now have a square sheet of paper that you can use to start your origami project.
If you are using pre-folded origami paper, simply unfold the paper and you are ready to start folding.
Once you have a square sheet of paper, you are ready to start folding your Christmas origami ornament. Follow the step-by-step instructions in the next section to create a beautiful Christmas origami decoration.
Tip: If you are new to origami, it is a good idea to practice with a few simple folds before you start making more complex ornaments. You can find many free origami tutorials online or in books.
Fold in half twice.
Once you have a square sheet of paper, you need to fold it in half twice. This will create a smaller square that is easier to work with.
To fold the paper in half, simply bring the top edge of the paper down to the bottom edge. Crease the fold with your fingers or a bone folder. Then, unfold the paper.
Next, fold the paper in half again, this time bringing the right edge of the paper to the left edge. Crease the fold with your fingers or a bone folder. Then, unfold the paper.
You should now have a square that is one-fourth the size of the original square. This is the starting point for many origami folds, including the Christmas origami ornaments that we will be making in this article.
Here are some tips for folding paper in half:
- Make sure that the edges of the paper are aligned before you crease the fold.
- Crease the fold firmly with your fingers or a bone folder.
- Unfold the paper carefully so that the crease remains.
Once you have folded the paper in half twice, you are ready to start making your Christmas origami ornament. Follow the step-by-step instructions in the next section to create a beautiful Christmas origami decoration.
Tip: If you are new to origami, it is a good idea to practice with a few simple folds before you start making more complex ornaments. You can find many free origami tutorials online or in books.
Make diagonal folds.
Once you have folded the paper in half twice, you need to make diagonal folds. This will create a diamond shape that is the basis for many origami folds.
- Fold the paper in half diagonally.
To do this, bring the top right corner of the paper down to the bottom left corner. Crease the fold with your fingers or a bone folder. Then, unfold the paper.
- Fold the paper in half diagonally again, in the opposite direction.
To do this, bring the top left corner of the paper down to the bottom right corner. Crease the fold with your fingers or a bone folder. Then, unfold the paper.
- You should now have a diamond shape.
The creases that you made in the previous two steps should intersect in the center of the diamond.
- Fold the top and bottom points of the diamond down to the center crease.
Crease the folds with your fingers or a bone folder.
You have now made the diagonal folds that are the basis for many origami folds. In the next step, we will squash the diamond flat to create a new shape.
Unfold and squash flat.
Once you have made the diagonal folds and folded the top and bottom points of the diamond down to the center crease, you need to unfold the paper and squash it flat.
To unfold the paper, simply open up the folds that you made in the previous step. Be careful not to tear the paper.
Once the paper is unfolded, you should have a diamond shape again. Now, you need to squash the diamond flat. To do this, place the diamond on a flat surface and press down on it with your hands. Make sure that you press down evenly so that the diamond is flat all over.
Once the diamond is flat, you have created a new shape called a “kite.” The kite is the basis for many origami folds, including the Christmas origami ornaments that we will be making in this article.
Here are some tips for unfolding and squashing the paper flat:
- Be careful not to tear the paper when you unfold it.
- Press down evenly on the diamond when you squash it flat.
- Make sure that the diamond is flat all over.
Once you have unfolded and squashed the paper flat, you are ready to start folding your Christmas origami ornament. Follow the step-by-step instructions in the next section to create a beautiful Christmas origami decoration.
Tip: If you are new to origami, it is a good idea to practice with a few simple folds before you start making more complex ornaments. You can find many free origami tutorials online or in books.
Fold up the sides.
Once you have created a kite shape, you need to fold up the sides. This will create a triangle.
To fold up the sides, simply bring the left and right edges of the kite together. Crease the folds with your fingers or a bone folder.
You should now have a triangle. The triangle is the basis for many origami folds, including the Christmas origami ornaments that we will be making in this article.
Here are some tips for folding up the sides:
- Make sure that the left and right edges of the kite are aligned before you crease the folds.
- Crease the folds firmly with your fingers or a bone folder.
- Make sure that the triangle is symmetrical.
Once you have folded up the sides, you are ready to start folding your Christmas origami ornament. Follow the step-by-step instructions in the next section to create a beautiful Christmas origami decoration.
Tip: If you are new to origami, it is a good idea to practice with a few simple folds before you start making more complex ornaments. You can find many free origami tutorials online or in books.
Fold down the top.
Once you have folded up the sides to create a triangle, you need to fold down the top.
- Fold the top point of the triangle down to the bottom edge.
Crease the fold with your fingers or a bone folder.
- Unfold the fold that you just made.
You should now have a triangle again.
- Fold the left and right corners of the triangle down to the center crease.
Crease the folds with your fingers or a bone folder.
- Unfold the folds that you just made.
You should now have a triangle again.
You have now folded down the top of the triangle. In the next step, we will flip the model over and fold up the bottom.
Flip the model over.
Once you have folded down the top of the triangle, you need to flip the model over.
To flip the model over, simply turn it upside down. The side that was facing up should now be facing down.
You should now have a triangle with the folded flaps facing up. This is the starting point for the next step, where we will fold up the bottom.
Here are some tips for flipping the model over:
- Be careful not to tear the paper when you flip the model over.
- Make sure that the folded flaps are facing up.
Once you have flipped the model over, you are ready to start folding your Christmas origami ornament. Follow the step-by-step instructions in the next section to create a beautiful Christmas origami decoration.
Tip: If you are new to origami, it is a good idea to practice with a few simple folds before you start making more complex ornaments. You can find many free origami tutorials online or in books.
Fold up the bottom.
Once you have flipped the model over, you need to fold up the bottom.
- Fold the bottom point of the triangle up to the top edge.
Crease the fold with your fingers or a bone folder.
- Unfold the fold that you just made.
You should now have a triangle again.
- Fold the left and right corners of the triangle up to the center crease.
Crease the folds with your fingers or a bone folder.
- Unfold the folds that you just made.
You should now have a triangle again.
You have now folded up the bottom of the triangle. In the next step, we will add details and embellishments to create a beautiful Christmas origami ornament.
Add details and embellishments.
Once you have folded your Christmas origami ornament, you can add details and embellishments to make it more festive. Here are a few ideas:
- Draw or paint on facial features. If you are making a Santa Claus ornament, you could draw a beard, mustache, and eyes. If you are making a reindeer ornament, you could draw antlers and a red nose.
- Add glitter or sequins. You can use glitter or sequins to add sparkle to your ornament. Simply glue the glitter or sequins to the ornament.
- Attach a ribbon or string. You can attach a ribbon or string to the ornament so that you can hang it on a Christmas tree or in a window.
- Use different colored paper. You can use different colored paper to create different ornaments. For example, you could use red and green paper to make a Santa Claus ornament, or white and blue paper to make a snowman ornament.
Be creative and have fun! There are endless possibilities when it comes to adding details and embellishments to your Christmas origami ornaments.
Tip: If you are new to origami, it is a good idea to practice with a few simple folds before you start making more complex ornaments. You can find many free origami tutorials online or in books.
FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions about origami:
Question 1: What is origami?
Answer: Origami is the art of paper folding. It is a fun and challenging hobby that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. Origami can be used to create beautiful decorations, toys, and even functional objects.
Question 2: What kind of paper is best for origami?
Answer: The best type of paper for origami is thin and strong. Some popular choices include origami paper, printer paper, and tissue paper. You can also use other types of paper, such as construction paper or cardstock, but they may be more difficult to fold.
Question 3: What are some basic origami folds?
Answer: Some basic origami folds include the square fold, the triangle fold, the bird base, and the fish base. These folds are the building blocks for many more complex origami models.
Question 4: How can I learn origami?
Answer: There are many ways to learn origami. You can find books, websites, and videos that teach origami folds. You can also find origami classes at community centers, libraries, and museums.
Question 5: What are some popular origami models?
Answer: Some popular origami models include the crane, the butterfly, the rose, and the dragon. These models are relatively easy to fold and are a great way to practice your origami skills.
Question 6: What are some tips for folding origami?
Answer: Here are a few tips for folding origami:
- Start with simple models and work your way up to more complex models.
- Be patient and don’t get discouraged if you make a mistake.
- Use precise folds and creases.
- Use a flat surface to fold on.
- Have fun!
Origami is a rewarding hobby that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. With a little practice, you can create beautiful and intricate origami models.
Now that you know more about origami, here are some tips for getting started:
Tips
Here are a few tips for getting started with origami:
Tip 1: Start with simple models.
When you are first starting out, it is best to start with simple origami models. This will help you get the hang of the basic folds and techniques. Once you have mastered the basics, you can move on to more complex models.
Tip 2: Use good quality paper.
The type of paper you use can make a big difference in the quality of your origami models. Choose thin and strong paper that is easy to fold. Some popular choices include origami paper, printer paper, and tissue paper.
Tip 3: Use precise folds and creases.
When you are folding origami, it is important to make precise folds and creases. This will help your models look neat and professional. Use a bone folder or your fingernail to crease the folds sharply.
Tip 4: Be patient and don’t get discouraged.
Origami can be challenging, especially when you are first starting out. Don’t get discouraged if you make a mistake. Just keep practicing and you will eventually get the hang of it. The more you practice, the better your origami models will become.
With a little practice, you can create beautiful and intricate origami models. Origami is a fun and rewarding hobby that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.
Now that you know the basics of origami and have some tips for getting started, you are ready to start folding!
Conclusion
Origami is a fun and rewarding hobby that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. It is a great way to relax and de-stress, and it can also help to improve your hand-eye coordination and spatial reasoning skills. With a little practice, you can create beautiful and intricate origami models that will impress your friends and family.
In this article, we have learned about the basics of origami, including how to choose the right paper, how to make basic folds, and how to add details and embellishments to your models. We have also provided some tips for getting started and a few popular origami models that you can try.
So what are you waiting for? Get started with origami today and see for yourself how much fun it is!
