How to Make Small Gift Paper Boxes

Use colorful origami paper to make a paper gift box.

Origami ("ori" means folding and "kami" means paper), the Japanese folk art of paper folding, dates back several hundred years. Making precise folds in a specific order, artists fold individual sheets of paper to create animals, boxes, bowls, flowers and boats. Origami paper is square and colored on one side and white on the other, but you can also find double-sided origami paper to use in origami projects. You can make small gift paper boxes using one sheet of origami paper for the box and a second sheet for the lid.

Things You'll Need

• Piece of origami paper, 3 15/16 inches square
• Piece of origami paper, 4 inches square

Instructions

1. Fold the smaller square in half horizontally and crease the fold, with the colored side of the paper facing down. Open the paper and fold in half the other direction, crease and open again.

2. Fold each corner of the paper toward the center of the square, aligning the corner points with the intersection of the folded creases in the center.

3. Unfold one point at a time and then fold it in again so the point aligns with the outer fold line, crease and fold over, tucking the point underneath the fold. Repeat with remaining points. Turn the square over so the folded side is face-down.

4. Fold one edge of the square vertically to align with the middle of the square. Repeat with the opposite edge. There will be two flaps with points folded under.

5. Unfold one of the flaps to reveal a folded point. Fold one of the outer corners inward to meet the inner fold line. Fold the second outer corner to meet the inner fold line. Fold the flap with the point tucked under again, aligning the folded edge with the outer edge. Repeat with the other side by opening the flap to reveal the point and folding down each outer corner and then refolding the center flap.

6. Turn the paper over and fold each pointed end toward the center of the square. Crease and unfold. Repeat with the other pointed end.

7. Turn over and gently open the box by inserting your thumbs into the center between the two folded edges. As you open the box, the two corners will start to bend inward. Crease all edges and corners firmly to help the box take shape.

8. Repeat with the second piece of slightly larger origami paper to create the lid.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use any size of square origami paper to create a paper gift box, but the larger the square, the less stable the box.

• Use a piece of origami paper 1/16 inch larger for the lid than the piece of paper for the box.

• Use patterned or double-sided paper to create gift boxes with patterns or colors on all visible surfaces.

• Crease the paper well at each folding step.

References

• "The Great Origami Book"; Zulal Ayture-Scheele; 1986.

Resources

• Origami Club
• Origami-Instructions.com