Recycled Christmas Decorations!

Make your own environmentally-friendly tree / house decorations this Christmas!

Leftover wallpaper, wrapping paper and the insides of Christmas-card envelopes provide the perfect material to make your own eco-friendly alternative to shop-bought decorations.

1. Draw 6 squares onto the back of your paper and cut out; ours are 8cm2. Thicker paper can make larger stars.

2. For each square, place the paper pattern-side up and fold the squares in half along both the centre lines.

3. Unfold and turn the paper plain-side up and fold again along both diagonal lines.

4. Fold the corners in to meet the middle – unfold, turn over, fold again and unfold. Repeat for each square.

5. Take two of the triangles and slide the right into the left. Repeat using five of the six triangles.

6. Push the points out as you go along to create your star shape.

7. To hang your decorations, make a loop from ribbon, tie in a knot and push through the point of the final triangle.

8. Slide the last triangle gently into place and push out to finish your star.

Try with different recycled papers – wrapping paper, wallpaper and even old maps work really well!

Thank you to everyone who has supported us this year – wishing you all the best for Christmas and the New Year!

We look forward to working with you again in 2011.

As always we will be making a donation to St Gemmas Hospice in Leeds as an alternative to sending individual Christmas cards. If you would like to donate personally please visit their website.

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