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Flat Origami Christmas Tree

Fold a pointed fir tree with a small trapezoid planter from one square. Follow the front packet separately from the tree behind it, then turn over the finished flat decoration for a card or holiday display.

Preparation + 10 numbered steps

Materials

6-inch square · 6 × 6 inches

One 6 × 6-inch square (15.24 × 15.24 cm), preferably thin origami paper. A ruler and pencil help mark the planter fold. No cuts or glue.

Start the interactive guide ↓
Read all illustrated steps ↓Download PDF ↓ · one-page illustrated guide
Flat triangular folded fir tree above a small straight-bottomed trapezoid planter
Finished flat fir tree · triangular crown and small planter

Follow along

Preparation

The interactive guide needs JavaScript. Read every illustrated step below.

Camera only; does not change the fold.
Help · controls & diagram

Play or drag the progress slider to watch a fold from 0% to 100%. Use the view buttons or drag the diagram to look from another angle.

Blue and gold track the original left and right halves of one sheet, not literal green and white paper. Darker shades show the reverse. Orange highlights the moving paper and hinge.

With the diagram focused: Space plays or pauses, ←/→ change steps, and Home resets.

Every step, at a glance

Compare your paper with each diagram after completing the action. Blue and gold track the original left and right halves of one sheet, not literal green and white paper. Darker shades show the reverse. Orange highlights the moving paper and hinge.

  1. 0. Prepare the diamond
  2. 1. Crease the center
  3. 2. Open the square
  4. 3. Fold the upper right edge
  5. 4. Complete the kite
  6. 5. Raise the bottom point
  7. 6. Narrow the front right side
  8. 7. Narrow the front left side
  9. 8. Fold the planter down
  10. 9. Make the planter base
  11. 10. Turn over and finish
  1. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldPrepare the diamond

    PREPARATION · Traditional flat planter tree

    Prepare the diamond

    Set the square with a corner pointing up and the intended tree color facing down.

    Layers: One uncut sheet.

    Check: The top and bottom corners form a vertical line.

    Explore this step ↑
  2. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldCrease the center

    STEP 1 · Traditional flat planter tree

    Crease the center

    Bring the right corner across to the left corner. Match the edges and press the vertical fold.

    Layers: Move the complete right half.

    Check: Top and bottom corners stay in place.

    Explore this step ↑
  3. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldOpen the square

    STEP 2 · Traditional flat planter tree

    Open the square

    Return the right half to the table, keeping the center crease visible.

    Layers: Open the same half fully.

    Check: The diamond is flat again with a vertical center line.

    Explore this step ↑
  4. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldFold the upper right edge

    STEP 3 · Traditional flat planter tree

    Fold the upper right edge

    Bring the upper right sloping edge to the center crease. Start at the top point and press the new diagonal fold.

    Layers: Move the right corner flap; keep the left side flat.

    Check: The old upper right edge lies along the center line.

    Explore this step ↑
  5. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldComplete the kite

    STEP 4 · Traditional flat planter tree

    Complete the kite

    Bring the upper left sloping edge to the same center crease. Press flat without overlapping the first flap.

    Layers: Move the left corner flap only.

    Check: A long narrow point faces up and a short uncovered point faces down.

    Explore this step ↑
  6. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldRaise the bottom point

    STEP 5 · Traditional flat planter tree

    Raise the bottom point

    Bring the bottom corner all the way up to the top corner. Crease horizontally halfway between them.

    Layers: Lift every layer below the new horizontal crease together.

    Check: The two original top and bottom points coincide; the folded bottom edge is level.

    Explore this step ↑
  7. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldNarrow the front right side

    STEP 6 · Traditional flat planter tree

    Narrow the front right side

    Fold the upper right edge of the raised front packet to the vertical center line. The new fold runs from the top point to the right end of the level bottom edge.

    Layers: Carry every layer in this outer front flap; the rear tree triangle stays flat.

    Check: The right sloping front edge meets the center.

    Explore this step ↑
  8. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldNarrow the front left side

    STEP 7 · Traditional flat planter tree

    Narrow the front left side

    Repeat on the left, bringing the upper left edge of the front packet to the center line.

    Layers: Move the matching front flap, including its folded inner layers. Leave the back triangle still.

    Check: The front edges meet down the middle of a narrow triangle.

    Explore this step ↑
  9. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldFold the planter down

    STEP 8 · Traditional flat planter tree

    Fold the planter down

    Measure the vertical height from the level bottom edge to the top point. Mark one quarter of that height above the bottom edge (about 1.06 inches or 2.69 cm). Fold the raised front packet down across this horizontal level.

    Layers: Move only the front packet raised in step 5, including both narrowed side flaps. Hold the rear tree triangle in place.

    Check: The front tip now extends below the tree; the rear top point remains upright.

    Explore this step ↑
  10. END STATEOriginal left: blue · right: goldMake the planter base

    STEP 9 · Traditional flat planter tree

    Make the planter base

    Lift the downward tip to meet the center of the tree’s level bottom edge. Press the horizontal crease halfway between the tip and that edge.

    Layers: Move every layer in the returned tip; keep the tree triangle still.

    Check: The pointed tip becomes a short trapezoid with a straight bottom.

    Explore this step ↑
  11. TURN THE WHOLE PACKETOriginal left: blue · right: goldTurn over and finish

    STEP 10 · Traditional flat planter tree

    Turn over and finish

    Turn the entire model over from side to side, keeping all folds closed. Press it flat for display or a greeting card.

    Layers: Turn the whole sheet together.

    Check: A tall triangular fir sits above a small trapezoid planter. This flat decoration is complete.

    Explore this step ↑
Sources & notes

Traditional design; tutorial and diagrams by Jimena Candia at Origami.me, How to Fold an Easy Origami Christmas Tree (undated web tutorial).

Complete planter-tree reference ↗ · Related traditional fir-tree variant ↗

Origami.me credits this design as Traditional and credits Jimena Candia for the tutorial and diagrams. The source text, photos, diagrams and printable patterns have separate rights and are not reproduced here. These English instructions, geometry, diagrams and PDF are original; attribution does not grant a project-wide license.

Adaptation: Uses the complete Origami.me single-sheet flat planter tree. We start in the diamond orientation, separate the center fold and reopening, and teach each paired edge fold separately. The front-packet return uses an exact crease one quarter of the triangle height above its base; this numerical landmark is an authored teaching choice rather than a measurement specified by the source. The tip then meets the tree baseline. Origami Guide corroborates the traditional one-sheet fir family but uses a different bottom-first pleat sequence; that variant and its optional standing fold are not combined with this construction.

Original instructions and diagrams, made with AI assistance. About & reuse

Accuracy notes

Real-paper follow-along and paper weight have not been tested. Diagrams illustrate the sequence, not paper thickness, contact, collisions or exact layer visibility. One 36-square-inch sheet, rigid edge folds and a front-only planter packet with the rear tree held still. Zero-thickness teaching geometry does not simulate paper thickness or contact. Real-paper folding has not been tested.