National Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day Date in the current year: December 27, 2024

Paper snowflakes, also known as cut-out snowflakes, are a type of paper craft that combines origami and paper cutting: a square piece of paper is folded diagonally several times, cutouts in various shapes are cut around the edges of the resulting triangle, and the paper is unfolded to reveal a snowflake.

The arts of paper folding and paper cutting have been around for centuries. They emerged in China, where paper was invented, and then spread to other parts of the world. The practice of cutting snowflake-like designs from folded paper gained prominence in Germany around the 17th century and has since become a beloved holiday tradition in many countries. At least that’s what one of the sources claims; sadly, there isn’t much information about the origins of paper snowflakes. Another version is that paper snowflakes became popular in England during the Victorian era.

Paper snowflakes can be considered an example of simple kirigami, a type of origami that combines paper folding and paper cutting, resulting in three-dimensional designs. It should be noted, however, that kirigami is a relatively new term that was coined by the American origami enthusiast Florence Temko in the 1960s. So while paper snowflakes are technically kirigami, they have been around for much longer than the term itself.

Be that as it may, paper snowflakes are a very popular holiday decoration in many parts of the world, and making them is a beloved pastime among children and adults alike. One of the best thing about paper snowflakes is that they don’t require any special supplies and are easy to make regardless of your skill level.

So, how do you make a paper snowflake?

1. Fold a square piece of paper in half diagonally to make a triangle.
2. Fold the triangle in half again so that its pointed corners meet.
3. Fold the right third of the triangle over. Repeat with the left third. You may need to adjust the folds a little to make sure your snowflake is as symmetrical as possible.
4. Trim the pointed ends (you can use craft wavy edge scissors to make your snowflake more interesting).
5. Cut out sections of your snowflake to create a design (be careful not to cut your snowflake in half). You can use snowflake templates and a pencil to sketch the design before cutting it out.
6. Gently unfold your snowflake to reveal the pattern.

The origin of National Make Cut-Out Snowflakes Day is as murky as the origin of paper snowflakes, but do you really need an explanation or an excuse to get crafty? Get the supplies you need (paper, scissors, pencils, snowflake templates in case inspiration fails, glitter if you’re feeling fancy) and invite your friends and family over for a snowflake-making party. Queue up your favorite Christmas movies and get to work! To make things more interesting, you can have a competition for the most creative snowflake, but don’t get too competitive because it can spoil the fun.