How to Make a Christmas Tree Costume Out of a Cardboard Box
A Christmas tree costume is easily made with cardboard. With just a little imagination, you will be able to create a Christmas tree costume for a school play or costume party or Halloween without breaking the budget. Fortunately, most of the items needed to make a Christmas tree with cardboard will already be around the home and the rest of the items can be purchased at a discount store. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Measuring tape
- 2 large cardboard boxes
- Black marker
- Scissors
- Paintbrush
- Green and yellow acrylic paint
- Glue
- Christmas ornaments
- Garlands
- Two shoe boxes with lids
- Wrapping paper
- Tape
- Hole punch
- Rope, 1/4" thick
- Glitter
- Baseball cap
- Hot glue gun
Instructions
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1
Measure from the head down to below the knees with measuring tape. You will need a cardboard box at least this size to make the Christmas tree costume.
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2
Lay the cardboard box out flat. Draw a Christmas tree outline onto the cardboard box using the wearer's measurements. Do not include a tree trunk; instead just connect the last two branch ends with a horizontal line.
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3
Cut the outlined Christmas tree out. Use the measuring tape to measure from the head to the shoulders. Measure from the top of the Christmas tree outline down to the height of the shoulders and cut this top section off the tree and discard.
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4
Trace the Christmas tree cutout onto another piece of cardboard. Cut this tree out with scissors.
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5
Paint both cardboard Christmas trees with green acrylic paint. Allow the cardboard trees to dry completely before applying a second coat. Continue to apply paint until you reach the desired color for your costume.
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6
Glue on embellishments to decorate the tree costume. Attach garlands, ornaments, candy canes and other Christmas tree decorations to the front and back of the tree.
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7
Place the feet onto the top of the lids of two cardboard shoe boxes. Trace the foot onto the top of each lid and then draw a rectangle around the outlines of the feet. Make the rectangle as close to the outline as possible and then cut out each rectangle outline to form the holes for the feet.
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8
Place the lids back onto the shoe boxes. Wrap the boxes with wrapping paper and leave the holes open on top of the lids for the feet.
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9
Punch holes of one to two inches on the top left and right of each cardboard tree. These holes need to align well in order to keep the trees even. Attach thick rope from one cardboard hole to the adjacent hole on the other cardboard tree and then attach the next two holes with rope. Adjust the rope to sit comfortably on the shoulders to support the Christmas tree. Knot the ends of the ropes.
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10
Draw the outline of a star on leftover cardboard. Make the star large because it will be the Christmas tree topper.
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11
Cut the star out and then paint it yellow with acrylic paint. While the paint is still wet, sprinkle glitter over the star to make it shimmer and shine.
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Glue the star onto a baseball cap. Bend the two lower points of the stars down flat by about one-half to one inch and use a hot glue gun to secure the star to the baseball cap.
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Tips & Warnings
Wear a green long sleeve shirt and brown pants to complete the Christmas tree costume.
