Easy DIY Paperback Book Christmas Tree

3 min readOct 30, 2023

Paperback Christmas Tree, Image courtesy of Monica Pirani, BoughCo.

This papercraft is perfect for bookworms, cottage core lovers, and crafters alike. A fun activity to keep your hands busy while listening to a podcast or a memorable project to work on with the kids, these handmade Christmas trees are sure to bring warmth and personality to your home this holiday season.

In my house, we love books. We frequent the library often and do book swaps as often as possible. But sometimes you have a book that has been collecting dust for years, or maybe you have an out-of-date manual you haven’t parted with even though you don’t need it. Worn and outdated books are the perfect opportunity to breathe new life into ordinary items around the home.

Supplies

paperback book, 150 pages minimum, front and back cover removed

Optional Supplies

Glue or glue gun
Glitter
Yarn scraps
Led battery-powered lights
Spray paint

Easy DIY Paperback Book Christmas Tree

Note: There is a short video at the end of this article if you need additional visuals for the project.

Step 1

Remove the front and back cover of the book. Open the book wide at the halfway point and crease the spine. Crease the spine three times before the middle crease and three times after the center crease at 25-page intervals. This will help the book lay open.

Step 2

Fold down the top right corner of the page to the center of the book, as far as it will go. Make a tight, clean fold and crease well.

Step 3

Fold the right side of the page towards the spine of the book and crease the page.

Step 4

There is now a small piece of the page hanging off the bottom. Crease this against the bottom edge of the book or the page. This will create a small triangle. Fold the triangle under and along the crease you just made, creating a clean, straight edge along the bottom.

Step 5

Turn the page over and repeat Steps 2–5 for all unfolded pages on the right side. Then repeat Steps 2–5 on the left side.

Note: As more pages are folded, it will become trickier to make a clean fold, especially at the top. I’ve used the edge of a pen or nail file to fold the paper at the top corner and get a sharp crease. Once all pages are folded, open the book like an accordion. You’ve got your tree!