Making Holiday Paper Chains // Sustainable Holiday Decor
Crafting holiday paper chains is a classic and joyful activity that adds a festive touch to Christmas decorations. With nothing more than colorful construction paper, scissors, and tape or glue, you can create a delightful chain that spans across doorways, windows, or even the Christmas tree. It's a perfect craft to do with family or friends, as everyone can participate in cutting the paper strips and connecting them to form a continuous loop. The process is simple yet satisfying, bringing back the nostalgia of childhood while infusing the space with holiday cheer. As you work on weaving the paper strips together, you can feel the anticipation building, knowing that each link brings you one step closer to the merry celebration of Christmas.
Materials Needed:
Glue, tape, or stapler
Step 1: Prepare The Paper
After gathering your materials, it’s time to prepare your paper! I’ve used both regular construction paper and scrapbooking paper (pictured above). I used this paper particularly for the Christmas colored pages. You’ll then want to measure your strips to be about 8.5” long x 1” wide.
Step 2: Cut
After measuring your strips, you can begin by taking one sheet of paper and using the scissors to cut it into strips of equal width. The width of the strips determines the size of the loops in your chain. You can make them wider or smaller than 1 inch, but that was my preferred size.
Step 3: The First Loop
Take one strip of paper and form a loop by bringing the ends together. You can use glue, tape, or a stapler to secure the ends together.
Step 4: Add More Loops
Take another strip of paper and thread it through the first loop before forming a new loop. Secure the ends together. Repeat this process, threading each new strip through the previous loop before forming a new loop, until you achieve the desired length of the paper chain. You can alternate colors (as I did to create our Christmas chain) or create patterns to make the chain more visually appealing. When you’ve added enough loops, simply secure the final loop on the chain.
Paper chains are the perfect way to add festive cheer to minimal decorations. By using sustainable sources, you can also ensure that your paper decorations are environmentally friendly! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and have fun making paper chains to decorate your home this year.