These super simple paper gingerbread garlands would look great hanging on your Christmas tree or mantle. Download the free template and use it to make these adorable paper garlands at home with your kids!
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If you’re a fan of paper crafts, this easy gingerbread garland is for you. It only requires a few simple supplies, and you can easily make it at home in just a few minutes.
Grab the printable template and use it to make these simple gingerbread paper chains with your kids. Then, hang them on your tree or mantle for everyone to enjoy!
Related: DIY Felt Gingerbread Garland (with Free Template!)
Required Materials
Here’s what you’ll need in order to make these easy paper garlands at home:
- Brown construction paper (or another colour of your choosing)
- My free paper gingerbread garland template, which you can download using the form below (there’s another form at the bottom of the article if you’d rather keep reading)
- Ruler (optional but recommended)
- Pencil
- Scissors
Note: I didn’t do this, but you can also decorate the gingerbread cookies after you finish cutting out the garlands. If you choose to do this, you may need extra supplies such as googly eyes or acrylic paint pens. Use your imagination and see what you can come up with!
How to Make a Paper Gingerbread Garland (Step-by-Step)
1. Print & Cut Template
Start by printing out the template on regular US Letter-sized paper (8.5 x 11 inches) and cutting out the shapes with scissors.
The template includes 3 gingerbread man shapes and 3 gingerbread woman shapes, but if you’re doing this craft on your own, you’ll only need one of each. The extra shapes have been provided for families with multiple kids and teachers whose students will be doing this craft at school.
2. Fold Construction Paper
Next, you’ll need to fold the construction paper. I used a ruler to measure 1 inch on the long edge of the paper (which is 12 inches long), and marked that spot with a pencil on the top and bottom of the sheet of paper.
Then, I folded the paper into an accordion, with each fold being parallel to the short edge of the paper.
Because each gingerbread man and woman shape is 1 inch wide, you should technically be able to fit 12 of them on the long edge of the paper. But there is always a bit of overhang and unless your folding is 100% perfect, you may not manage to fold it into 12.
If that’s the case, don’t worry—mine was folded into 11, and the garland turned out perfectly fine!
3. Trace Template on Construction Paper
Use a pencil to trace the gingerbread cookie shapes onto the folded paper. The pictures show me using the gingerbread man template, but the process to make a gingerbread woman chain is identical.
4. Cut Template
Use a pair of sharp scissors to cut along the pencil lines you traced during the previous step. This is the step where the garlands really start to come together.
5. Unfold Garland
Finally, once you’re done cutting along the shapes, grab each end of your paper garland and pull them apart to reveal your paper doll chain. They will look like little paper gingerbread cookies that are holding hands.
You can always decorate the gingerbread men and women by giving them faces or other ornamental details, but I chose to keep mine plain. You can also make several paper chains and use adhesive tape to gather them up into one long garland.
I love how this craft turned out, and it would make a really cute DIY Christmas decoration. Plus, because the provided template makes it so easy to make, this craft is perfect for kids!
Related Gingerbread Crafts & Activities
Looking for more fun gingerbread-themed projects to do this Christmas? Check out these articles:
- Paper Gingerbread Man Decorating
- Taste-Safe Gingerbread Oobleck
- Free Gingerbread Man & Woman Craft Templates
- Easy Felt Gingerbread Garland
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