Origami - the Japanese art of paper folding
Origami (折り紙, from oru, to fold, and kami, paper) is the Japanese name for the art of paper folding. The only requirement for origami is a piece of paper, making it one of the most accessible arts. One can use almost any paper, but "origami paper" is thin, strong, and folds very well. It is usually white on one side and colored on the other, and is cut into 15 cm squares. One of the most famous figures is the crane. The legend says: Whoever folds a thousand paper cranes will have his wish granted. In 1797, the first model was put on paper: "How to fold a thousand cranes". If you want to make this first model easily, the British Origami Society website contains a video explaining step by step how to make the crane.
With a simple sheet of paper, traditional origami allows to make a representation of all kinds of models: animals, flowers, characters, planes, boats, cars, boxes, masks, etc. Nowadays, you can find all kinds of Origami papers and books and websites abound to show you how to fold all these representations, which are only limited by your imagination.
Spending time making origami is like a moment of meditation, of mindfulness. It's a great way to take a break during this busy month of December.
Even if you already have all your Christmas decorations, think about making something yourself, for the house or as a gift for the holidays. Giving something you made yourself is priceless.
