The folding process demands careful attention and without it the intended result would likely not be achieved. Many people are fascinated with paper folding, from the very young to the very old. This ancient hobby has transformed into an art that is given plenty of recognition. If origami sounds like an activity you might be interested in, why not browse some of the many Internet sites providing details and instructions. A single fold can bisect and angle twice or as in the case of a reverse fold, make 4 triangles at once. When the first steps to making a figure are applied to other figures, resulting in a number of figures having common shapes, the common shapes are called bases. There are several established bases such as the bird, the kite, the windmill and the water-bomb to name a few. While most people think of Origami as being a strictly Japanese art form, many say it actually has it's roots in China going all the way back to the first or second century. Back in those early days paper was so rare and expensive that origami was a pastime reserved for the wealthy. Certain set shapes were fashioned from folded paper for special occasions like weddings, while serrated strips of white paper were used to adorn sacred objects in the shrines, a practice that continues to this day. This would be good for children who are having trouble communicating or getting along with other children. This activity requires patience and so it teaches people how to be patient. Again this would be beneficial for children. Origami involves problem solving and this is a skill that is needed daily by individuals of all ages. Just for Fun: Give the kids something to kick start their imaginations. Grab some newspaper and fold up a few paper hats and airplanes for them to play with. It's also a pretty safe bet that some of the adults will join them so better make a couple extra! Gifts: Colorful paper frames, bandanas or handkerchiefs folded into flowers or birds, lace envelopes to hold your personal note, delicate lace birds to hold your valentine, cranes (a symbol of luck) as a mobile or garland like string, book covers, book marks and dozens of other unusual gifts that you can be sure they won't get two of! On the other hand the artistic origamists are more concerned with the figure's expressiveness and creativity. They are concerned only with the beauty of the model and don't intend their pieces to be done over and over again by others. The artistic origamist's concern is bringing out the expression of the paper.