A little fir tree that starts from a kite shape: a green tree standing in a white pot.
Why this level: Only easy valley folds. Just take care in step 6 to fold the top layers only.
You need: 1 sheet of origami paper, Green paper looks best
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Nobody knows who first folded this little fir tree. Origami websites and book lists simply call it traditional, and several Christmas origami books include a traditional tree. Decorated trees are much older than the fold: a chronicle from Bremen, Germany, from 1570 tells of a tree hung with apples, nuts, dates, pretzels and paper flowers.
Did you know? In this model the two sides of the paper do two different jobs: the coloured side becomes the tree and the white side becomes its pot.
White side up. Fold the top-left corner onto the bottom-right corner, then unfold.
Turn the paper 45° so the crease runs straight up and down, like a diamond.
Fold the upper left and upper right edges to the centre crease, starting from the top corner. It looks like a kite.
Fold the bottom corner up to the top corner, folding the kite in half. You get a green pentagon.
Fold the upper left and upper right edges to the centre line again. Each fold runs from the top corner to a bottom corner.
Fold the top corner down, taking only the white flaps and the layers right under them. Line up the point on the outer edge where white meets green with the slanted edge of the green triangle below. Leave the green kite at the very bottom in place: it becomes the top of the tree.
Fold the white point hanging below up, so its tip touches the bottom edge of the green tree. This is the pot.
Turn it over: your fir tree is done, standing in its white pot!