Life

How To Fold Napkins Like A Christmas Tree

Hold onto your stockings, folks: December is finally here and Christmas is officially drawing near! If you, like me, are getting into the holiday spirit, there's no better way to go all out than learn how to fold napkins like a Christmas tree. This is a great idea for those of you who are planning to host holiday parties, who love to get arts and crafty, or if you simply want to decorate your kitchen table and make it look a little more festive. The video "Christmas Tree Napkin Fold Tutorial" by YouTuber Kim Wilson shows you, in clear steps, exactly how to fold your napkins into Christmas trees like a pro.

This past weekend, I spent the majority of my time making gingerbread houses, going tree shopping, and buying gifts for loved ones. But for me, this is the bare minimum for celebrating the holidays. I always like to add a little DIY project and make something by hand to go with all our usual decorations at home. For instance, one year I made a gingerbread garland using paper and glitter glue. Another year, I painted glass ornaments for our Christmas tree. This folding napkins project reminds me a lot of the origami I used to make as a kid; the nostalgia alone makes it the perfect DIY project for me this year.

Another thing I really like about this idea is that pretty much anyone can learn how to fold napkins. It's relatively easy to follow the YouTube video, and it's especially a lot of fun to do with friends. Check out the complete video below:

To get started, you'll need a large, square napkin of any color or pattern, but thin enough for you to fold multiple times. For your convenience, I've broken down the video into the following steps:

1. Start With A Square

Fold the napkin in half so it's shaped like a rectangle (make sure all four corners of the napkins meet evenly). Fold the napkin again to make a square.

2. Do A Lot Of Folding

Position the folded napkin so that the open corners are at the bottom. Fold the first corner on top of the napkin over so that the tip rests right below the other side of the napkin. Then, fold the second corner over the same way. Do this for the last two corners.

3. Make A Kite

Flip the napkin over. At this point, the napkin should have five sides, like an oddly-shaped pentagon. Fold the left side of the napkin horizontally so that the left tip meets the right side. Then, fold the tip of the napkin on the right so that it meets the left tip. The napkin should have four corners and look like a kite.

4. Tuck It In

Flip your napkin upside down. Notice that the napkin looks like it has five different layers, with a corner pointing downward with each layer. Fold the top corner so that it's facing away from you. Do the same for the second corner, and be sure to tuck it in the first layer. Do it again for the rest of the layers. Once it's all said and done, nothing should be sticking up because each layer will be tucked in the layer above it.

5. Top The Christmas Tree

Pick up your napkin and set it upright. You may have to tuck a few fingers in at the bottom to straighten the napkin out and make it stands on its own. Now, you can decorate your Christmas tree with large beads as mini ornaments or a twinkling star glued onto a Popsicle stick, which you can stick into the top of the tree.

6. You're Done!

There, you did it! Now, you can make a bunch of Christmas tree-shaped napkins in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and patterns. Pretty nifty, eh? Happy holidays!

Images: Kim Wilson/YouTube (6)