Cut four strips of packing ribbon each 18 inches long.
Use clear tape to connect the ends of two of the strips together. Hold the ends at an angle less than 90 degrees to each other. This is a guess, but try to keep them connected at about 80 degrees, and secure them tightly with tape.
Repeat Step 2 with the other two strips of ribbon. Tape each set of pairs to the end of a wooden stick.
Make sure the pointed, taped ends are pointing towards the top of the stick and the ribbon trails down the stick. Put each set of pairs on opposite sides of each other.
Begin the braiding process by wrapping the ribbons one over top the other, to overlap each other. Continue the pattern of back over front, front over back, all the way to the end of the stick.
Trim the ends once you reach the end of the stick or the end of your ribbon. Tape the ends of all for pieces together.
Take the tape off the top of the stick, and remove the braided ribbon from the stick.