How to Make Confetti
Make any occasion more festive with your own homemade confetti.
Up next in How to Throw a Party (11 videos)
From big blowout celebrations to intimate gatherings, planning a party is easy with these helpful ideas.
You Will Need
- Paper
- Scissors, a hole puncher, or a paper shredder
- Anti-static spray
- Flower petals
- Silica gel crystals
- Small glassine bags
- Double-stick tape
- Noisemakers
- Balloons
- A large fan
- A lint roller
- A confetti cannon, a blower, or a swirl fan
Steps
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Step 1
Gather paper
Gather paper that can be shredded—old newspapers and magazines, discarded copier paper, used gift wrapping, or colored construction paper.
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If you work in an office, ask coworkers who use hole punchers to save the little paper circles.
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Step 2
Cut them
Turn paper into confetti with scissors, a hole puncher, or a paper shredder. Craft-supply stores offer decorative hole punchers that create stars, sequins, hearts, and other designs.
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If you use a paper shredder to make the confetti, make sure it’s the crosscut kind, which cuts paper both vertically and horizontally.
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Step 3
Make them cling-free
Scoop up the confetti, put it in a paper bag, and mist it with anti-static spray. Close the bag, shake it up for a minute, then open the top to let the confetti air-dry. This will prevent the confetti from clinging to your guests’ hair and clothes.
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Step 4
Make flower confetti
Try making flower confetti: Sprinkle a layer of silica gel crystals onto the bottom of an ovenproof dish, cover with flower petals, and then alternate more layers of silica and petals. Heat in a 200-degree oven for about 30 minutes, and then let cool before gently shaking off any silica residue.
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If you’re sending party invitations, insert a tablespoon or so of confetti inside the card.
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Step 5
Bag it
Make individual party bags for New Year’s Eve guests by pouring confetti into small glassine bags, sealing, and taping a noisemaker to the top of each.
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Step 6
Stuff balloons
Stuff some confetti into balloons that guests can pop. Just funnel in the confetti before blowing them up.
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Step 7
Spray your guests
Spray confetti over party guests by turning on a large fan and slowly pouring confetti in front of it.
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Some party supply stores and websites rent and sell confetti cannons, blowers, and swirl fans.
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Step 8
Clean up
After vacuuming your floors, pick up any stubborn confetti with a lint roller.
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The largest collection of confetti in the world contains 1,700 unique shapes, including pieces that look like Elvis Presley.
