Make festive paper chain decorations

Girl enjoying Christmas activities inside Attingham Park, Shropshire — Making paper chain Christmas decorations at Attingham Park, Shropshire | © National Trust Images/Megan Taylor

Paper chain decorations are a great way to keep creative little hands entertained for hours in the lead up to Christmas. But don’t assume these traditional decorations are just for kids – find out how they can make an elegant addition to any tree.

A simple and elegant decoration

Paper chains were one of the most popular Christmas decorations in the 19th century. You can make them with any paper that you find around the house, such as old magazines or newspapers. But for a more sophisticated finish, why not use some old Christmas carol song sheets?

What you’ll need

Recycled paper, magazines or old carol song sheets
Glue or sticky tape
Scissors

Method

Choose your paper and cut: Cut your chosen paper into strips – you can keep cutting as you go if you need more. You don’t need to be precise with these, but you don’t want them to be too thin or short, so aim for around 5cm by 20cm.
Make a paper loop: Take one strip of paper and curl around so the two ends meet. Glue one end to the other and hold for several seconds until fairly dry. You can use sticky tape or a stapler to connect the ends if you prefer.
Continue to make a chain: Feed your next strip through the middle of your first chain link. Curl the ends of the second strip together until they meet and then fasten as before.
Display your finished paper chain: Repeat until you’ve reached the length of chain that you want. Then all you need to do is find somewhere to hang your finished festive paper chain.