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These paper trees are as pretty as origami versions but easier to make.

Step 1

For large Christmas trees, use an adjustable circle cutter to make 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-inch-diameter circles from green card stock (for small trees, omit the 6-inch circle).

Step 2

Fold each circle in half 4 times with a bone folder (top). While circles are folded, snip off the tip of each piece, forming a very small hole in center.

Step 3

Place smallest circle on the pointed end of a wooden skewer (we used 12-inch skewers), letting the tip poke through the hole in circle. With a hot-glue gun, dab underside of circle, where paper and skewer meet. Hold for 10 seconds to secure.

Step 4

Working 1 at a time from smallest circle to largest, slide remaining circles onto skewer; secure with glue.

Step 5

Insert bottom of skewer into a spool; remove, and cut skewer to desired height (we cut ours to 6, 9, and 10 inches), keeping in mind that only spool should be visible beneath standing tree. Return skewer to spool; secure with glue. Add a dot of glue to top of skewer, and attach a gold bead. The comments said to use paper no heavier than 65 lb. paper. You might even try heavy wrapping paper. Cutting the circles seemed to be an issue, too. You can buy circle cutters if you can't get the circles right.

Outdoor Lighting: Shooting Stars

To create striking outdoor lighting this holiday season, string several of these shooting stars in your yard. We hung our comets in trees that were 10 to 12 feet apart. To determine how many feet of lights you will need, measure the distance between the trees, add 8 to 12 inches (so the tail forms a swag), and multiply this number by 8.

Tools and Materials
White spray paint
24-inch star-shaped wire wreath form
12-foot strand of rope lights
Small zip ties
Drill with 3/16-inch bit
44-inch-long strip of 1-by-2-inch pine
Six 2-inch binder rings
Large, heavy-duty zip ties
100-bulb strands of white wire mini lights

Shooting Stars How-To
1. Spray paint star-shaped wire wreath form. Let dry.

2. Plug in rope lights, and secure end to an outer point on the star with a small zip tie. Trim tie end. Wrap rope lights around outermost wire of star; secure strand with small zip ties (rope lights will not wrap an even number of times around the star). Trim tie ends.

3. Drill 5 holes into pine strip, spacing the first hole 2 inches from the top and other holes 10 inches apart. Place binder ring in each hole.

4. Attach 2 adjacent outer points of star to tree trunk with large zip ties. (If necessary, thread zip ties together to reach around tree.) Trim tie ends. Attach remaining binder ring to inner point of star, opposite side fixed to tree.

5. Attach strip to second tree by lashing it vertically to trunk with large zip ties, positioning strip's top 3 to 4 feet lower than bottom of star. Trim tie ends.

6. To make comet tails, secure prong end of mini lights to top binder ring on strip with small zip tie. Trim tie end. Pass light strand through binder ring on star, below left, and back toward strip, below right, plugging in more light strands as needed. Insert strand through next binder ring down on strip, and loop it back through star's ring. Repeat, finishing at strip's bottom ring.

For more ideas and installation tips, see Nights All Aglow.