Money trees are an attractive ways to give cash gifts so that the person can buy something nice for themselves. If a few people chip in, it can really be a significant amount, creating a lot of excitement when it is presented. Construct this tree for the next baby or wedding shower you host for someone dear to you.
Instructions
1. Collect the money ahead of time from everyone that is chipping in for the gift. Take the money you collected to the bank and exchange it for crisp, new bills. If the amount is under fifty dollars, you may choose to get one dollar bills so that the tree is full. If the amount is much more than that, you may wish to add five or ten dollar bills so that the tree does not look too cluttered and sloppy.
2. Purchase a small potted fake plant or tree from a home decorating store. If you are not happy with the pot that it is planted in, you can set it into another pot of your choice, or you can simply wrap the pot with some colorful foil paper and tie a bright ribbon around it. Even if you like the pot, you can put a ribbon around it to make it more festive.
3. Take your bills and your pipe cleaners, and sit comfortably at a table with your potted plant next to you. You will need two bills for every "blossom" on the plant.
4. Fold your bills in half, to make it more square, keeping the side with the president's head on the outside of the fold. Now, accordion-fold your bill, working from top to bottom. You should get about five folds out of it. Repeat this with your second bill.
5. Stack one accordion-folded bill on top of the other, making sure they are of even length. Tie them around the center with a green pipe cleaner and twist it. Pull open the edges on each side of the bill to fan them out. It will look like a flower with four petals.
6. Use your pipe cleaners to twist-tie the bills onto the branches of the artificial tree. Space them all out nicely so the tree looks like it's blooming money.
7. Make a nice gift card, with a cute saying, such as, "Who says money doesn't grow on trees?" or, "You reap what you sow." You may wish to have all of the contributors sign the card. Punch a hole in the card and tie it to the base of the plant, or to the ribbon around the pot.
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