Origami in Paper Land
Christmas is coming

Easy Christmas origami: DIY paper ornaments and decorations

Paper stars, Santa, stockings, Santa hats and Christmas trees: easy folds to decorate the tree, wrap gifts and make the house feel like Christmas.

Step-by-step Christmas origami

Follow the pictures one step at a time. Every step can open the video at the right moment. New Christmas step-by-step pages are added every few days in November.

What is Christmas?

Christmas is celebrated on 25 December. For Christians it is the day to remember the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, and many Orthodox churches celebrate it on 7 January. Today, people all over the world, of many faiths, also enjoy Christmas as a winter holiday about family, giving, light and kindness.

Many of the things we love about Christmas have long stories of their own:

  • The Christmas tree comes from Germany, where families started bringing evergreen trees into their homes hundreds of years ago and decorating them with apples, candles and paper.
  • Santa Claus grew from the stories of Saint Nicholas, a kind bishop who lived long ago and secretly helped people in need. In different countries he is called Father Christmas, Père Noël, Babbo Natale or Julenisse.
  • Christmas stockings come from an old Saint Nicholas legend: gold coins dropped down the chimney and landed in stockings hung by the fire to dry.
  • The star on top of the tree remembers the bright star of Bethlehem that, in the Christmas story, guided the three wise men.
  • Advent is the time of waiting before Christmas. Children count the days with advent calendars, and in Scandinavia houses glow with candles and paper stars in every window.

A Christmas story: the little paper star

High in the north, in a snowy village of red and blue wooden houses, lived a girl called Lina. Every December her family decorated the tree together, and every year her grandmother told the same story: the most beautiful decoration is the one you make with your own hands.

That year, the shops were closed by a big snowstorm, and the family box of decorations was almost empty. The tree stood in the corner, green and bare. Lina looked at it and sighed. Then she found a stack of coloured paper in her grandmother's drawer.

She folded a red Santa for her little brother, a green stocking for her mother and a white Santa hat for her father. Her grandmother sat beside her and showed her how to fold a star, one careful step at a time. Lina's first star was a little crooked. Her second one was better. The third one was perfect.

On Christmas Eve, the tree was full of paper Santas, stockings, hats and stars. When the candles were lit, the paper shone gold and red, and the whole family said it was the most beautiful tree they had ever had. And on the very top sat Lina's first crooked star, because, as her grandmother said, it was the one made with the most love.

Now it is your turn: grab some paper, choose a craft below and make your own Christmas story. 🎄

Christmas ideas with paper

  • Tree ornaments: hang paper stars, Santas and tiny stockings on the Christmas tree with a red thread.
  • Gift toppers: glue a little Santa or a star on top of a wrapped present instead of a bow.
  • A stocking for a gift card: a paper stocking is the perfect pocket for a gift card, money or a secret note.
  • Place cards for Christmas dinner: put a folded Santa hat or tree on every plate and write each guest's name on it.
  • An advent garland: fold 24 small stars or stockings, number them and hang them on a string, one for every day of December.
  • Window decorations: paper snowflakes and stars in the window look beautiful in the evening light.

Kids can make it with the help of their parents. You can teach your child together: watch the video, follow the step-by-step pictures and fold side by side.

All my Christmas videos

Tap a picture to watch the video on my YouTube channel.

See all Christmas videos →

Questions

What is the easiest Christmas origami for beginners?

The origami Santa and the paper Christmas stocking are the easiest: just a few folds from one square, and they are done in a few minutes.

What paper is best for Christmas origami?

Normal origami paper or thin coloured paper, about 15 × 15 cm, in red, green, white and gold. Paper with a pattern on one side looks very festive.

How can I use paper ornaments?

Hang them on the Christmas tree with a thread, glue them on gift boxes and cards, put them on the table with each guest's name, or string them into a garland.

Can I make these as Christmas gifts?

Yes! A paper stocking can hold a gift card or a little note, a Santa makes a sweet card topper, and a box of folded stars is a lovely handmade present.

Merry Christmas from Paper Land! 🎄 New tutorials every week on YouTube.