I’m sharing ten Christmas gift wrapping ideas that are a major upgrade from slapping a simple sticky bow on the top (and they’re super easy to do too!)
One of my favorite things to do around the holidays is to sit down with loads of beautiful wrapping paper, tags, and ribbon and wrap presents while watching cheesy Christmas movies. I’ve loved wrapping presents ever since I was a kid and when I was in high school I even had a little business going where busy families paid me to wrap all of their holiday gifts! I was always surprised by how blown away my “clients” were when they saw their wrapped gifts – in my mind I wasn’t doing anything special and certainly nothing difficult, but I realized it was the little extra touches that they might not have thought to do themselves that left such an impression.
Today I’m sharing ten of my favorite Christmas wrapping ideas that will take an ordinary present to “next level” status. (post includes affiliate links – full disclosure statement available {here})
Family Room Sources: TV console (similar) | Chandelier (satin bronze) | Rug | Art prints (details in {this post}) | Acrylic coffee table (similar) | Rattan chair
1. Use a Chalk Marker Pen!
For darker colored gift wrap, white chalk marker pens (such as {this one} that I have) are great for writing messages on your packages or even just for writing who the present is “to” and “from” without the need for a gift tag. They’re simple to use (they work just like paint pens) and definitely add a little something special. I often pull up one of my favorite fonts and write my message on my laptop and then reference that when writing it out on the present but using your everyday handwriting is just fine too!
2. Add a Pre-Made Bow or Embellishment
Wrapping a beautiful present can be as quick and easy as choosing a gorgeous paper and slapping a pre-made bow or other little “extra” on top! With this gift on the left, I added {this premade curly bow} – a simple and quick but beautiful Christmas gift wrapping idea!!
3. Stack ‘Em!
There’s something about stacked gifts that makes them irresistible! Simply wrap two presents (one slightly bigger than the other) in the same gift wrap and tie them together with ribbon, leaving long, cascading tails. Wire-edged ribbon like {this white ribbon} works best because it’s easy to add those pretty waves to the tails.
4. Layer Your Ribbon
This is one of my favorite Christmas gift wrapping ideas! Layering a thinner ribbon over a different colored thicker ribbon makes presents look luxurious! I usually choose two colors that are both found in the gift wrap so that everything coordinates. For this gift, I used a thinner gold metallic mesh ribbon layered on {a 1 ½″ black satin wire ribbon} along with a cute jingle bell wreath tie-on.
5. Clip It On!
An easy way to add embellishments and tags is to simply clip them on with a mini clothespin and as a bonus, it’s super cute and makes your present unique! For this present I clipped on one of {these metallic gift tags} and a cute glitter snowflake with a plain mini clothespin like {these}.
6. Add a Treat!
Adding a little sweet treat is one of my favorite ways to make a wrapped present special, especially for kids. You can simply tie a candy bar or other sweets on top with ribbon or buy an embellishment like this mini stocking and tuck your treat inside. Just be mindful of pets and don’t leave gifts with chocolate or other food anywhere that they can get to them!
7. Tie It Twice
This is one of my favorite tricks for rectangular/narrow packages. Instead of your typical bow, simply wrap two lengths of ribbon or decorative cording around your present lengthwise and then tie both pieces in knots with the first knotted piece a little higher up than the second. For my gift, I used a wood grain glitter wrap with a sheer gold ribbon like {this}, and a glitter snowflake gift tag – such a simple Christmas present wrapping idea but so beautiful!
Here’s another present from a few years back that I wrapped the same way but with braided twine:
8. Use Your Gift Wrap Scraps
This is the perfect way to keep the scraps of your favorite gift wrap from going to waste! Wrap your present in plain kraft paper and then take a long scrap of wrapping paper, fold it along both sides to give it clean, straight edges, and wrap it around the length of your present. Then simply tie a bow on top to hold it all together:
9. Use What’s Outside
Adding natural elements from your own backyard is another favorite gift wrapping ideas. It can be as simple as tying on a few sprigs of greenery or if you want to spend a few more minutes, hot glue gun 2-3 small pine cones to the ends of ribbon and tie them on!
10. Throw It In A Bag or Box!
There’s no shame in using a gift bag, especially when it’s a super pretty one! Using tissue paper that has a decorative edge such as {this scalloped edge tissue paper} takes it to the next level!
Or you can buy pretty gift boxes that don’t require any wrapping such as these white and gold scalloped edge beauties (I got these a few years back from Target – they have beautiful new designs every Christmas – check them out {here}):
I try to wrap as I go throughout the holiday season so I have pretty presents to put under our tree and sprinkle around our home too:
Where to Buy Gorgeous Gift Wrapping Supplies
My four favorite sources for gift wrap, ribbon, and boxes are (1) The Container Store – every year they have a Gift Wrap Wonderland section that has gorgeous wrapping paper and ribbon options along with lots of fun little embellishments. The only downside? It’s pricey! I also find a lot of great supplies at (2) Target – especially online where they have better selection than in the store. My favorite things to buy at Target are their beautiful decorative boxes from Sugar Paper – you can see their current offerings {here}.
I also find lots of great wrapping paper and ribbon online at (3) Amazon. A few current favorites are {these plaid wrapping papers} and {these darling kraft papers}. They have a huge selection of ribbon too! And last but not least I’ve found some of the cutest papers at (4) Minted – you can see their current holiday gift wrap options {here}.
I hope you all picked up a new trick or two to use on your presents this season! When you’re buying your gift wrap, ribbons, and other supplies this season keep in mind that…
- Wire-edged ribbon works best for making bows because you can shape it to make your bows full and the tails wavy.
- If you’re using glitter paper like {this gold glitter wrap} I used, regular tape won’t hold well. In the past I’ve always used my hot glue gun to stick down the ends of glitter paper but for the first time this year I tried {this double sided clear super tape} and it works really well too! So if you get glitter papers like one of the three that I used, be sure to have a glue gun or super tape on hand.
- If you wrap your presents early, you can use your presents to decorate your home for the holidays! Along with putting them under the tree, you can stack pretty presents on shelves, use them as coffee table decor, few small presents sticking out of the stockings hanging from your fireplace mantel, or even stack a few in a chair or two:
Happy wrapping!
Kelley Nan says
Holy cow, this is one of my favorite posts ever. And I wish I had been your client! 1. I just gave up on my glitter paper (I literally unwrapped a failed gift and swore off glitter paper until now). 2 your embellishment ideas are amazing.the clips?! 3. Your double long ribbon- genius! I’ll admit, I didn’t know they had all that gorgeousness hiding in their organization heaven. Ok- so to enter, I will say my favorite tradition is riding around in pajamas with hot chocolate to look at lights!
maryann says
This post was perfect timing for me as I am getting ready to wrap this weekend. Love all of your ideas Kris ~ thank you! My favorite holiday tradition is unpacking and displaying my collection of nutcrackers – over 50 of them! Each one has a special meaning or story and even my teenagers are eager to help. Thanks again for the wrapping inspiration!
Dana says
My favorite holiday tradition is going to see The Nutcracker.
Bree says
Kris I LOVE your ideas for gift wrap!!! I would have never thought of some of these things and I always appreciate your great tips!! As always thanks for the inspiration ?
Angie Riley says
Wonderful post on wrapping special gifts. My daughter wrapped all my gifts when she was young, and she was amazing! Such wonderful memories! My children are older now and spread all over the country so traditions have had to change over the years. But we still manage to all be together Christmas morning for a big brunch. We then retire into the family room and watch “29th Street”, one of our favorite Christmas movies about the first New York lottery winner. Since we are half Italian, it really hits home. Thank you for sharing your talents once again, Kris!
Fira says
I absolutely love this post. Such beautiful choices on color of paper and the rest of wrapping pieces!
Our favorite tradition is to pile up with kids in the car, make some hot chocolate to go, and drive around the neighborhood looking at people’s Christmas house lights! So fun and doesn’t break the budget)))
Val says
So fun!!!! I️ don’t have just one, but wrapping presents and watching Home Alone 1&2 with my daughter is totally a ‘thing’! I️ love The Container store….it’s perfect!
Mandie says
Christmas movies and hot chocolate with the kids and midnight Christmas donuts at the donut shop downtown!
Karen Houston says
One of our favorite Christmas traditions is to go to the tree farm the day after Thanksgiving to cut down our tree. We walk a good bit of the farm to find the perfect tree. And even though our children are grown and have moved out they always come home to pick out our family Christmas tree. Also, we have been collecting the name of our extended family on ornaments for the past 33 years. We have 30+ names on our tree! It truly is our family tree.
Karenann says
My favorite holiday tradition is giving my entire family new Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve. We all change into them and sit around the fireplace enjoying hot cocoa and Christmas cookies, waiting for Santa to arrive!
Mary says
Love getting out my vintage shiny brite ornaments and remembering them on my grandma’s tree.
Chrissy says
Love all of your ideas… you’ve got the natural knack for making everything look extra special – beautiful display!!!!
One of my favorite traditions is making breakfast casseroles and potatoes on Christmas Eve… we all eat after presents and when family pops over on our lazy morning everyone can enjoy some!!
Jen says
Fabulous gift wrapping ideas! We actually have a Container Store in the next town and love shopping there, especially this time of year. Great for buying gifts!
Maree Sperle says
Our family’s favorite holiday tradition is baking cookies for friends and family. We have a special sweet potato, raisin and pecan cookie that has become our Christmas cookie that we save for the holidays. We get our tins from the Container Store because they have so many shapes and sizes that fit our cookies perfectly.
Your presents look amazing.
E.J. says
Your gifts look amazing! I too, love to wrap when “time ” makes an appearance.
We have four children,and have always had an ornament with each child’s name hand lettered on the front. As each got married, the spouse ornament was added. Now we have “the grands ” and each has a baby shoe ornament with name and birth date hanging on our tree.
Thanks again for all your decor ideas!
Susan Barney says
Our holiday tradition is to make German Potato Soup….a tradition that my in-laws started more than 30 years ago. We share the soup with our friends and family. Great post with simple ideas that look amazing!
Ruthie says
We create a fun hunt for our grandchildren with rhyming clues (my husband is a genius!) we hide around the house. At the end, a family gift is revealed. When they were young, we once placed the clues on Mickey ears. The gift was a trip to Disney! Our grandkids are teens now but still look forward to this tradition.
Mary Duvall says
One of my favorite traditions is the White Elephant gift exchange with my gigantic family. You never know what is going to show up and it usually ends with people in hysterics. One year, someone brought a bust of Shakespeare! It was a hot item!
Amy Kaminski says
Wowza!! Beautiful packages. Thanks so much for the inspiration! My favorite family tradition is our big Christmas morning breakfast – which is usually in the afternoon after we’ve finished opening presents. 🙂 It’s usually dishes that we only have on Christmas morning which makes it special to all of us.,…..and it tastes so good. Then we all crash for a little nap. 🙂
Karen says
I love all your posts! My favorite Christmas tradition is the gathering of as many of the family as we can to share the holiday together. We are spread out all over the country, but have always gathered in mass for Christmas holidays. All of us pitch in to prepare the meal and throughout the day we play a variety of games together. Many wonderful memories made every year.
Babette says
Wow, these are awesome ideas!! I never thought about wrapping my excess paper around the gift!! That is so thrifty!!! I love the double bow!! I’m definitely going to try that this year!! My favorite Christmas tradition is to go with our kids and pick out our live Christmas tree. Then we listen to Christmas music and decorate it!
Diana Lucas says
What a great post-I love your tips! The Container Store has been my go to for wrapping Christmas presents for years. One of our favorite traditions is to eat dinner by candlelight while listening to Christmas carols and then go for a drive together to look at beautiful Christmas lights. Merry Christmas!
Yasmine says
What a great post! I love Container Store. We drink hot chocolate and watch Christmas movies!
Kellie says
Kris, I always love seeing what you are busy with! You always have great ideas that inspire! Love the gift wrapping tips! Would love to see a tutorial on how you did the ribbon in your Christmas tree…it is absolutely beautiful!! Our family loves to look at Christmas lights each year. We have several fabulous neighborhoods that go all out and it’s fun to grab a hot cocoa and take it all in. With teenage boys it’s just enjoyable to capture them for a few hours!
Liz says
I agree! Please share your tips on putting the ribbon on your tree and making it look fantastic.
Denise says
SOOO much prettier than my tried and true stick on bows! Seriously beautiful and attainable for clutzes like me.
Rae Endreola says
What a beautiful job wrapping!! My favorite Christmas tradition is a cookie swap party. I did it with my mother, then my kids and now the grandkids. Each family brings a batch of their favorite cookies and the recipe and I have sugar cookies for everyone to decorate. The prettiest one gets a prize.
Peggy says
Beautiful post with great ideas. I have used brown craft paper for years–my family calls is my “signature paper:)
Glenda Sims says
The Container Store is great! Our family tradition is gathering as many friends and family members who can join us for Christmas dinner.
Vonda Laffey says
Hi, Kris! For years now my sisters and I bring a variety of things to swap – purses, socks, makeup, hair products, fragrances, etc. This helps us clear out unused/unwanted items and come home with different stuff to use/wear! Things that don’t get swapped get donated. It’s sometimes more exciting than the actual gift exchange! Happy Holidays
Kimberly Wood says
I love wrapping gifts too. A sweet friend hosts an annual gift wrapping party during the holidays – she supplies the paper, ribbons, tags and embellishments. She’s an awesome bow maker and will whip out bows for her guests. It’s so fun gathering with friends & wrapping together. ❤️??
Angelle says
About two weeks before Christmas one of our favorite family traditions is pulling each other’s names randomly out of a hat to see who we will give a gift to. No one shares who they are shopping for. Every person in the family has a limit of $20 (my husband and I provide the money for everyone). We all go to Walmart or Target and allow 30 minutes for shopping. Then we go in different directions to shop for the person we randomly picked. No fair paying over the $20 limit. We meet up at the front of the store then go out to dinner and give the gifts (wrapped in the store bags) to one another. It’s always fun to see the creative gifts chosen and even more enjoyable racing around the store hoping you don’t run into the person you’re shopping for.
Linda Rigger says
Our favorite tradition is having Brandy Alexander’s on Christmas Eve after dinner while enjoying family time and exchanging gifts. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the container store. All my closets and pantry were designed by them. They keep me organized and really utilize my space efficiently. Our grown children have since continued to have their closets, laundry room, offices, garages, basement storage, etc, done by the container store. Top notch company and products! Wouldn’t use anything else!
Penny says
What beautiful gift wrapping ideas. I am a red and green gal, and I like printed kraft wrapping papers. I love making my own gift tags and I use the Christmas cards I receive each year to make tags and new cards for the next year, as well as scrapbook tags.
Our tradition is that I make candy and cookies for gift giving. We open gifts on Christmas morning, then gather in the evening with other family for dinner. I like to fix something that morning to hold us over and this year it’s eggnog French toast with apple brandy-caramel sauce.
Thank you for sharing all your wonderful decorating ideas with us all year long!
Lindsey Murphy says
I love making cookies & sharing them with friends and family. Thanks, Kris. I love your blog!
Carolyn Hatfield says
I enjoy all your posts full of so many great ideas, suggestions, and shopping advice. For those of us who are not artful, you are a real inspiration. My favorite Christmas tradition is hanging the handmade ornaments made by my grandmother 50 years ago. I have stored them carefully all these years and they are just as beautiful today as the day she made them. Takes me back to my childhood.
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Tamara says
Kris, your ideas are genius! I’m working on a gift wrap post and I am so inspired by all of these amazing details you covered! My favorite tip is using the scraps – that is so smart and takes the gift to a whole new level! I love all of the beautiful choices The Container store offers – your gifts are all so perfectly coordinated! You are so good my friend!! xo
Jill Spencer says
I love the Container Store gift wrap, too! I have been using it exclusively for years. My favorite holiday tradition is Christmas Brunch with my family.
Karina says
Beautiful gift wrapping ideas! I wish I had that kind of wrapping dedication! My favorite Christmas tradition is the tree decorating…listening to good music and spending time with family.
Cindy says
Favorite game for guests! Ask each guest to write down how many ornaments are on the Christmas tree. The closet to correct wins a small gift!
People love it and it gets everyone looking at your beautiful tree!
Schae says
Beautiful ideas! I haven’t started gift wrapping yet, but I’m extra motivated now!
My favorite Christmas tradition is celebrating with family friends on Christmas Eve. Church, soup and appetizers, a gift swap, and games until late in the night make for a day that we all look forward to every year…and it just so happens to be my husbands birthday too!
Charlotte says
Love your gift wrapping ideas. Wrapping gifts is my favorite thing to do at Christmas, too and I’m always looking for ideas to take them up a notch. Will definitely borrow some of yours. My favorite Christmas tradition is wrapping presents and watching a Christmas movie, or baking cookies from old family recipes. Thanks for all the inspiration. merry Christmas!
Kathi says
My favorite tradition is our Christmas dinner with family. I make a rib roast along with many sides and desserts.
I’ve never tried The Container Store gift wrap, but I would certainly like to.
Charlene says
Very creative ideas! Love them all,especially using leftover scrap paper in a thoughtful way.
My favourite Christmas tradition is making Christmas morning breakfast casserole with my family, after opening our gifts.
Shelley Anderson says
I love all of your beautiful wrapped gifts! I’m one of those that love to give beautifully wrapped gifts and I also love to receive a beautiful wrapped gift. It just makes the gift all the more special to me. You can take the simplest gift and wrap it with gorgeous paper, ribbons, ornaments or such and it will bring a joy to that someone special.
For the past five years I have wrote numbers on each family members gifts and then the grandchildren try to guess who’s is who’s. That makes it even more exciting for everyone!
I can just imagine how gorgeous my Christmas gifts to my beloveds are going to be wrapped if I win this wonderful gift from The Container Store. Thank you for this giveaway & Merry Christmas!
Vanessa Powell says
Great gift wrapping ideas! Your wrapped gifts and tree look beautiful.
Our favorite tradition is on Christmas Eve is to watch “Wonderful Life” with just the glow of the Christmas tree lighting the room.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Savvyshopper says
Kris,
Wonderful post! I guess this is one thing where we’re not alike. I can’t wrap gifts to save my life! I noticed your ribbon on the tree, and would love a tutorial on that too. Mine is just wrapped around the tree, but I love how you have what appears to be a randomness of ribbon. Do share please!
Debra Bartels says
My favorite Christmas tradition is baking cookies with my grandson just like my grandmother did with me. Will be using some of your beautiful gift wrapping ideas.
Donna says
Just what I needed TODAY! We are wrapping tonight, and WOW! you gave me some great ideas. Going to get some supplies right now. One of our favorite traditions is going out to eat with two other couples and exchanging gifts with them. We’ve been friends with each other for 27 years.
sherrie hodgins says
Hanukkah starts early this year – December 12 so my gifts are all purchased, wrapped, shipped or hidden away already! I could sure use some storage containers for post holiday clean-up! Thanks for your helpful and beautiful posts!
Jodi Borsa says
I also love to wrap gifts! You gave me a ton of ideas on how to change things up in the gift wrapping dept. 😉 I really like the idea of using a chalk pen on the gifts. Thanks so much for this post!
Rosa Garrett says
Kris, your packages are beautiful! Each Christmas eve, our church has communion set up all day. We go as a family before going to my mother’s for gift opening and snacks. I would love to win the gift card. Thanks so much for the chance.
Sara says
There’s a reason yours is my favorite blog, and this post is it… So much inspiration! My favorite tradition is driving to my sister’s on Christmas eve ‘the back way’ through the woods on a trail. We take my four-wheel drive and it is the most beautiful snowy wonderland.
Angie T. says
Just beautiful and so clever….you’re ideas are always so good!!! My favorite tradition is going to church on Christmas Eve and singing Silent Night with only candlelight! It’s so beautiful and definitely puts me in the Christmas spirit. Angie T.
JaLea Corte says
quick question.
i have never been a fan of using ribbon trees -thought it looked really stupid but i do like the way you have done yours. did you drape it or did you cut small pieces and make it look like bows poking their heads out?
I do like your gray/silver shades on the tree. very classy.
Shelly Mathes says
All of this goodness with all of this wrapping and adornments, just lovely. So many great ideas! Thanks
Samantha says
Kris – these wraps are spectacular!! Your creative embellishments are simple, but take that gift from OK to a whole new level!! Thank you for sharing!! My favorite Christmas tradition is christmas stockings, Most families “do” stockings, but – my husband & I always snuck in to our children’s bedrooms late Christmas Eve night & left the stocking next to or on the foot of their bed. That way, they could open the stocking as soon as they woke up in the morning, & hopefully (most of the time), the waking of US parents (& their siblings) would be delayed just a little while!! YAY for extra sleep!! In addition, now that our children are all grown & 1 has two children of his own, we still do stockings! We decided that Christmas is really for the children, but I continue to fill stockings for my grown kids! I gather small gifts all year, & include a pertinent magazine & gift card – spending between $50 – $75 on each stocking. I even ship the filled stockings to the out-of-town children (& their spouses). It is something they love, & it keeps us connected at Christmas, even when we cannot be together!
Michelle says
Christmas cookies…trying a new kind each year!
Jeanne says
Your tree is just beautiful. Would love to know how you made the ribbon weave in and out of the tree. Your “do-able” suggests for decorating gifts is gorgeous. Thanks for the ideas!
Kathy Cordova says
Love this post! So creative! One of our favorite traditions is giving pajamas and opening them on Christmas Eve so everyone is in new jammies on Christmas morning.
Jennifer says
I love all of your ideas Kris! Thanks for all of the gorgeous closeups! That gift bag is so pretty! Great post!!!
Rhonda says
Our traditions are evolving since the children are getting older. Our day starts a little later now, but we still have the traditional brunch and then open presents. We still love spending time together!
Rachel says
Love your gift wrapping ideas. We love to chill at home and watch Christmas movies.
Crystal Craig says
Thank you for posting the beautifully wrapped presents. I tend to run out of ideas for wrapping presents. With seven grandchildren and many other family members and friends, we certainly do a lot of wrapping! Our family (grown with children) enjoys opening gifts at our house on Christmas Eve morning and have brunch, that way, they have the evening free to spend with their other grandparents , go to Church and can open gifts from Santa on Christmas morning. We all gather at our house again on Christmas evening to share a meal with extended family. Merry Christmas and happy Holidays to you and yours!
Angie Morgan says
Thanks for all the great ideas! My favorite Christmas tradition is the family getting together to make Christmas cookies. Mom makes and rolls outs butter cookies for all the kid to decorate. There’s such a huge mess at the end but lots of proud smiles as they show their cookies off. It wouldn’t be the same without that every year. Thanks for the giveaway chance – so awesome!
Elaine says
My favorite holiday tradition is putting on our matching Christmas aprons with my boys and making Christmas cookies together.
Debbie Welchert says
Every year we like to get everyone in the van and drive to the city to see all the beautiful Christmas decorations and then on the way home we drive around our little town looking at all the beautiful Christmas lights before we go home.
Cece says
Thank you for all the beautifully created inspiration, and giving me a sneak peek of your blog readers favorite Christmas traditions. My childhood traditions were driving the back roads with my grandfather to seek out our greenery deep into the wilds of the Florida woods, and see the houses lit with Christmas lights along the way. We would bring a tree home to decorate and my Nana would always create some sweet or salty treat with hot chocolate (floating marshmallows of course) waiting for us when we arrived. Today I long for the simplicity and scents of my “long ago…” so I recreate these memories each year by hunting down nature’s best at farm and nursery stores, and pack up our car with goodies to go on the adventure of Christmas findings! Simple white twinkly lights and the smell of the tree is all I need for the holidays. Ok, and maybe something chocolaty? [ Thank you for including me in your Container Store giveaway! ]
Sara Petrus says
Beautiful tree and wrapping! My favorite tradition is finding traditional Old World ornaments for my children and grandchildren. Every year, I give them a new ornament. We have done this for more than 20 years. When they are on their on, decorating their tree, they have a substantial collection of personal ornaments picked for them over the years.
Lauren says
Love this post! The tree is stunning too! My husband and I complete a holiday activity each day leading up to Christmas. We started it many years ago, and it’s one of our favorite traditions. Some nights we drive around looking at lights, we might watch a holiday movie, or donate our time for a cause. We have made so many memories.
Lorelle Hendricks says
We started the Christmas Eve tradition of having crab legs and chocolate fondue for dinner the first Christmas we were married. Now, forty years, 3 kids, 3 kid in-laws, and one grandchild later we save up for the crab legs for a month and melt lots more chocolate!
Annemarie says
Loved this post and I even saw some of the gift wrap I purchased from the Container Store already. I will be using some of your tips – especially using scraps of my favorite paper the way you showed it on the rectangular package. Our favorite holiday tradition is Christmas Brunch with the same favorite dishes my children have loved since they were little. They are all grown and married now with in-laws in different parts of the country so Christmas Brunch may be the week before Christmas or New Years day, or something in between but it’s being together and the tradition of the favorite foods that makes it wonderful.
Beverly Hayes says
Every Christmas we make bread baskets/platters for sale! I include a cutting board, a bread knife, a jar of local honey and a special treat. I wrap everything in beautiful cellophane with a gorgeous bow, a Christmas ornament, and a gift tag. I obviously bake the bread–it is the best recipe for whole wheat bread, I promise! For pics of my baskets, you can check out my Simply Wheat Facebook page.
or simplywheatbread.com. Love your ideas for gift wrapping presents. I am going to the Container store to check it out!
Kathryn says
I just discovered The Container Store’s wrapping paper and I LOVE it!!! I’ll be a repeat customer forever!
Our favorite Christmas tradition is everyone getting in their Christmas jammies and watching all of the old holiday shows (we have DVD’s!), like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, etc. We start around 3p and end the night with Christmas Vacation. We plan dinner to be easy (pizza or a table full of appetizers) and we hang out all afternoon/night. Our girls are in college and still ask when we are planning Jammie Day. It’s the best night of the holiday season!
Kimberly says
Such adorable wrapping ideas! Thank you for sharing. One of my favorite traditions is picking out the tree with my boys and decorating it while listening to Christmas music or watching Elf and laughing at all of the ornaments the kids made as little boys!
Bethany K says
I love to make Christmas Cookies with my kids!
Nicki says
Thank you for sharing your wonderful wrapping ideas. Our family gathers at my daughter’s house on Christmas Eve for dinner and a white elephant gift exchange. Our family is so into tradition and we tried to change things up a bit. However, our teenage kids didn’t want anything different. The best part of the tradition is the love and laughter that flows amongst us.
Diana Kotecki says
Love all your clever ideas. I never thought of using a chalk pen and writing on a package. Ingenius! I’m also going to try the layering of ribbons. So pretty!
Ashleigh Hall says
Oh my gosh!! I love all of your Christmas wrapping! So beautiful!! AND I just had to hop on over to The Container Store to get some of my own! I love all of the tie-ons and embellishments! So fun! My favorite Christmas tradition is volunteering with my family at the local homeless shelter to serve others!! So rewarding and makes us ALL so grateful for the blessings we have! Thanks for the chance to win! Have a blessed holiday season!
Kathy Kern says
Great post! Thanks!
My favorite holiday tradition is visiting a botanical gardens near me.
Longwood Gardens is a beautiful place and gives me lots of decorating ideas.
Wendy J says
I absolutely LOVE wrapping presents, too! Loved your ideas in this article. One of my favorite Christmas traditions is to make fresh wreaths and winter-themed floral arrangements to decorate the house. Oh, we also love baking different varieties of holiday cookies and giving them away to friends and family.
Kristen says
Instead of a star or an angel, we put always put a yellow light at the top of the tree so Santa Mouse can find his way to our house. (it’s from a children’s book)
Colleen says
Watching Christmas movies and drinking hot chocolate!
Jody K says
Boy, could I use the container store gift certificate! We have a tradition of getting together with our grown children for brunch on Christmas morning. The kids look forward to dad’s spinach croissants among other things.
Lisa says
Kris, your tree is so beautiful! I love the gorgeous ribbons you used and the color palette! And who knew you were a professional wrapper? These are SUCH great ideas and all your gifts look so pretty. I think you need to get your biz going again!
Becka says
I love to have the whole family pile in the car and look at Christmas Lights. Great post, lots of inspiration!
Leigh Braswell says
I have always loved giving ornaments as Christmas gifts. I’ve gotten each of my children and grandchildren their own special ornament for every year they’ve been here and when my older children married and left home they got to choose which ornaments they wanted to take with them to start their own ornament collection (leaving one or two for Mom!). I even give my hairdresser an ornament every year. Last year I decided to do something different because I thought she might be getting bored with the same thing year after year. She’s been doing my hair for over 10 years. She was so disappointed. She said, “But you get me an ornament every year!” LOL!! Back to that tradition.
Debbie says
Love this post! Packages and your tree are all very pretty. In fact, everything you touch is beautiful! One of my favorite traditions is to sit down on Christmas Eve and watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” with my hubby while sipping hot cocoa or spiced apple cider. Merry Christmas to you and your family and thank you for the give away!
Sue says
Love your wrapping tips! We love to watch National Lampoons Christmas Vacation every year on Christmas Eve. So reminds us of our family and the similar traditions we have.
Liz says
Kris, these ideas are very inspiring. You have a way of making everything beautiful! My favorite tradition is drinking some great wine while I wrap all of our gifts.
Jessica Jesse says
My fave holiday tradition since I was little is my parents and me and my little brother would bake cookies or some other tasty treat on christmas eve and then when the treats were baked and ready to be eaten we would sit around the christmas tree while either my dad or mom would read The Bernstein Bears’ Christmas Tree and The Night Before Christmas. We still do the same thing but now with more addtions to the family ?
Sue Cox says
Those are some of the prettiest gift wraps I’ve seen–well done you. My favorite holiday tradition is wrapping gifts (yes, truly) while listening to my Christmas CDs with a glass of champagne close at hand. I love Midnight Mass, too. Last year I was staying with friends in England and we walked through their small village to the local church where we were all given candles to hold during the service. The lights were low and the candlelight was magical.
Lisa says
My favorite “alone” tradition is wrapping presents leisurely. My favorite “together” tradition is driving around, looking at lights in our pajamas! Christmas music on, laughing, big eyes! Merry Christmas and thank you for the opportunity.
Ginger says
Loved all of your ideas. I also love all the pretty packages under my tree. My kids are all grown and are spread out over the country so it is really hard for everyone to get together. Last year, I took the family to Hawaii over the Thanksgiving week. We loved it and have so many wonderful memories. Only problem was that I didn’t have any gifts to wrap and put under the tree. Also, I didn’t get to see any of my kids during Christmas. Pretty SAD time!!! This year I will see one of my children but I do have gifts to wrap and put under my tree. Our favorite tradition has always been trimming the tree and decorating while we watch “White Christmas” with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. Wonderful movie that puts you in the mood for Christmas!!!
Barbara Swoyer says
My favorite holiday tradition, by far, is baking. I also love using natural greenery inside and outside of the house to decorate.
Keri says
I’m also known for my creative and “upscale” gift wrapping during the holidays (and really ANY time, ANY gifts). Loved your post. Our tradition is to wear elf hats/glasses/shirts and watch the movie ELF together. We all have the movie memorized now and it’s so funny to hear everyone quote-along! I mean, what’s not to like about watching a grown man run around in yellow tights spreading “Chistmas Cheer” for 90 minutes every Holiday Season?!
Maureen Hansen says
my favorite holiday tradition was, as a child, sitting at the dining room table with my older brother and younger sister, and playing the guessing game of trying to find the ornament by describing the colors…..simple pleasures of children!
CHERIE c SABATINI says
In the spirit of ‘gift wrapping’ – I select a different wrapping paper for each family member’s gifts. I do not put name tags on the gifts which prevents the kids from examining/sneaking into their gifts. I’m the only one that knows which gift wrap goes to which family member. My challenge is to remember the specific wrapping paper for each person
Amanda Pazzo says
I love this post and The Container Store!
Fav holiday traditions – when we get out our ornaments, we remember where each one came from (we buy them as our ONLY souvenirs on family vacations) or who made it and when (lots of crafting memories when my boys were younger :). Another tradition, cheesy Hallmark movies – who can resist???
Merry Christmas!
Celeste Oxford says
My girls and I put on our matching Christmas jammies & get to open 1 present on Christmas eve. I always like to coordinate my gift wrap with the theme of my tree.
Ashley Roth says
Love all things Container Store! My favorite tradition is baking cookies with my daughter who is 6 and nieces.
Mischelle Arbelaez says
My mother always wanted “theme” wrapped presents- one year everything had to be wrapped in solids and stripes only, the next year only paper with christmas ornaments, etc. I love burlap so I had a “burlap only” wrapping theme – which didn’t turn out so well since burlap is not the easiest material to work with….but I applauded my effort and a few turned out really gorgeous. The rest had “hints of burlap” as a bow/ribbon/decor on the package. I LOVE your ideas and will steal them for future gift wrapping sessions and the Hallmark channel binge watching!
Kallee Pollmann says
One of my favorite holiday traditions is buying mini gingerbread house kits and decorating them as a family.
Megan Wade says
I love decorating Christmas cookies with my daughter and nieces and nephews. And wrapping gifts!
Donita Romero says
I’ve never thought of layering ribbon, that looks so elegant! I too like to color coordinate the gift wrap and home decor for the holidays. I just love wrapping my gifts and staging them around the tree and house. A few years ago I got lazy with my homemade bows and now I just use toole. Toole is easy to form, comes in so many colors and they have sparkly toole now too.
Linda Schooley says
This post inspired me to get creative. I like to set up a table out of the way in a guest room so that everything I need for wrapping is instantly available. I have ribbons, boxes, paper, tags, tapes, etc. all in cute boxes or baskets to make it feel like the special event that it is!
Anne Pik says
After visiting family, it’s Christmas movies, hot chocolate & being warm & toasty at home.
A D Coletta says
Wrapping gifts while watching the classic holiday Christmas shows and drinking mulled cider!
Jody says
I, too, enjoy watching a collection of movies while wrapping gifts, and our college-age daughter has continued the tradition, heading over to my 82 year-old mom’s house to help her wrap her gifts.
Our family tradition is that Santa Claus comes while we are at 5:00 p.m. church service on Christmas Eve.
Cathy St. Louis says
Our favourite holiday tradition is Christmas baking from multiple generation old recipes.
Dawn Kuc says
My favorite Christmas tradition is spending it with my family!
Natalie says
Gorgeous presents! And great tips on wrapping, all super easy! My favorite Christmas tradition has always been decorating the tree – my brother and I loved unwrapping all the ornaments and giving them their place on the tree, each one has their own “story” and made it special!
Denise Potter says
I love wrapping presents that coordinatenincolor story or theme to what the present is- for other celebrations like birthdays etc. but for Christmas we are pretty simple. We have 17 grandkids and start with the youngest each present opener has to sit in a special chair and we all watch them open their gift. Yes it takes a while, but it is worth it.
Joanna says
I love to wrap gifts! I sit on the floor with all my presents, wrapping paper and accoutrements, my Christmas in the background, and a rum & eggnog. Oh, it’s a merry time!
Love all your wrapping tips! That gift bag would make any gift special and the recipient can use it next year (recycling – bonus).
Christmas is all about traditions. Cutting down our fresh tree and coming home to hot chocolate. Driving around looking at all the Christmas lights. Christmas Eve church, Christmas morning stockings while Bing sings those old Christmas songs, and a big turkey dinner that leaves is all too full to move.
Nancy Dempsey says
My favorite Christmas tradition is baking the nut rolls that have been enjoyed by my family for decades. Lots of work and great memories.
Thanks for sharing the gift wrapping ideas. I especially like numbers seven and eight. I think I’ll have to give them a try!
Danielle England says
We have a tradition of making ornaments out of felt. This year my son and I made polar bear ornaments with scarves on. So cute.
Julie Spear says
This is the best wrapping how-to post EVER! No wonder they loved your beautiful gifts, so many clever ideas here – plus i am always LOVE sparkly metallics, so i totally indulge that weakness for the holidays! My favorite holiday tradition is decorating our tree with ornaments we have had since my 3 (grown) boys were babies, and so many that they made when they were little! They love pulling them all out, finding their favorites, and sharing our memories…i hope they will always come home and do this with me – and then bring the future grandbabies!!
Alison Lawrence says
Merry Christmas and thank you for encouraging your readers to share their traditions! What great ideas! Crafting cards and small gifts for Meals on Wheels recipients has become my favorite holiday tradition. At the library where I work, patrons of all ages gather one night each December to “craft for a cause”. It always puts me in the holiday spirit.
Lucy Whitehead says
Love your wrapping ideas! At our house we know the Christmas season is here when we receive our wreath from my sister-in-law. She has been sending them for years and it’s how our decorating begins.
Anne says
I love to wrap presents and really enjoyed seeing your wrapping ideas! I am always on the lookout for inexpensive ornaments that I can use to embellish presents when wrapping!
One of my family’s traditions was to have my dad wrap a present that we were allowed to open early IF we could guess what it was by reading the clues he had prepared for each day during the week leading up to Christmas. We rarely guessed, but his clues were always genius! He continued the tradition with the grandchildren until he passed away. When my grandchildren get older, I hope to carry on this tradition!
Cope Kamlowsky says
Favorite Christmas tradition – early mass on Christmas Eve, followed by family dinner, and everyone gets to open one gift! Christmas morning breakfast of “monkey bread” and opening gifts, then later brunch and the best Bloody Marys ever made by my oldest son! The rest of the day is spent chillin’ with the family and enjoying our time together!
Stephanie R says
Decorating the tree while listening to Christmas music
Deb says
Love your wrapping tips!
One of my favorite new traditions is going to the craft fair in Frederick MD with friends on Black Friday to do some Christmas shopping. There are many handmade items like jewelry and a ton of small businesses selling their wares with unexpected and unique items that make great and often very useful gifts that I never would have expected to find or even thought of.
Karen Davies says
Inspiring gift-wrapping ideas! My favorite Christmas tradition is decorating gingerbread houses, a tradition that began 15 years ago with my 5-year-old niece and continues today with my grandchildren!
Rebecca Addison says
Love all the gift wrapping ideas! I have always loved wrapping presents at Christmas too..I need to be like you though and wrap as I go so I won’t be dreading the 50th or so present I wrap on Christmas Eve.? I guess my favorite Christmas tradition is putting my nativity up..it just doesn’t feel “Christmas” until I see that sweet scene on my piano.
MONISHA says
A favorite tradition is the day after thanksgiving getting out all of the decorations and decorating the house while sipping on hot cocoa and listening to christmas carols.
maureen richards says
My favorite tradition is going to Macy’s in downtown Chicago to the Walnut Room where a two-story Christmas tree is displayed! The Walnut Room is a classic and iconic restaurant for lunch and it has been operating since the old Marshall Field days.
Kelly says
Oh I used to love going to Chicago for Christmas shopping…glad to hear some of the traditions are still maintained even with corporate changes.
Lisa says
I love wrapping gifts, too and you’ve shared some wonderful new ideas that i’m going to try. Thank you! One of my favorite Christmas traditions is taking Christmas cards to a nearby rehab center and visiting with the residents who don’t have family living nearby. It’s the highlight of my December.
Esther says
Love your gift wrapping ideas. Nowadays, I’m in to gift bags, although they are all color-coordinated.
I have several traditions.1) Making tamales. Family & friends help, & the reward is eating them on Christmas Eve. 2) Giving my 4 godsons their annual Christmas ornaments. They’re now ages 25-37, so they’ve got quite a few! 3) Decorating my own tree using ornaments I’ve inherited from my mom & grandma. Some of them are 80+ years old! And of course, watching It’s A Wonderful Life!
Mary Deckert says
I love all the baking and candy making leading up to Christmas and I use really pretty packaging from the Container Store to gift what I’ve made.
Erin says
You did an amazing job on this post Kris! LOVE it all! XO
Kelly says
One of my Christmas traditions is to bake 10 cookie recipes some new and some old favorites and then make trays for my neighbors and friends. It allows everyone to enjoy the baked goods without over indulging …Love the Container Store gift wraps, wish they would open a store in my town…but like Ikea I will just have to wait and hope.
Danijela says
So beautiful!
Ashley S. says
Taking my daughter to see the nutcracker ballet!
leslie says
A few days before Christmas, we take our three boys out for christmas present shopping for each other, then have dinner at the same restaurant. On Christmas day, I make a “fancy” (according to them!) breakfast, we see a matinee movie (popcorn and candy for lunch!) then we come home to a “fancy” dinner with champagne for us and Martinelli’s for them!
Lori says
I’m in awe of your gift wrapping skills and ideas! On Christmas Eve, my husband and I head to our local SPCA to drop off food, etc. and hang out with the dogs for awhile then on Christmas Day we pack our dogs in the car and head to “grandma’s.”
Audra Taliaferro says
Beautiful gift wrapping! Love The Container Store! I dub it “The Store that has Everything You Never Knew You Needed!!!!”, and when I go in, I usually need it all!!!
My favorite tradition is decorating our kid’s tree. Every year they pick out an ornament to add to it, so it is fun to go through the box of memories!
Cathy says
Our favorite holiday tradition is to attend the Wild Lights light fest every year at the Detroit Zoo! It’s an amazing time for us all! LOVE the holiday wraps AND who knew the Container Store was more than a container store!! I’m on my way there tomorrow!!
Tammy Gilleland says
Love the wrapping paper and ribbon. My favorite was the one with the jingle bell wreath. So beautiful! My favorite Christmas tradition is putting Christmas PJs on my children’s pillows right before we leave for Christmas Eve Service. I wrapped up the PJs and finish the package up with a beautiful ribbon. They always looked forward to coming home. Two of my children are grown and married but I still do it for the twins that are in college and home for Christmas.
Would love an opportunity to win a gift card. What a generous gift!
Tina Moore says
we love watching all of the Christmas Hallmark movies every year
Patti Walsh says
We spend Christmas Eve with old friends and my Dad comes with us. Papa is 96 and the sweetest man! Blessed @walsh1989
Elizabeth says
As always, Miss Kris, everything is just gorgeous, inspirational and doable! And I see you love mercury glass Christmas trees as much as I do! : )
ruby says
yep! my plan, too! Christmas movie, hot cocoa and huge mess of paper, ribbons and ohhh-la-las and taking my time to make each present look special. wrapping presents is one of my favorite Christmas activities, also.
I love when my grandchildren finally arrive and start shaking the boxes. they do it every year.
Mary Beth says
i also like to coordinate my gift wrapping with my trees. The living room tree has a winter wonderland theme this year and I put the gifts that will go with us to my inlaws under that tree. The rest of the presents will be wrapped to go with our red plaid family room tree.
J Brown says
One of my favorite holiday traditions is the fruit cake. I know many people wrinkle their nose at the thought of it, but I love it! Our family version is a white cake that has cream cheese mixed into the batter. And when you soak the fruit overnight in either rum or amerreto, hmmmm. Of course the cake tastes best when mom makes it. Having recently lost my mother, I made it this year and I used one of her tricks, accidentally doubling the fruit.
Karen B. says
Kris,
This is amazing! I love some of your ideas and The Container Store has been my go-to store for gift wrap for years. My friend and I have a tradition of getting up for the sale the day after Christmas and standing in line to pick up some of the Christmas wrap at a great discount.
xo,
Karen
Kimberly says
Your style is off the charts!! I love all these ideas and i love that you keep the ideas simple!!!! All of them are ways of wrapping that i can’t wait to do!
My Favorite holiday tradition is the Family Ladies Tea that I do with my three daughters, and all the ladies in our extended family. It’s a beautiful morning every time and it’s intentional!
Merry Christmas,
Kimberly~
Gayle Green says
Ok, now I am ready to start wrapping. I hope my packages will be as lovely as yours.
Favorite Christmas tradition: Fresh trees, garland and wreaths. I just love the smell! I now put up three fresh trees every year. Each covered with vintage glass ornaments for the 1930″s to the 1950’s.
Ruth L says
Great ideas and I just LOVE the soothing colors in your home!
I love the Christmas season for so many reasons! I think my favorite tradition is attending the Christmas Eve candlelight service at church with family and dear friends, singing my favorite Christmas carols and seeing the light from the Christ candle being passed from person to person until the whole room is filled with the warm glow!
Thanks for inspiring me!
Cyndy Daukantas says
I also love all the decorating for this season! thank you for the wonderful tips on wrapping packages. Your’s are absolutely gorgeous!! Too pretty to unwrap!
Kelly taylor says
our favorite tradition is getting holiday milkshakes then drinking them in the car as we drive around looking at Christmas lights.
Kris Jarrett says
Michelle is our giveaway winner!!! Thank you all of sharing your traditions – I LOVED reading all of them!
LAURA LEIGH STROUD says
BEAUTIFUL ideas…..and just simply gorgeous gift wrapping ideas. I have wrapped a bunch of empty boxes to put under my tree using your ideas….lol.
My favourite tradition…..well…..I have never been married and I have no children. I am fortunate to have both my parents still with me…so I go over every year and spend the entire time with them…just like when I was a little girl. When we get up…My dad goes down and builds a fire..my mom gets me orange juice and a hot tea…..I am not allowed downstairs until the fire is built and everything else is all set. The we go down together as a family. My mom will then proceed to hand out the presents. Brings me back to when I was a little girl….BEST PART….spending it with my PARENTS……PRICELESS !!!!!!
Luisa says
Love
Love your still and the way you make bows look so beautiful. I was wondering, I love the color and theme of your christmas tree and was wondering if you can share where you got the Grey velvet ribbon and the sheer silver one?
Thank
Luisa
Karen B. says
Kris,
There are some really helpful ideas here. I’ve been wrapping as I get the gifts, but it’s nice to see a few new ideas that look pretty and look like fun to create.
Merry Christmas to you and your family. It’s been such a pleasure following you along on your journey. I always learn something new and am inspired with each new post.
Karen
Gail Storti says
I LOVE wrapping gifts and I especially love a beautifully wrapped gift. So I adore all your gorgeous packages and wish I would find them under our tree. I have a wonderful wrapping station my husband made for me and I can’t resist a pretty paper or ribbon. I love the look of glitter paper but hate the results of glitter being everywhere in the whole house. Great post!
Regina says
Thank you for the very beautiful, inspirational, and cost effective gift wrapping ideas! The exquisite photos of the presents and Christmas décor immediately caught my attention. The ribbon layering technique and use of natural elements like the pine cone are brilliant. The method of utilizing plain kraft paper and “gift wrap scraps” is very useful and economical.
Sally says
Absolutely stunning gift wrapping ideas. Thank you for sharing such unique ideas. Perhaps you could also share a small tutorial on how to make your perfect bows. You are truly “gifted” yourself !!
Michelle K says
Beautiful packages! Where can I find unique wrapping paper like yours?
Kris Jarrett says
I get most of my paper from The Container Store, HomeGoods, and Amazon!