I wanted to make a Christmas tree out of paper to upcycle a book that I no longer needed. There are different ways to turn a book into a tree. I couldn’t find a paperback that was tall and narrow enough. I only wanted to make a small tree out of a paperback. My daughter goes to the library book sale and likes to support the library so she found a paperback that was old with the cover falling off for $0.50 at the book sale and got it to rip apart to make a tree. When you start to make the tree you will want to rip your spine away from the cover with a razor knife if using a hardcover book. Then you crease the book at the spine in middle sections so the tree will fan out evenly. You make two folds to the center of the book in triangle sections, folding the page in half each time. Anything that hangs out the bottom can be folded up to keep the bottom flat and level. Continue all the way around folding the pages until the entire book is complete. Glue the book together at both ends once you are done folding. You can also add hot glue to the bottom in a circle to keep the pages from moving and put a cork circle coaster, cardboard, or felt on the bottom or lace as a “tree skirt”.

You can fold paper in front of the TV and it does take a while to fold all the pages of the book. You can start with a smaller book with less pages to take less time. You can also vary your folds to create dimension in your tree and a different look than just a cone. You can also paint or use magic market to color the outside edges of the tree. you can decorate your tree with ribbons, glitter, sequins, or other items to make it look festive. You can also add a star or angel to the top of the tree using cardstock or another material. When you’re finished, you will have a unique and creative Christmas tree made from an old book.