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Make It! DIY Life-Sized Folded Paper Christmas Tree

by on Dec 19, 2023

Christmas trees aren’t for everyone. They can be pricey when you’re on a budget, tricky in a small apartment, a pain to take care of, difficult to get home, and nearly impossible with pets. 

This year we came up with a super affordable, easy to assemble, clever tree that only requires a wall, a roll of tape, a stapler, dexterous fingers, and about an hour of your time. The perfect project for any crafty experience level and zero maintenance required!

Grab your scissors and get into the festive spirit with this charming DIY life-sized folded paper Christmas tree!

Materials

Instructions

Step 1 – Make the accordion folds the long way

Fold 50 sheets of your craft paper the long way in an accordion pattern. We used green kraft paper for our tree, but you can make the color of the tree anything you like! Start by folding the paper in half, lengthwise and then fold the two ends in toward the middle. Your paper will look like the letter “M” (or “W” if you please) while on its side.

green paper for Christmas tree

Step 2 – Connect the accordions

Staple the long ends of the paper together and repeat. You’ll want roughly 6 sets of paper that are 10 sheets, or “M”s long.

A person's arm holds a green origami folding next to a brass object.

Step 3 – Make the accordion folds the short way (widthwise)

Fold another 30-40 sheets of paper widthwise in the same accordion pattern. You’ll want the height of your fold to be roughly the same size as your previous folds. You can eyeball it or use one of your previous folds as a template.

A rectangular piece of green paper next to a three times folded piece of green paper.

Step 4 – Connect the accordions

Staple the short ends of paper together and repeat. 
 

Step 5 – Start your tree form

Attach the first set of 10 “M”s to the bottom of the wall with tape. The first layer should be your longest. You can make the subsequent ones shorter as you create a true tapered tree shape.

We used Scotch tape for this because I have never had a bad experience with Scotch tape on a painted wall. But, you could easily use removable GlueDots or another adhesive of your choosing.

The stapled together “M”s will have a fan-like look and you’ll want to let the drape that occurs with the weight of your paper hang a little bit. It makes it more tree-like as you build up your tree with the paper pieces. 

A green fan is sitting on the floor near a white wall.

Step 6 – Continue to build your tree

Continue to build your tree, row by row. As you add layers, you may need to begin trimming the ends off of your rows of “M”s. We took about an inch off of 3 sets of the long “M”s and 1-3 inches off of 2 sets of the shorter “M”s. We continued tapering until we reached the top of the tree to ensure we ended up with a nice cone shape.

DIY Festive Folded Paper Christmas Tree

DIY Festive Folded Paper Christmas Tree

Step 7 – Create the tree top

To create your tree’s top, simply accordion fold a sheet of paper, staple the top and fan out the bottom before attaching it to the wall.

An arm is holding a small green crafted fan.

And, there you have it, folks! Your own, joyful little wall tree made of paper and your own two hands. From here you can decorate it anyway you like! Here are a few ideas:

  • Cut out colorful round felt circles to look like ornaments
  • Add a few strings of fairy lights
  • Add ribbon bows in all different colors
  • Make a paper star tree topper, like this one here: How to Fold an Origami Star Paper Garland
  • Add presents and goodies under your tree

Just keep in mind this life size version is made of paper, so make sure it’s not too close to the fireplace!

DIY Festive Folded Paper Christmas Tree
DIY Festive Folded Paper Christmas Tree

DIY Festive Folded Paper Christmas Tree

Yield: 1 tree

Festive Folded Paper Christmas Tree

DIY Festive Folded Paper Christmas Tree

This easy to make, unique paper Christmas tree will add a touch of whimsy to your home. Embrace the joy of handmade decorations and follow the easy tutorial to create your own magical tree. Perfect for small spaces, apartments, or anyone looking to add a personalized touch to their holiday celebrations.

Materials

  • Green cardstock (we used 2 packs of 50)
  • Scotch tape

Tools

  • Scissors
  • Stapler

Instructions

    1. Fold 50 sheets of paper the long way in an accordion pattern. Start by folding the paper in half, lengthwise and then fold the two ends in toward the middle. Your paper will look like the letter “M” (or “W” if you please) while on its side.
    2. Staple the long ends of the paper together and repeat. You’ll want roughly 6 sets of paper that are 10 sheets, or “M”s long.
    3. Fold another 30-40 sheets of paper widthwise in the same accordion pattern. You’ll want the height of your fold to be roughly the same size as your previous folds. You can eyeball it or use one of your previous folds as a template.
    4. Staple the short ends of paper together and repeat.
    5. Attach the first set of 10 “M”s to the bottom of the wall with tape. The first layer should be your longest. You can make the subsequent ones shorter as you create a true tapered tree shape. We used Scotch tape for this because I have never had a bad experience with Scotch tape on a painted wall. But, you could easily use removable GlueDots or another adhesive of your choosing. The stapled together “M”s will have a fan-like look and you’ll want to let the drape that occurs with the weight of your paper hang a little bit. It makes it more tree-like as you build up your tree. 
    6. Continue to build your tree, row by row. As you add layers, you may need to begin trimming the ends off of your rows of “M”s. We took about an inch off of 3 sets of the long “M”s and 1-3 inches off of 2 sets of the shorter “M”s. We continued tapering until we reached the top of the tree.
    7. To create your tree’s top, simply accordion fold a sheet of paper, staple the top and fan out the bottom before attaching it to the wall.

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