That’s a wrap! 5 tips for packaging the perfect holiday gift

If you’re dashing through the stores so you can finally check off your Christmas to-do list, well, we’re right there with you. This time of year, it seems like there’s always another gift to buy, another party to attend and yet another batch of cookies to ice. But before we can call this holiday season a wrap, we must wrap! 

If your tried-and-true (read: boring) giftwrapping methods just aren’t cutting it anymore, it’s time to level up! These tricks and tips are sure to get all the eyes under your tree this year. 

Brush up your basics

With all the talk of decking the halls and trimming the tree, there’s just not enough focus on prepping the perfect package! So if your wrapping game could use a refresher, we’ve got it! These basic skills will have you folding, creasing and tying with the best of them. 

Head to HGTV for a step-by-step to get you perfectly wrapping gifts, then head back here for the tips and tricks that will elevate your wrapping game. 

Come, let us adorn it

Even the cutest wrapping paper only goes so far. If you’re gifting to impress (and who isn’t?), the dazzle is in the details! Build on your paper foundation with beautifully coordinated ribbon and fun adornments. We like to mix textures and patterns for a wow-inspiring presentation. For example, a red velvet ribbon will look brilliant against a matte patterned paper. 

When it comes to finding the perfect adornment, get creative! We love a sprig of holly or evergreen this time of year, but let your imagination take the reins! Some ideas include:

• Christmas ornaments
• Cookie cutters
• Sleigh bells
• Candy canes
• Festive tassels or pom poms
• Cinnamon sticks
• Pinecones

Ditch the paper entirely

If you’re a fiend for that brightly colored paper, think about this: most giftwrap isn’t recyclable – especially if it has any kind of glitter, foil, lamination or other adornment. That means that, as beautiful as your gift looks under the tree, it’s going to spend a whole lot longer sitting in a landfill. 

The good news – and there is good news – is that you can wrap gifts beautifully with items you likely already have around your home! Turn those paper grocery bags inside out and channel your inner Fräulein Maria with brown paper packages tied up with string. Or, if you’ve got crafters around, use that crisp white craft paper for a minimalist look that will get maximum impact. Get creative! Chances are, you’ve got items around the home waiting to be upcycled into beautiful, giftable coverings: 

• Maps
• Sheet music 
• Old book pages
• Coloring book pages
• Newspaper
• Wallpaper 
• Fabric scraps 

Make a present of the packaging

What’s better than spending money on expensive giftwrap? Making the packaging part of the actual present, of course! Our lovely towels are perfectly giftable as they are, of course. But they’re also the perfect way to cover another gift! 

Start with your favorite Geometry tea towel, some double-sided tape and some string or ribbon. Wrap as you usually would for small boxes. Or for smaller or unboxed items, gather the towel around the item and tie the top with string or ribbon to form a little sack. 

Think outside the box

When the trickiest part of giftwrapping is finding the right size box, it’s time to think outside it. Make your gift a little more functional by including a useful container. The sky is the limit, but we’ve included a few of our favorite ideas: 

• Picnic basket
• Mixing bowl
• Laundry basket
• Planter
• Vase
• Keepsake box

Before your holiday gifts – and holiday season – wrap, we want to wish you and yours a Merry Christmas and happy New Year. From our family to yours, we wish you peace, joy and all good things in 2022!