Creative Gift Wrapping Ideas (No Bow-Making Degree Required)

Beautifully wrapped gifts look like you planned ahead, had time to spare, and own a glue gun. And it's easy to get carried away: three kinds of ribbon, sprigs of berries, a jingle bell, floral wire, and suddenly you're 40 minutes into wrapping a pair of socks.

Here's the secret: one interesting detail is enough. A sprig of rosemary. A photo instead of a tag. A tea towel instead of paper. Every idea on this page takes a few minutes and uses things you probably already have. We're wrapping a present. Not entering it in competition.

Start With a Simple Base

Use Plain Paper

Kraft paper, white paper, a solid color or a simple stripe makes the perfect background. It lets the ribbon, tag or topper be the star. A roll of kraft paper is cheap, it works for every occasion, and it looks good with absolutely everything.

Pick One Look for All Your Gifts

When all the gifts under the tree match, they look like a display instead of a pile. Choose one combination and stick with it:

• Kraft paper + red ribbon
• White paper + greenery
  
• Red paper + natural twine
  
• Plain paper + colorful tags
  

Or Choose a Color Scheme

Want a little more variety? Pick two or three colors and mix them across paper, ribbon and tags:

• Red, white and Kraft
  
• Green, gold and cream
  
• Blue, silver and white
  
• Red, green and natural brown
  

Everything coordinates, but no two gifts look exactly alike.

Top It Off: One Detail Per Gift

Pick one. Not all of them. One.

Ribbon

Ribbon changes the whole look of a gift. Try velvet for elegant, grosgrain for crisp, satin for shiny, and twine or raffia for rustic. Reuse the good ribbon from gifts you've received. You don't need a giant bow, either. A simple knot with long tails, cut at an angle, looks just as elegant.

A Sprig of Greenery

Tuck a small sprig of rosemary, cedar, fir or pine under the ribbon. It looks gorgeous, smells wonderful and costs nothing if you snip it from the yard. Rosemary does double duty: the recipient can cook with it. On gifts headed to homes with pets or small children, skip holly, mistletoe, eucalyptus and boxwood. They're toxic to pets, according to the ASPCA.

A Pinecone

A small pinecone tied on with twine looks perfect on kraft paper. Gathering them outside? Nature also contains bugs. Bake pinecones on a foil-lined baking sheet at 200°F for about 30 minutes to kill any hitchhikers and melt off the sap. Keep an eye on them, and let them cool before using.

Dried Orange Slices

A dried orange slice tied on with twine, maybe with a sprig of greenery, makes the prettiest old-fashioned package. To make them, slice oranges about ¼ inch thick, blot them dry, and bake on a rack at 200°F for 2 to 3 hours, flipping once, until they're dry and translucent.

One slice. Maybe a cinnamon stick. Seven orange slices, three cinnamon sticks and an entire evergreen branch is drifting toward centerpiece.

A Small Ornament

Tie an ornament onto the ribbon that relates to the person: their hobby, a trip they took, the year, or a family joke. It's a decoration and a little extra gift. Keep it in proportion. A giant ornament on a tiny box looks like the ornament is the present. And keep small, breakable ornaments off gifts for toddlers.

Make the Tag the Decoration

Forget the little sticker tag. Make the tag the star.

• An oversized tag cut from cardstock, an old Christmas card, kraft paper, a child's drawing or decorative paper. Write the name by hand.
• A photo tag. Print a small photo of the recipient instead of a name: a baby picture, a school photo, a funny family shot, last year's Christmas morning. It's adorable for adults (especially childhood photos) and genius for little kids who can't read yet, because they can find their own gifts.
  
• Write right on the paper. Write the name big across the package, add a message, a doodle, a border or a scatter of stars. Big, colorful letters for kids, simple handwriting for adults. Plain kraft or white paper works best.
  

Add Something Personal

The touches people remember cost almost nothing: a handwritten note, a child's drawing, a favorite candy tied to the ribbon, a bookmark, a keepsake, or an inside joke written on the tag. That's the part they'll keep after the paper's in the recycling bin.

Let the Kids Help

Kids Decorate the Paper

Roll out plain kraft or white paper and hand the kids crayons, markers, paint, stamps or stickers. It keeps them busy for an hour, and the wrapping paper becomes the gift. Grandparents love this. They'd frame the wrapping paper if they could.

It's also a great way to use up the stack of children's artwork that comes home from school.

Make Your Own Stamped Paper

Cut a star, a tree or an initial out of a potato or a sponge, or use rubber stamps. Dip it in paint or an ink pad and stamp a loose, random pattern across plain paper. It doesn't have to be perfect. That's the charm.

Wrapping Gifts for Kids

Kids care about one thing: finding their presents. Make it easy with bright paper, their name written huge, a photo tag, or an animal face drawn on the box. A reusable fabric sack with their name on it saves wrapping time every year.

Make the Wrapping Part of the Gift

Wrap It in Something Useful

Try Furoshiki: Japanese Fabric Wrapping

Furoshiki is the Japanese art of wrapping gifts in a square of cloth. No tape, no scissors, and it works on any shape. The basic wrap:

1.     Lay a square scarf or piece of fabric flat and put the gift in the middle, turned diagonally.

2.     Fold two opposite corners over the gift.

3.     Bring the other two corners up and tie them in a knot on top.

4.     Tuck in the ends or fluff them into a bow.

It takes about a minute, and it's especially good for awkward shapes.

Put It in Something Unexpected

Skip the paper altogether and put the gift in a container that goes with it: garden tools in a flowerpot, baking supplies in a mixing bowl, cookies in a tin, spices in a jar, a picnic in a basket.

Give It a Theme

Let the wrapping hint at what's inside:

• A travel gift wrapped in an old map
• Gardening gifts with twine and greenery
  
• A cookbook wrapped in a tea towel
  
• A book with a handmade bookmark tucked under the ribbon
  
• Art supplies with colored pencils or crayons tied on top
  

How to Make Gift Wrapping Look Expensive

It's not the paper. It's the finish. Restraint matters more than cost.

• Measure the paper. You want enough to wrap around the box with about a 2-inch overlap, and enough on each end to cover just over half the box's height. Too much paper makes lumpy, bulky ends.
• Fold the cut edge under about half an inch before you tape it, for a clean line instead of a raw edge.
  
• Use double-sided tape so no tape shows.
  
• Crease every edge. Run your thumbnail along each fold. Crisp edges look professional.
  
• Use good ribbon. Wired ribbon holds its shape. One good roll beats five cheap ones.
  
• Add one detail and a nice tag. Then stop.
  

Wrapping Awkward Shapes

• Soft things (sweaters, scarves): put them in a box, or wrap them in tissue first so they hold a shape.
• Round or odd shapes: use furoshiki, a gift bag, or a cardboard tube from the paper towel roll for small items.
  
• Bottles: a fabric wrap or a cloth napkin tied at the neck.
  
• Really weird shapes: put it in a box. There's no shame in a box.
  

Don't Buy Every Cute Wrapping Supply You See

Tiny bells! Velvet ribbon! Miniature wreaths! Sparkly tags! Suddenly you've spent $47 decorating a $25 present.

Start with what you have: a roll of kraft paper, one or two ribbons, twine, tape, scissors, a pen and the greenery in the yard. That's a complete creative wrapping kit. Keep it all in one place with a simple gift-wrapping station.

When the season's over, keep the good ribbon, sturdy boxes, nice gift bags and cloth wraps, and toss the crushed bows, scraps, and anything you haven't used in two years.

Want greener options? See Eco-Friendly Gift Wrap Ideas.

The Five Rules of Creative Gift Wrapping

1.     Start simple. Plain paper is the best background.

2.     Choose one detail. Greenery or ornament or orange slice. Not all three.

3.     Make it personal. A photo, a note, a drawing.

4.     Use what you already own. Ribbon, scarves, tins, the yard.

5.     Know when you're finished. Put down the ribbon.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I make gift wrapping look more expensive?

Use simple paper, measure it so the ends aren't bulky, fold the cut edge under, use double-sided tape, crease every edge with your thumbnail, and finish with wired ribbon and one decorative detail.

What can I use instead of wrapping paper?

A tea towel, scarf, cloth napkin, tote bag, baby blanket, map, kids' artwork, brown paper bags, or a container like a tin, basket, jar or flowerpot.

How do you wrap a gift without tape?

Use furoshiki: wrap it in a square of fabric, fold two corners over, and tie the other two in a knot on top.

How do you make dried orange slices for gift wrapping?

Slice oranges about ¼ inch thick, blot them dry, and bake them on a rack at 200°F for 2 to 3 hours, flipping once, until dry and translucent.

What are good gift wrapping ideas for kids?

Bright paper, their name written in big letters, a photo tag for kids who can't read yet, animal faces drawn on the box, or a reusable fabric sack with their name on it.

Keep Going

The gifts look gorgeous. Keep the rest of the holidays simple and beautiful with these related guides:

•      Eco-Friendly Gift Wrap Ideas: Greener wrapping that skips the glitter and the trash bag full of paper.

•      Eco-Friendly Gifts: Thoughtful presents that don't cost the earth.

•      Easy Christmas Organizing Ideas: A wrapping station, a gift hiding spot, and decorations under control.

•      Easy Christmas Holiday Tips: Do less, enjoy more, and stop treating December like a competition.

•      Elegant Christmas Decorating Ideas: Simple ways to make the house look expensive, without the price tag.

•      How to Organize Your Holiday Life: One list, one calendar, and a gift budget that holds.

•      How to Keep Holiday Greenery Fresh: Wreaths, centerpieces and the evergreen sprigs on your packages.

•      After-Holiday Green Cleaning: The paper's torn off. Now get the house back to normal.

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.