The Christmas Tag Waterfall — Step-by-Step Project

A simple two-page project for collecting the little pieces of Christmas you want to remember—places you went, things you did, people you saw, little joys, tickets, notes, photos and other small keepsakes.

What You’ll Need

• Thin patterned or decorative paper
• Ruler and pencil
• Scissors or paper trimmer
• Glue or double-sided tape
• Thin holiday washi tape, about ½ inch wide
• Small paper tags, notes, photo snippets, tickets or flat ephemera
• Optional paper clips or thin ribbon

Keep it flat: This project is meant for a small A6 journal. Avoid thick cardstock, dimensional greenery, bulky charms, foam adhesive or anything that keeps the journal from closing comfortably.

Before You Begin

The waterfall is built directly onto two facing A6 journal pages. Each page gets its own vertical stack of shallow paper pockets. The pockets cascade from top to bottom, so only the lower portion of each layer remains visible.

Measure the actual usable width and height of your journal pages before cutting. The suggested 3½-inch width is a starting point; trim it if necessary so the finished waterfall stays completely inside your page edges.

Step 1 — Cut the waterfall pieces

For each journal page, cut 4 or 5 rectangular strips of thin decorative paper approximately 3½ inches wide. Make each strip tall enough to form a shallow pocket while still allowing the layers to overlap. Test the pieces on the journal page before gluing anything.

Step 2 — Arrange the cascade

Lay the first strip near the top of the page. Place the next strip below it, overlapping the first so roughly the bottom 1 inch of the upper layer remains visible. Continue down the page with the remaining strips. Adjust the overlap until the entire waterfall fits comfortably from top to bottom.

Step 3 — Turn each layer into a pocket

This is the important part: do not glue across the top edge. Apply a narrow line of glue or double-sided tape along the left edge, right edge and bottom edge only of each strip. Leave the entire top edge open. That open top is where your tag, ticket, note or other flat keepsake slides into the pocket.

Press the three attached edges flat and allow the adhesive to set before inserting anything. Repeat for each layer.

Step 4 — Finish the outer edges

Add a narrow strip of holiday washi tape along the far left and right sides of the waterfall if you want a finished border and a little extra reinforcement. Keep the tape flat and make sure it does not seal the pocket openings.

Step 5 — Fill the pockets

Slip small tags, handwritten notes, ticket stubs, photo snippets, paper ephemera or other thin Christmas keepsakes into the open tops. A tiny paper clip or thin ribbon can be used on a tag, but keep everything light enough for the journal to close.

Ideas for Your Two Pages

• Places We Went
• Things We Did
• People We Saw
• Little Joys
• Things to Remember
• One tiny Christmas moment you almost forgot

Make It Yours

Your waterfall does not have to match anyone else’s. Use papers and little saved pieces from your own Christmas. Handwriting, ticket stubs, scraps of wrapping paper and imperfect little notes are exactly what make the finished pages yours.

Project Example

A finished two-page A6 Christmas Tag Waterfall example will be added here so you can see the pocket construction and how the tags cascade down each page.