How to make a tabletop Christmas tree

For visual impact, crafted table-top Christmas trees can be placed as a centre piece on a dining table or on a fire place mantle {Photo Courtesy}

The beauty about Christmas is that it provides a fantastic opportunity for family members to gather together. You can engage the family in craft projects, which will not only provide you with handmade crafted decorations but will utilise latent skills and talents while creating memories for children and adults.

Items needed

Sheets of coloured manila or constructed paper or plain coloured carton box; a pair of scissors; mould of a tree; glue stick; and a pencil.

Method

Lay out the coloured manila or construction paper to work with or the plain-coloured firm carton box.

With a pencil, trace out two trees using a mould that is in the size that you want your crafted tree to be.

If you are artistically gifted, you could draw the tree yourself, but be careful to ensure that the leaves of the tree are exactly the same size and that the branches are synchronised.

With a pair of scissors, cut out the traced tree. Make a slit half-way up the two trees and then slot the two trees together to make a four-paged tree stand.

Ensure that the base of the crafted tree is cut out in a way that enables it to stand on its own. The slots of the tree should join at about 90 degrees of each other to create a balance.

Paint or colour the tree with a Christmas green background colour and sketch the decorative ornaments to make it look like an actual tree.

Alternatively, you can use glue to stick coloured papers to represent the ornaments and stars on your crafted tree.

Miniature trees can be placed as centre-pieces to add visual impact to a dining table while the bigger tree crafts can be placed on a coffee table, top of a bookshelf or on the mantle of a fireplace.

Leftover manila paper can be used to make hand-made Christmas cards with personalised messaging for each family member.