Poinsettias are an iconic native Mexican flower3, and you’ve probably seen them around a lot. They boast huge blooms of vibrant reds and pinks contrasted by green foliage, perfect for the holiday season. But, before you start on the craft, I need to let you in on a little secret.
The blooms of a poinsettia are actually tiny! While most of us think of the large colorful petal shaped parts of the plant as the flower, they actually aren’t. Those are called bracts which are actually a modified leaf!
Because they aren’t green it’s hard to tell, but once you look up-close and feel their texture, it makes a lot of sense. Bracts are much hardier than petals in the cold and still attract pollinators with their bright colors. The actual flower of a poinsettia is the small round yellow bits in the center of the bracts.3 Who would have guessed!
To learn more about poinsettias, be sure to visit WPS Garden of Lights and check out our Poinsettia and Holly light display! Featuring poinsettias and holly made of glimmering lights, it’s a must see.
Now that we’re all acquainted, let’s start the craft:
Craft Instructions
Materials: Paper (heavy weight is best but printer paper will do), colored pencils, scissors, and a glue stick
1. Print off and color the attached PDF.
2. Add your favorite winter greeting.
3. Cut out the poinsettia on the solid exterior line and the card on the dashed line.
4. Fold the poinsettia in half many times to create creases in between each large bract.
5. Unfold the poinsettia. Fold it in half as shown.
Helpful Hint! These next few steps get a bit tricky. If you need some help, check out this video.
6. Fold the two exterior bracts in between the two layers of paper, lining them up with the center bracts.
7. Fold each edge slightly inwards
8. Fold those edges in between the outermost layers of paper.
9. Crease your card in the center and open it back up.
10. Glue the flat sides of your poinsettia to each half of the inside of your card. Press the card shut and apply pressure a few minutes to make sure both sides adhere and dry.
11. Your gorgeous card is complete!
Sources
Ananda. “Festive DIY Pop up Christmas Card (Free Template!).” A Piece Of Rainbow, 12 Dec. 2020, www.apieceofrainbow.com/diy-pop-up-christmas-card/.
MIA Art & Craft. “FLOWER POP UP CARD MAKING / HOW TO MAKE A 3D FLOWER POP UP GREETING CARD / HANDMADE WOMEN’S DAY CARD.” Youtube, October 8, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLNGc_OrxqE.
Weisenhorn, Julie. “Growing and Caring for Poinsettia.” UMN Extension, 2020, extension.umn.edu/houseplants/poinsettia#light-and-temperature-1579960.
