3D Origami Christmas Tree

Craft a stunning 3D origami Christmas tree for your holiday decor.

This intricate but easy Christmas craft makes a perfect centerpiece or festive decoration for your home.

When the holiday season rolls around, one of the best ways to get into the Christmas spirit is through crafting your own decorations.

This 3D origami Christmas tree is a delightful paper craft that's perfect for holiday decorating.

Whether you're looking to create a charming centerpiece for your table, a festive decoration for your mantel, or a unique homemade craft idea to give as a gift, this tree is the perfect project.

This 3D Christmas tree is made using only a single sheet of origami paper.

The result is a beautifully structured, three-dimensional piece that looks intricate but is surprisingly easy to make.

You can customize the size, color, and design of your tree by using different types of paper and adding decorations like sequins, stars, or glitter.

This origami Christmas tree is not only a lovely decoration but also a sustainable, eco-friendly craft.

By using paper, you're creating a decoration that you can reuse every year or give away as a thoughtful, handmade gift.

You can also use these trees as part of your holiday party decorations, placing them on tables or even using smaller versions as ornaments.

Another great feature of this project is its versatility. You can make tiny trees to use as place settings or large ones to stand as a festive decoration in any room.

You can even create an entire forest of 3D Christmas trees in different sizes and colors for a dynamic holiday display.

Or, you might like to turn these origami Christmas trees into ornaments for your Christmas tree by adding some string.

Other easy Christmas crafts you have to make include this easy paper Santa, origami reindeer, lucky stars, Christmas tree napkin folds, and this easy paper wreath.

Why You'll Love This Pattern

• It's an eco-friendly and reusable holiday decoration.
• Perfect for creating personalized Christmas decor or gifts.
• This origami Christmas tree looks intricate, but it's actually easy to fold.
• Can be decorated with glitter, beads, or other craft items.
• Suitable for a range of sizes, from small ornaments to larger decorations.

Skill Level

Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ (Easy)

Materials Needed

• Square paper: You could use any sized square paper you like. We recommend using 6"x6" (15cmx15cm) origami paper.
• Type of paper: Origami paper or thin cardstock (70-120 gsm) is ideal. Green paper is traditional, but you can get creative with metallics, reds, or even patterned paper.
• If you are making a bigger Christmas tree, we recommend you use thicker paper like cardstock or scrapbook paper.
• Scissors

Step 1: Start with the color you want your Christmas tree to be facing down.

Step 2: Fold the paper in half from left to right.

Step 3: Unfold previous step.

Step 4: Fold the paper in half from top to bottom.

Step 5: Unfold previous step.

Step 6: Fold the paper in half diagonally, matching the top left corner to the bottom right corner.

Step 7: Unfold previous step.

Step 8: Fold the paper in half diagonally, this time matching the top right corner and bottom left corner.

Step 9: Unfold previous step.

Step 10: Arrange the paper so that it sits in a diamond shape in front of you (see picture).

Step 11: Bring the left and right points down to meet the bottom point. The paper should start to collapse on itself. Press flat. You should now have a solid diamond shape.

Step 12: Fold the left and right sides (top layer only) to meet the centre crease.

Step 13: Flip the paper over, keeping the open end towards you.

Step 14: Fold the left and right sides to meet the centre crease. You should now have a kite shape.

Step 15: Open the left flap back out and flatten.

Step 16: Take the outer edge of the left flap and collapse it into itself (the outermost edge will meet with the middle crease) and flatten.

Step 17: Repeat steps 15 and 16 on the right flap.

Step 18: Flip the paper over (keeping the open edge towards you).

Step 19: Repeat step 15 to 17.

Step 20: Fold back the top layer of the open edge to form a triangle.

Step 21: Unfold the triangle you made in the previous step and cut along it's folded edge. You should now have a flat edge at the bottom of your paper.

Step 22: Using a pair of scissors, cut 3 horizontal lines on the left side of your triangle. Don't cut all the way through to the other side (see picture).

Step 23: Repeat previous step for the right side, keeping it as symmetrical as possible.

Step 24: Starting on the top layer of the right side, fold each cut line down, making a small triangle.

Tips For Success

Use Different Colors: Try using metallic or patterned paper to make your tree stand out.

Decorate It: Add small decorations like stars, sequins, or even tiny bells to make your tree sparkle.

Common Mistakes & How To Avoid Them

• When cutting the horizontal lines for the branches be sure not to cut all the way to the other side.

Color, Paper Ideas, and Variations

Use any color paper you like - you could use traditional Christmas colors like red, green, or yellow. Or you could use patterned paper too!

FAQ

Other Crafts You Might Like To Try:

• Triangle Origami Corner Bookmark
• Christmas Tree Napkins Fold
• Origami Swan
• Origami Santa Hat
• Origami Stocking
• Origami Mouse
• Crochet Christmas Star Ornaments
• Origami Cup

Helpful Origami Tips

If you're curious to learn more about origami, you might like to look at our basic guides on how to make some common origami folds.

Start with the valley fold and mountain fold-these are the foundation of most origami models.

Once you're comfortable, you might like to try the petal fold for 3D shapes, and explore the bird base and square base for more complex designs.

The water bomb base is also great for creating inflatable or geometric models, like this inflatable origami rabbit.

Useful Paper Craft Terms

Want to learn a little more about paper crafts and origami?

We've made this helpful printable just for you. It explains common terms and helpful tips you might come across when you are folding origami or making a paper craft project.

You can download the useful paper craft terms printable PDF here.