Dutch Wooden Shoe made from Paper

Dutch Wooden Shoe Made from Paper

When I told my mom that I was making Dutch-themed crafts for a crafting series, she told me about this paper wooden shoe she made in preschool when she was young. I loved it! I never had the chance to make these as a child, growing up mostly in the US, but I can see children making these at the beginning of December to celebrate Sinterklaas in school.

Sinterklaas is a Dutch holiday, most related to Christmas. It starts in November with a parade, as Sinterklaas comes to The Netherlands on his white horse, by ship. Children mind their manners as they wait for December 5th. Songs are sung by the fireplace, carrots are left out for the horse, and each member of the household leaves a shoe on the hearth in anticipation of a treat.

If you have been good, Sinterlaas might leave a chocolate letter, some Marzipan, and even a small toy. Treats like Pepernoten and Kruidnoten are often left by the Sint as well. However, if you have been bad, the Sint leaves a bundle of sticks in your shoe – the Dutch equivalent of a stocking full of coal, but with a corporal twist.

To make your wooden shoe from paper, all you need is:

supplies for paper wooden shoe
Yellow paper (yellow is the traditional color, but you could use another color if you like)
Scissors
Tape or staples

Start by folding your paper in half.

fold in half

Then in quarters.

fold into quarters

Now fold one corner in.

fold in corner

Fold the paper in thirds the opposite direction – the diagonal fold will help, because both spots where the diagonal fold meets a horizontal fold represents a third of the page.

fold into thirds

Cut away the top two squares, and cut slits into the bottom, splitting the bottom three squares.

cut shoe

Use the slits to make the back of the shoe, then tape into place.

tape back of shoe together

Fold together the front of the shoe, then tape or staple in place.

tape front of shoe

Stuff with fake grass or straw, and you have a wooden shoe… made from paper!

finished paper wooden shoe

Make sure to check out all the other awesome bloggers sharing their countries for the World Cup Series!

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Comments

  1. I love love LOVE this! It is so adorable, yet it looks like something we could actually do! This would be fun for any time of year, but I imagine it would be especially fun at Christmas. Thank you for participating in this series! I have really enjoyed all of your posts.

  2. JaneEllen says

    Absolutely adorable and love story about it. Always good to learn little something about other countries traditions, luved it. Glad you shared this project So easy and so quick, inexpensive. Bravo, luv that kind of thing. Happy summer days Put it in my favorites

  3. Very nice! I am using your idea to make shoes for 3 Kings Day, which is celebrated in Spanish speaking countries. Children leave their shoes out for the 3 Kings much as children leave stockings out for Santa Claus.
    Gracias!

  4. Love it! Sending college son St. Nick gift in this shoe. Since he can’t put his shoe out at home, he’ll be getting in the mail. Thanks for the instructions!

  5. john darpino says

    What is this used for

  6. I am happy to find this easy tutorial! I have left St. Nicholas Day treats in slippers in the past, but since my boys barely wear them I stopped buying them. I was looking for a paper shoe because I didn’t want to use their dirty outdoor boots tonight. This is perfect!

  7. i like it but i rather vido. but cool!

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