Looking for something new to decorate the holidays this year, I’ve become smitten with origami decorations for the tree, to hang in the window, or place on the table. Or even to give as a small gift.

I learned of the idea from my friend Peta Rimington, who had a gourmet food store and cafe called A Matter of Taste in Idaho:

“When I was in Idaho, Shin and Kuniko came from Japan to spend Christmas with me on the Wood River. They had never seen a Christmas. It was wonderfully white and calm and the house was amazing, all lit up. I had baked some cakes, made some ice cream (my Ultra-Violet recipe) and Kuniko was hugging a very large box which she would not tell anyone about. It contained 300 pure white origami birds to decorate the tree as she had read that this was what one did on Christmas Eve! She had spent about eleven hours folding them…they were amazing.

We all spent the whole evening placing them on the tree and eating ourselves silly. Great Christmas.”

If you plan do fold your ornaments, you pretty much have to start practicing NOW! I’ve started, and find them to be a relaxing sort of mediation —once I got the hang of them.

All these beauties are by GoOrigami, a massive site that provides instructions for many wonderful shapes.

I love the butterflies and pretty stars, above (imagining them in different papers) ….

…and these snazzy iridescent fish:

These origami flowers look like snowflakes…

This crane with has lovely pink heart (if too difficult, just the crane pattern will do fine!)

Origami boxes make perfect 3D stars that will also hold a small gift:

You can use just about any kind of paper, from traditional Japanese origami folding paper in bold colors to patterned Washi folding paper to wrapping paper to pages torn from newspapers and magazines.

—Susan Dworski