How to make paper origami tree lights

We asked blogger and craft expert Jan Halvarson over at Poppytalk.com to share a cool Christmas craft, her favourite holiday tradition, and what she hopes to find under the Christmas tree.

The craft: Origami string lights

Origami offers so many possibilities for uniquely shaped ornaments, and customizing your paper choice takes it one step further. My husband used beautiful double-sided ombré wrapping paper to make the individual origami globes, and we then used them to cover string lights. It creates a glowing pastel garland for your tree and you don’t need ornaments!

Here's what you'll need

1 (or more) strings of tiny white lights

Paper of your choice cut into 5” squares (you will need several squares)

Thin wooden stick or chopstick

Instructions (Click here to view the step-by-step illustration guide)

1. Start with a square map of paper (about 5”).

2. Fold both ways diagonally so you have a triangle (called a valley folds in origami).

3. Fold horizontally then vertically (called mountain folds).

4. Bring folds together so you get a 3D pyramid.

5. Flatten the pyramid into a triangle.

6. Fold the bottom right corner up to the top, press the fold down with your finger.

7. Repeat with the bottom left corner.

8. Flip it over and do the same with each of those 2 bottom corners.

9. Fold the side points of the diamond to the centre. Flip it over and do the same on the other side.

10. Use a thin wooden stick or your baby finger to open the centre pockets and tuck each top flap into the centre pocket. Then press flat with your finger. Do the same on the other side.

11. Gently pull at the sides to expand.

12. Blow into the end with the hole to inflate and voila!

Paper, Riflepaperco.com. Tree, Sheridannurseries.com.

Favourite holiday tradition: I love my mother’s Christmas pudding, and this year I’m going to try the recipe for the first time!

Under the tree: I hope to find I Know How to Cook, by Ginette Mathiot. It’s apparently the bible of French home cooking — I seem to have missed a few of those important lessons!