If you're hoping to turn your home into a winter wonderland this holiday season, learning how to make paper snowflakes is the way to go. You can easily save time and money shopping for these seasonal decorations. That's why we've created a simple step-by-step video, highlighting everything you need to know to try this fun holiday craft.
But if you need to take it a bit slower, don't worry — we've also listed all the steps with images side-by-side to help you follow along throughout the process. Whether you use them to decorate your hallways for the holidays or chain them together to make garland for your mantel, these paper snowflakes will add that warm, welcoming charm to your winter decor.
And if you're looking for more ways to deck the halls this holiday season, check out our favorite Christmas crafts along with the best holiday decorations for this year.
How to Make a Classic Paper Snowflake
Materials:
Instructions:
- Fold the paper diagonally.
- Cut off the excess paper at the bottom.
- Fold the paper in half.
- Fold the paper in thirds.
- Flatten the top of the paper by cutting off points.
- Draw a pattern for the snowflake — the more creative, the better!
- Mark all of the empty spaces you didn't draw on with an X.
- Cut out the marked sections.
- Reveal the pretty pattern!
Tip: Use a low-heat setting on your iron to smooth out any creases.
How to Make a 3D Paper Snowflake
Materials:
Instructions:
- Fold the paper diagonally.
- Cut off the excess paper at the bottom.
- Fold the paper in half.
- Cut three diagonal lines along the non-folded edge of the paper.
- Unfold the paper after trimming.
- Tape center flaps together.
- Flip and tape all of the flaps to the middle of your snowflake.
- Repeat all of the previous steps for the other five pieces of paper.
- Combine all six pieces of paper together at the middle point and use a stapler to hold them in place.
- Use a stapler to attach each section together.
- Hang and enjoy!
What kind of paper and scissors are best for making snowflakes?
Any scissors should work as long as they are durable and sharp. You may find that children's scissors are too dull to cut paper snowflakes. However, this can also depend on the type of paper used to make them. Printer paper, construction paper, parchment paper and newsprint paper are all great materials for this craft.
Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine. She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions, in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community, a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work.
Laura Millar (she/her) is the assistant lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home design. Prior to joining Good Housekeeping in 2024, she wrote for NBC's TODAY.com, where she covered everything from entertainment news to pop culture updates.
