It’s what’s inside that counts, but anyone who loves pretty packaging knows that a beautifully wrapped gift can make you fall in love with the contents!
Here are 12 creative (and easy) ways to give your gift wrapping some flair without spending a fortune on expensive ribbons and bows.
1. Interactive wrapping
Here’s one way to stop kids automatically ripping off the paper without admiring your gorgeous wrapping – make the outside of the gift as fun as the inside! This idea invites the recipient to decorate a tree with stickers, draw their own wrapping paper or zoom a matchbox car around a race track belly band. (via Lines Across)
2. Lollipop berries
These lollipop decorations could easy morph in to holly berries with some cardboard leaves. (via Tip Junkie)
3. Kraft paper + greenery
Simple brown paper and sprigs of greenery give a pared-back, festive feel to these pretty packages. Use pine needles from your tree or some rosemary for a fragrant hit. (via Blue Envelope Boutique)
4. Neon dots
Swing by the stationery store and pick up some neon dots to create your own cute polka pressies, tied up with string. (via Cape Cod Collegiate)
5. Cupcake liner rosettes
Raid the pantry for baking supplies and create pretty paper flowers for your gifts with this tutorial. (via Martha Stewart)
6. Hand-stamped paper
Whitney at creates her own funky gift wrap using foam stamps. (via Eat Sleep Cuddle)
7. Chalkboard effect
Nashville Wraps created this chalkboard effect with black kraft paper and a white chalkboard marker pen. (via Nashville Wraps)
8. Creative toppers
If you’re feeling crafty, take a peek at these instructions for hand-making these detailed gift toppers and more. (via Fiskars)
9. Silver pen
This is as simple as it gets. With a silver pen and some cool geometric shapes, you can mimic expensive printed wrapping paper. (via Mini Eco)
10. Confetti ribbon
Sew paper circles on to thread to make a DIY confetti-style ribbon. (via Inspiration for Home)
11. DIY gift bows
This tutorial will show you how to make your own gift bows out of magazine pages! (via 100 Layer Cake)
12. Craft box lucky dip
Raid the kids craft box and use felt, pom poms, string and wool to create colourful decorations like these. (via Two Shades of Pink)