Easy & Creative
Christmas Paper Crafts
Let the Memories Explode
This Holiday Season
 
Exploding holiday photo boxes make unique Christmas paper crafts. Take off the lid to this cute box and the sides explode out revealing pictures or pages for pictures to go. My friend gave me the instructions to this free paper craft project and ever since I have been thinking about all of the creative possibilities.
Add a bow to the top and it can be a gift for teachers or family members. Scrapbook it and it can be like a brag book, or rather a brag box. It is a unique Christmas paper craft decoration that can start some wonderful conversations and it can preserve memories for years.
Craft Project Time: 1 hour
These Christmas paper craft instructions are for a 3 layer exploding photo box. You can add more or fewer layers if you wish.
Supplies
- 4 pieces of 12 inches by 12 inches cardstock paper
- 3 pieces will compose the box itself and 1 piece will be the lid. You can use the same colors or coordinate them.
- 6 pieces of coordinating scrapbook paper
- Paper trimmer
- Scoring blade for paper trimmer
- Scissors
- Paper glue (paper craft glue is the best since it dries quickly)
- Paperclips to secure paper while glue is drying
Optional supplies
- Corner rounder
- Ribbon, bows and other embellishments
- Stamps and inkpad
- Photos (28 will cover all the pages, plus the lid)
Directions
Box
- Lay out the three cardstock papers in the order you wish to layer your box.
- Keep the bottom cardstock 12 inches by 12 inches
- Measure and trim the middle cardstock to 10 1/4 inches by 10 1/4 inches.
- Measure and trim the top cardstock to 9 inches by 9 inches
- Replace the cutting blade on your paper trimmer with the scoring blade. A scoring blade will not cut through the paper, but will “score” it allowing you to easily fold the paper.
- Score the bottom piece of cardstock 4 inches from each side.
- Score the middle piece of cardstock 3 inches from each side.
- Score the top piece of cardstock 3 inches from each side. The scored lines will make a square in each corner of the paper.
- With your scissors cut off the four corners on each piece of cardstock, following the scored lines. Each piece should look like a plus sign (+).
Optional: round the corners of each piece.
- Decide where you want each coordinating piece of paper to sit on each flap. This is an important step so you know how big to cut the coordinating scrapbook paper. Choosing holiday paper will make this project into a Christmas paper craft.
- Cut 8 pieces of coordinating scrapbook paper to 3 1/4 inches by 3 1/4 inches.
- Cut 8 pieces of coordinating scrapbook paper to 2 3/4 inches by 2 3/4 inches.
- Cut 9 pieces of coordinating scrapbook paper to 2 1/2 inches by 2 1/2 inches.
- Optional: round the edges of the coordinating scrapbook paper, if desired.
- Using the paper glue, glue each of the coordinating scrapbook papers to the center of the flaps. Glue the largest pieces to the first layer, the medium pieces to the middle layer and the small pieces to the top layer and center of the box.
Note: only the top layer has a photo glued to the center.
- Optional: Cut 8 pictures to 2 1/2 inches by 2 1/2 inches. Glue pictures to the largest flaps, on top of the coordinating scrapbook paper.
- Cut 8 pictures to 2 inches by 2 inches. Glue pictures to the flaps for the middle layer.
- Cut 9 pictures to 1 3/4 inches by 1 3/4 inches. Glue pictures to the flaps for the top layer and the inside of the box.
- Allow to dry.
- To construct the box, place a small amount of glue on the back of the middle square of the top layer. Place it in the middle of the second layer and allow to dry.
- Place a small amount of glue on the back of the middle square of the middle layer. Place it in the center of the outside layer and allow to dry.
- When the glue is dry, fold up the edges of the layers at the score marks. Set aside.
Box Lid
- Measure and cut cardstock to 6 1/4 inches by 6 1/4 inches.
- Score 1 inch from each side. The scored lines should allow you to see four squares in the corner. Do not cut them.
- Turn the paper over. Score each corner from the corner tip diagonally until you reach the edge of the square, as pictured. Repeat for each corner.
 
- Fold each long score line, to fold down the lid sides.
- With the right side facing up, fold the diagonal score lines, so right sides are facing each other.
- Place a small amount of glue on the inside of the corner scored lines, gluing the right sides together.
- Fold the glued sides to the right and glue to the side of the lid. Hold in place with a paper clip.
- Repeat for all 4 sides.
- Cut a coordinating piece of scrapbook paper to 3 1/2 inches by 3 1/2 inches.
- Glue to the top of the lid.
- When the sides are dry, remove the paper clips.
- Add any embellishments or stamps you wish.
Congratulations! Your Christmas paper craft is finished. Place a special treat or surprise inside the box. As the box explodes out, the surprise will stand out. This is a free paper craft idea that is unique and easy.
There are many ways this Christmas paper craft can be made into a gift. You can leave the pictures off and let the recipient add their own pictures. You can add your family pictures and give it to grandparents. You can bring it to the office and each year, add a picture or two from the holiday party.
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