3D Paper Christmas Tree
Create your own three-dimensional Christmas tree out of paper and a toilet paper roll.
Featured Crafts
Supplies Needed
- Green paper or cardstock
- Toilet paper roll
- White glue
- Scissors
- Craft knife
- Paper or fabric star
- Sequins, small paper shapes, beads, buttons, glitter glue, etc.
STEPS
1 Print out the template.
Print out this square pyramid template on A4 or Letter size green paper or cardstock. The printable includes 3 pyramid templates of varying sizes.
2Make cross slits at the center.
Use a craft knife to make cross slits following the "X" lines at the center of each square pyramid.
3Cut out the three templates.
Cut out all 3 square pyramid templates.
4Fold a triangle towards the center.
On one square pyrmaid, fold one of the triangles inward. Unfold.
5Fold the rest of the triangles.
Fold the 3 other triangles inwards as well. Unfold all three. Now all 4 triangles are properly creased at the base.
6Fold the side tabs.
Notice how two of the triangles have a pair of side tabs? Fold each side tab inwards.
7Start to glue the sides together.
Bring one triangle with side tabs up towards the center. Bring an adjacent triangle up towards the center as well. Glue the two triangles together by the side tab.
8Glue all the sides together.
Bring the remaining triangles towards the center, gluing them together along the side tabs.
9Assemble the two other pyramids.
Assemble the 2 other templates following Steps 4 to 8 to come up with 3 square pyramids of different sizes.
10Push in the flaps.
Turn the middle-sized pyramid upside-down so that the base is facing towards you. Push the flaps at the center inwards.
11Apply glue.
Apply glue lines connecting the four corners of the cross slits.
12Stack the 2 pyramids together.
Position the middle-sized pyramid on top of the large pyramid. Gently push down the middle-sized pyramid so that the tip of the large pyramid is pushed inside the cross slits of the middle-sized pyramid. The glue you applied in Step 11 will bind the two pyramids permanently together.
13Position the third pyramid.
Do Steps 10-11 for the small pyramid and position it on top of the middle-sized pyramid. Carefully push down on the small pyramid to glue it firmly onto the middle-sized pyramid. With all pyramids stacked one on top of the other, you now have a basic Christmas tree shape.
14Create a tree trunk.
Do Steps 10-11 for the large pyramid. Create a tree trunk by inserting a toilet paper roll through the cross slits. Push the TP roll until the top touches the inside walls of the pyramid.
*Instead of using a TP roll, you can also roll a piece of brown cardstock or construction paper to make the tree trunk.
More Ideas
Color the template.
Instead of using green paper, you can print out the template on white paper or cardstock. Color the triangles with green crayon, oil pastel, or colored pencil.
Paint the tree.
If you want a painted tree, print out the template on white heavy cardstock. Paint the tree with green tempera or poster paint after you've assembled the tree in Step 14. Do not water down the paint too much to prevent the paper from wrinkling.
Create a snowy tree.
Create a snowy tree by applying streaks of white paint either after Step 9 or Step 14.
Make several of these snowy trees to create a winter pine forest.
