Cash Trees As Gifts

Donna
Gold Post Medal for All Time! 555 Posts

Cash Trees As Gifts - money folded as a tree in a gift box I decided to give cash gifts rather than gift cards since:

Cash gift cards cost money to purchase.
Some folks don't like or remember to use gift cards plus it restricts the recipient to use the gift only at only the designated chosen.
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Recipients get to choose how to spend their gift!

So I wanted to think up cuter ways to give cash. I decided on currency folded into Christmas trees! You can choose any denomination and can still personalize them by adding a letter or note with suggestions, funny or not!

Supplies:

paper money in any denomination
rubber cement
color sheet of paper, index or notecard
optional: gift box or bag
optional: paper with message

Steps:

Fold the bill in half, horizontally top to bottom. This just shows you where the center of the bill is for later folding.

Cash Trees As Gifts - fold in half horizontally, top to bottom

Fold bill in half, right to left.

Cash Trees As Gifts - open and fold in half end to end

Fold bill in the middle following the photo.

Cash Trees As Gifts - next fold in middle from the front

Cash Trees As Gifts - shown from the top edge

Fold the top, half right hand side of the bill down to the center, as shown. Repeat on the bottom, folding the half right hand side to meet that top fold, as shown.

Cash Trees As Gifts - making folds on right side

Press flat to make crisp folds as shown.

Fold down the bill in two steps (on the left) to form the triangle design of the tree shape. Fold up the bill (on the right) to form a shorter trunk.

Cash Trees As Gifts - making folds on right side to get tree shape

Cash Trees As Gifts - fold in right side to make a shorter trunk

Flip it over and it should look like an evergreen. Press the folds flat from this side.

Cash Trees As Gifts - finished folding tree shape with folded pressed flat

You may glue it to a index card with a message and slip it in a small bag or gift box that you saved from last year's Christmas (you already do that, right?)
Crafter's Tip: Rubber cement is perfect to use when you want to glue paper without damaging it, including currency! Paint a little rubber cement on both the bill and the paper where you want it to be stuck to and here's the important part - LET IT DRY COMPLETELY before sticking them together! That's how rubber cement works and it won't ruin any paper by ripping it! After it's removed just rubbing a finger over it rubs it right off since it's rubber not paste.

Cash Trees As Gifts - blue index card, rubber cement jar, and folded money

Cash Trees As Gifts - money attached to a card with message

Cash Trees As Gifts - tree attached to a blue card with message inside a small box

Cash Trees As Gifts - slipping an index card with the tree attached into a Santa gift envelope

I chose to personalize mine by including some restaurants I saw on a Food Show with some food reviews for my two 'Foodies' to consider, just for fun! The great part is they now can choose what/where they will use it and will definitely not forget about it like I hear so many people say they do with gift cards!!