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19 creative gift-wrapping ideas for the holidays

Tips & Tricks

By Tanya Siqueira

Dec 19, 2018

creative gift-wrapping ideas

Cut, fold, stick, crumple and tie your way through these fun ideas to dress up your gifts

What do you do when you’re short on time and need to make your way through a mountain of gifts to customise and wrap? You look us up, of course. The internet can be a befuddling place when it comes to DIY wrapping ideas, everything looks magnificent until you try and recreate the look at home. But we’ve done the homework for you and come up with 19 totally doable ideas that will make your gift-wrapping skills the talk of any party and make your completed works nearly as special as the presents themselves.

There’s nothing that says Christmas like a red and green theme. Contrast bright wreath decoration with a rust red craft paper and add a whole new layer of visual depth and warmth in one go.

While we don’t have the luxury of looking through our backyard for pine cones and fir sprigs, faux natural elements are easily available and can be just as elegant when set against simple brown paper and twine.

You don’t have to have a red-nosed reindeer to make this polka dotted paper stand out. Pick simple sticker dots or get pre-printed paper to start. Next, stencil and cut out card paper reindeers and add different coloured bows for a fun twist!

If you’re any good with a sharpie, this idea is perfect for you. Simply draw or stencil on a car, van or a sleigh and strategically place and tie down a mini tree for effect. With wrapping that’s so adorably Instagram perfect, you might never want to open it up at all.

Since a nip in the air means layering up, why not try this winter look for your gifts too? Layer presents wrapped in brown paper with printed or plain jute or other loosely woven fabric, and complete with matching ribbons or raffia for a very hip look.

Filigreed white doilies aren’t just for your grandma anymore. They’re inexpensive and usually sold in a thick stack that will last you for a while. Simple brown twine and muted red or gold elements are all you need to complete this festive wrapper in a jiffy.

Cheery pom-poms are the perfect topper for winter headgear and in this case, Christmas presents as well. Substitute matching wool for ribbons and this pom-pom palooza is a total stunner. So simple too!

While well-ironed, wrinkle free paper is the norm, crumpled tissue paper has its own charm. The next time you do some high-end shopping, save the sheets and reuse them around the holiday season. Top with simple festive details like a wreath or a bow to complete this easy DIY idea.

Perhaps the easiest way to liven up brown-paper wrapped gifts is learning how to effectively play with other decorative elements. Baker’s twine has many uses and is now available in many colours including glitzy silver and gold. Use it to maximum effect by adding a pop of colour through berries, candy canes or even a beautifully hand-written tag.

Bring together coloured tissue paper, purposefully knotted twine and pretty Gypsophilia. Now add some crackle and pop to it with lightly painted pine cones in a complementary white, silver or gold for a dignified look.

Stationary buffs know exactly how useful these sheets of simple sticker dots can be. Use them for a classy finish to holiday cards or to liven up a quickly wrapped gift in an instant. We went a step further and added a huge hero element by halving and hot-gluing on a honeycomb ball.

Personalising a present takes on a whole new meaning with this simple DIY idea. Print out a shared happy memory or a stunning photo you clicked, scribble your note behind it and stick it on to instantly make any gift shine. We suggest keeping the wrapping paper modest and letting the picture speak a thousand words.

We love things that do double duty and straws are perfect for any number of crafting projects. Pick Christmas themed ones and try this simple layered tree. Switch up the wrapping paper from matte black to glitzy gold for a completely different look around the same idea.

Give simple brown paper wrapped gifts a quick upgrade with faux fir sprigs and contrasting clumps of holly berries. Hold it all together with loosely wound string for a fuss-free and pretty presentation.

Inexpensive yet totally exquisite, we can all agree that origami on packaging is lovely. Beginners should stick to the simpler creations while more experienced crafters can up the ante with challenging, intricate pieces that need both skill and patience to get it just right. The result – mathematical perfection!

You don’t need any serious drawing skills to recreate this fun take on Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. Score a dozen or so of these fluffy pop-poms, complete the sketch and let your kids help you stick them on. Fun for everyone!

For a modern, trendy look try chevron. Pick a large flat side to sprinkle with gold glitter as snow and finish with a single fir tree for a very understated yet tastefully wrapped present.

Try a little pop art referencing and tackle the bold colour clash trend head on. Stick with traditional elements like candy canes, snowflakes and christmas trees that lend themselves perfectly to this fun, lively style. Yellows, pinks, oranges and greens – don’t stop until you’ve tried them all.

Pull out all stops and add some serious glamour to your presents. Play up the look by picking shades of red instead of the usual gold and silver. Try a matte printed paper with subtle metallic higlights and complete it with luscious wine or fire engine red tape, ribbons or bows. Va va voom, indeed!

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