Folded paper poinsettias provide an easy and affordable way to decorate your home for the Christmas season.
A Symbol of the Christmas Season
Poinsettias are grown in Mexico. Botanist William Prescott named the plant after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States Ambassador to Mexico, who brought the poinsettia back to the United States. Poinsettias are sometimes known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, because they bloom each year during the Christmas season.
One legend regarding why the poinsettia is a symbol of Christmas tells of a poor Mexican girl who was sad she had no gift to give the Christ child during Christmas Eve service. Her cousin assured her that any gift, no matter how small, would be welcome in the eyes of God. She picked a bouquet of weeds and carefully laid them down, watching in wonder as they were transformed into a beautiful bright red poinsettia plant.
Decorating with Poinsettias at Christmas
Folded paper poinsettias offer a convenient way to enjoy the rich symbolism of these beautiful plants without the hassle of trying to find time to care for live greenery during the busy holiday season. They are also much more affordable than real poinsettias, so you can easily decorate your entire home on a budget.
If you prefer a traditional look for your holiday décor, make your poinsettias with plain red origami paper. If you're looking for something a bit more dramatic, feel free to experiment with various decorative, patterned, or textured papers. For example, a paper poinsettia made with metallic red paper is sure to be an eye-catching addition to any holiday décor scheme.
Depending upon their size, use paper poinsettias for:
- Gift tag toppers
- Christmas tree ornaments
- Accents for handmade Christmas cards
- Part of a Christmas garland
- Part of a Christmas wreath
- A grouping for a table centerpiece
- Decorations on a scrapbook layout
How to Make Folded Paper Poinsettias
If you're looking for instructions on how to make paper poinsettias, the Internet can be a wonderful resource. You'll find photo tutorials and well as instructional videos demonstrating projects for crafters of all ages and skill levels.
Projects for Children
All children love Christmas and helping to make folded paper poinsettias is a great way to encourage their holiday spirit. Here are a few projects to try with your young crafters:
- Creative Kids at Home has an excellent tutorial describing how young children can make their own paper poinsettias using a basic Kirigami technique similar to how you'd make Christmas snowflakes.
- DLTK has a basic paper poinsettia project that's a good choice for children mastering scissor skills.
Projects for Adults
If you're looking for a more complicated paper poinsettia project, LoveToKnow Origami recommends visiting these helpful Web sites:
- David Hawkins has a PDF download that describes how to make a gorgeous origami poinsettia star for all your holiday decorating needs.
- Split Coast Stampers describes how to make a tiny poinsettia embellishment that's perfect for a gift topper, scrapbook page accent, or Christmas card decoration.
- You Tube has a helpful video tutorial for crafters interested in making origami poinsettias.
Additional LoveToKnow Resources
For more Christmas decorating tips, visit LoveToKnow Christmas.For more ideas on how to make your own Christmas decorations, visit LoveToKnow Crafts.
