All of Our Prettiest Paper Snowflake Ideas (and the Templates You Need to Make Them at Home)

Crafting snowflakes out of paper is an easy way to perfectly capture the wonder of winter's most amazing natural phenomenon. Regardless of the weather outside, learning how to make beautifully unique snowflakes using paper is a new crafter's right of passage in the winter season; it's much easier and more manageable than one might think, too. As you'll discover, you can make a whole sky's worth of snowflakes in just a matter of minutes once you've mastered the basics of working with paper—plus, you can riff on the classic template to create unique decorations each and every year. 

To get started, get familiar with making a standard paper snowflake. Learn the ins and outs of creating paper snowflakes with this handy template; it'll walk you through all the folds and snips you need to make. While real snowflakes can be all different shapes and sizes, paper snowflakes are most often created with six individual points. These snowflakes can be easily created in different sizes by switching up the length and width of the paper used in the folding process—and you'll want to be mindful of the paper width you're selecting as well. Wrapping paper and tissue paper, for example, is lighter and easier to cut but more fragile for decorating, whereas medium to heavy weight paper, like card stock, is harder to cut but is sturdier for annual decorations. 

You can choose to make a flurry of snowflakes to adorn your doors, windows, and walls, or you could combine your love for delicate snowflakes with other seasonal decorations in your home, including wreaths and gift wrapping. While our template doesn't include instructions for special patterns, you can be creative with your experiments and try more intricate designs as you progress. From simple paper snowflakes that kids can create themselves to elaborate decorations, these snowflake ideas are all a bit different—master them all this holiday season.

Selecting a few different hues of card stock ensures a beautifully diverse wall of alluring snowflakes. This pattern is made for all ages; kids can happily occupy themselves by cutting snowflakes out of the dozens. With the help of this template, you'll be able to watch your family's own gentle blizzard materialize.

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Paper snowflakes aren't quite as delicate as the real things are, but they make a fine filigree with which to adorn your holiday gifts, nonetheless. Thread ribbons through gaps in the snowflakes and tie around presents; glue flakes to plain wrapping paper, then cover with translucent tissue; or tie one on as a card.

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This tree twinkles with a dusting of paper snowflakes. Help kids iron their cut-out designs flat to smooth out the folds. Just hang with a paper clip bent open to form an S. The beauty of paper snowflakes is that, even with slight imperfections, when they are massed together, they're breathtaking to behold. 

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With the right supplies, these cards are much easier to make than they look. Soft-touch scissors are designed for crisp, intricate work; origami paper is square and thin, making folding and cutting easy. You will also need glassine envelopes, colored paper, a hole punch, spray adhesive, and string. Start by folding a piece of origami paper into even quarters, and place our template over it before cutting out its shape. Place the snowflake into a glassine envelope (it can be glued to a colored-paper backdrop with spray adhesive) and write your greeting on the paper's back. Then, punch a hole in one or two corners of the envelope, and attach a loop of string so the card can be displayed on a Christmas tree.

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A holiday dinner table evokes drifts of snow when adorned with paper versions beneath your holiday spread. You can also create smaller versions of the same snowflake pattern to use as place cards upon each setting on the table.

You don't always have to take up an entire wall with your paper snowflakes; here, we placed delicate flakes in a faux "wreath" circle. It's a charming addition to any kids' room during the winter season.

While these technically aren't made out of paper, their pristine appearance suggests the same delicateness that a crafted paper snowflake does. You'll need to lay textile doilies on a covered surface. With a foam brush or a roller, coat both sides of the dollies with undiluted fabric stiffener until its just saturated. Let it dry overnight before pressing it with an iron—hang it from thread or a monofilament wire.

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You'll be able to adorn your mantle with a fresh dusting of shimmering snowflakes with the help of this template. Start by creating a few sets of equally-sized paper snowflakes on thick cardstock. To make flakes sparkle, apply spray adhesive or dab gently with a sponge-tipped glue applicator, then sprinkle with glitter. Shake off excess, let dry; thread onto satin ribbon. Affix to mantelpiece or walls using poster putty.

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