How to Make a Cross From Palms on Palm Sunday

The fronds of a palm tree can be used to make crosses.

Palm Sunday is celebrated on the Sunday before Easter as a reminder of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. John 12:23 says that the people brought out palm branches when they came to meet Jesus, and palms have come to be a visual representation of Jesus's warm welcome into Jerusalem, a week before he would be crucified. In a simple craft for children ages 8 and older, a large strip of palm can be folded into a cross as a reminder of the significance of Palm Sunday.

Things You'll Need

• Palm frond at least 12 inches long
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Lay the palm frond in front of you on the table with the ends pointing to your left and right. The direction that points away from you is "up" and pointing toward you is "down".

2. Pull the right end of the palm frond up to make a 90 degree angle and fold it so three-fifths of the palm frond is pointing up and two-fifths is pointing left. Then fold the end that points up behind the end that points left and pull it down toward you. Fold this same end back up over the center knot that is developing.

3. Fold the left end over to the right side. Then fold it back to the left side, threading it through the center knot in the space just above the length of frond closest to the table. The ends of the palm fronds should now be pointing up and left, and the joint between them, which will be the center of the palm cross, does not need to be held to stay together.

4. Grab the end of the palm frond that points up and lift it off the table and down toward you, threading it through the center knot. Then fold this end behind itself and back up through the center knot. This forms the tall part of the palm cross, and the lower portion should be longer than the upper portion.

5. Turn the cross over so the remaining loose end of the palm frond that was pointing left now points right.

6. Pick up the right end from the table and fold it over to the left, threading it through the loop in the center. Then fold this same end behind itself and back to the right, again going through the center loop. Each of these arms of the cross should be about the same length as the top portion of the cross.

7. Cut off any stray ends of the palm frond that are not part of the cross.

Tips & Warnings

• When the palm cross is done, the four points of the cross can either be folded so the cross lays flat or bent left to give the palm cross some depth.

References

• King of Peace: Palm Crosses

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish