Fast & Easy Gift Wrapping Ideas

Sharing festive and easy gift wrapping ideas for the holidays that you can do in minutes.

If I lived in a parallel reality, I think my profession would be a gift wrapper. I really enjoy finding easy and creative ways to wrap gifts all year long, not just during the holidays. I have shared many ideas and even have a gift wrapping category here on my blog.

One holiday season when my daughters were little and I wanted to make some extra spending money, I took a part time holiday job wrapping gifts and making pretty ribbon bows at Nordstroms.

So once your shopping is done and it is time to wrap your gifts, here are few ideas to inspire you to wrap your gifts in creative, yet fast and easy style. Some don’t even require gift wrap.

How to Add Style to a Common Confetti Bow

Creative and easy gift wrapping ideas for Christmas

Standard self-adhesive confetti style bows are one of the easiest ways to embellish a gift, but with a few snips you can take this common bow up a notch on the style meter.

Standard gift bow tweak. Creative and easy gift wrapping ideas for Christmas

1. Simply cut each loop open with a pair of scissors.

Standard gift bow hack. Creative and easy gift wrapping ideas for Christmas

It takes on an entirely different look. You can leave it just like this or…

Confetti bow styling. Creative and easy gift wrapping ideas for Christmas

…wire 3 jingle bells together and…

Gift wrapping embellishments to make. Creative and easy gift wrapping ideas for Christmas

…hot glue them to the inside center of the bow. Place on a wrapped gift.

You can also glue on a pretty button into the center of the bow.

Give Money or a Gift Card in Festive Style

fast and festive easy gift wrapping ideas for the holidays

I think everyone enjoys the gift of money. Instead of just sealing the envelope and giving, embellish the envelope first using pom pom or soft ball trim and tacky glue.

Money card giving. Creative and easy gift wrapping ideas

Place the envelope on a flat surface and run a line of tacky glue all along the flap and/or front of the envelope.  Place the trim over the glue and press down, let dry.

TIP: I used my computer word processing program and the font, Introblues to assist me in writing the names on the envelopes in a pretty script. I printed the names out using a 140 point size. I taped the printed name on a window and centered the envelope over the name and traced the letters. I then filled the letters with a marker.

Fun and festive.

The Best Way to Gift Wrap Baked Goods

Home Baked gifts. Bakery boxes to give baked good in

I like to bake around the holidays and give the goodies from my oven to my friends and family. Instead of placing them on a plate covered with foil, I like to use boxes.

These scallop edges on these Scallop Top Bakery boxes make it easy. They come in a few different sizes and colors. I line them with tissue paper and then add the baked goods.  I like the pre-cut notches that make adding the ribbon easy.

TIP: When popping the flattened boxes open, place a piece of tape on the inside bottom of the box. This will help keep them squared.

Scallop bakery box gift boxes

They come with off-white satin ribbon, but I had fun embellishing the boxes in simple ways that anyone can do with supplies you may have on hand.

Fast and easy ways to gift wrap holiday gifts
  • Use markers to outline the scallops and add colored dots.
  • Add a snipped confetti bow and dots using a white Sharpie.
  • Tie-on a chalkboard name tag.
  • Use tulle to attach a paper doily and a white Sharpie to make large dots.
  • Hot glue an old piece of jewelry on the box flap, use a white Sharpie to make dots along the scallops.  Fun Tip: If you scrunch glitter tulle between your hands and hold it over the box, some of the glitter will come off and stick to the box. :-)
Creative and easy gift wrapping ideas for Christmas

I also like donut boxes that come with holes that you can punch out. They are made for ventilation, but I like that fact that you can weave ribbon through the holes to attach the top of the box to the bottom. No gift wrap paper needed, just ribbon and any embellishment you want to add.

Create Gift Package Embellishments With Ribbon

Creative and easy gift wrapping ideas for Christmas
  • Not into bows?  Make your own package embellishment with ribbon, hot glue and an old piece of jewelry, button or flat ornament. Cut 6 strips of ribbon and hot glue them together in the center. Notch ends of ribbon and glue a snowflake ornament on top.
Gift wrapping hacks
Make your own gift wrap

Center and glue on gift.

What Can I Used Instead of Wrapping Paper For Christmas?

Creative and easy gift wrapping ideas for Christmas using felt ribbon
  • If you run out of holiday wrapping paper, but have other wrapping paper available, check the flip side of the paper. If it is white, use the white side to wrap the gift.  Use colorful ribbon and a tree ornament to make the package look festive.
Last minute Christmas gift wrapping idea when you don't have any gift wrap to wrap a gift.
  • If the gift is small, grab a plaid shirt from your closet and lay the back section neatly on your home printer to make a color copy.  Use the print-out to wrap the gift. Plaid is always festive for the holidays.  Make a cutting from an Evergreen shrub in your yard and stick in under a ribbon bow or print out with the receiver’s name on it.
blanket stitched Felt ribbon
  • All year long, look for festive ribbons, papers and embellishments to use to wrap gifts. I save old jewelry, buttons, and Christmas cards to make gift embellish and tags. I also use my computer quite a bit to make tags. I had never used blanket-stitched felt ribbon before.
the best ribbon for bow making
  • It comes in two different widths. It is soft, but molds to any shape you want and bows stay extra perky without being stiff.

A Few More Gift Wrapping Tips:

  • If you have children, keep your Santa wrapping duties less stressful by using a different color/pattern paper for each child. Make a note what paper is for what child as a reference. When you do this there is no need to have to write a gift tag for each gift.
  • Keep all your gift wrapping supplies together in a box or basket, so when the time comes to get the gifts you are giving wrapped, you have all your supplies in one handy place.
Gift wrap storage idea. Toliet paper tube repurposing idea
  • If you have wrapping paper left after all your gifts are wrapped, here is an easy way to keep rolls of wrapping paper neat and tidy. Instead of taping the paper to itself so it doesn’t unroll, save the cardboard tubes from paper towels and toilet tissue. Cut a vertical slit in the tube with scissors. Place slit over rolled gift wrap so the roll does not unravel.
  • If you collect wrapping paper like I do, make a gift wrap organizer and hang in a closet or crafting area in your home.

I hope these easy gift wrapping ideas help you stress-less and be able to enjoy the gift wrapping process.

Creative and easy gift wrapping ideas for Christmas

  • Make the gift wrapping process and event, not a chore. Set your gift wrapping supplies and gifts on a work area or kitchen table, put on some Christmas tunes, whip up a big mug of hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream and wrapping can become quite enjoyable.

Creative holiday gift wrapping ideas that are fast and festive for the Christmas season.

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Christmas gifts wrapped? Check! How about completing the house Christmas decorating projects? Uh oh, better head over to my project gallery.

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20 Comments

  1. Merry Christmas, Diane. Thank you for another year of great posts. As the world of social media changes, so do the wants and needs of the individual reading the post. As I get older, what I read, eat, wear as well as what I buy, have all changed. My main goal is to learn something of value that will improve the quality of my life. Thanks for all you do to meet “my” needs.

  2. Merry Christmas, Dianne! This is a great post about gift wrapping!! I love all the ideas. I also love that argyle gift wrap! I have never seen any paper like that. Wherever did you find it? Honestly, I haven’t noticed any change in sponsored content, whether there is more or less. I just love reading your blog and learning new things, revisiting ideas, or seeing you do things I thought were “unique” ideas I had 🤷‍♀️😂. I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas and you will be able to rest and recharge. We all need that, don’t we. I am looking forward to seeing what you have in store for us in 2024!!

  3. Caye Cooper says:

    Wishing you a most wonderful Christmas, Diane! I’m so glad you are enjoying your precious family especially at this time of year. You deserve a good rest.
    Many thanks for all your sharing throughout the year. It is really appreciated!

  4. Merry Christmas Diane. Enjoy your family and looking forward to your 2024 blog posts.

  5. Diane, You are so creative & talented. I read your post today & will be reading it again to absorb all of the ideas that you shared. Love the creativity that you always have.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Thank you Linda. :-) I always joke that I can’t add 2 + 2 to save my life – my brain is wired way on the other side – the creative side. I feel fortunate that I started a blog where I can share all the ideas that go though my mind with readers.

  6. I’m so disappointed that your blog has become consistent sponsored content. I respect and understand that some sponsored content is absolutely necessary to sustain a blog and make it profitable, but I miss the originality of your old style, and the fresh original ideas. I have been a loyal reader for many years but think I will be moving on. I appreciate all the projects you used to share, and thank you for being an inspiration for many years.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi DL – I realize that I have had a lot of sponsored content the past month as it seems every brand wants to partner in November and the first two weeks of December, but there are a few other things that have changed. One is that bloggers need to disclose in the beginning of our posts now when we work with a brand. We never had to do this before. In the past when I did a sponsored post, you may not have known it was sponsored. So it may seem like more now since the disclosure has to be at the top of the post. Another thing that has changed was when I moved, I lost access to 2 wonderful thrift stores. I took them for granted, since where I live now, the thrift stores don’t have a lot of furniture and fun finds to makeover. I do miss finding a treasure and making it over. The third thing is that I have been blogging for 8 years and the blogging world is saturated…everything has been done. When I think I have a unique idea nowadays, I Google to find there are tons of other sites and blogs that have done it already. It becomes a challenge to write original content. I have a lot planned for the new year now that I am settled in my house and will only have one or two sponsored post a month. I have also been learning how to do videos, so you will start seeing me behind the scenes. I am sad to lose you as a reader, but understand that things change and we all have to find the places that inspire us the most.

  7. Hi Diane! This post is so helpful and FUN! By the way, you just soared to the top of my favorite Christmas people list sporting those fabulous Christmas Tree glasses! You look darling. I bet Ed loves them!! The tiny pom-pom trim on the envelopes is genius! It is the perfect size, looks like snow and so Christmas-y. Those scalloped bakery boxes; how cute! I have always done the plain white box with a tag…never ever thought about it!
    The red blanket stitched ribbon you used to tie your bows is lovely and I would love if you could show us how to tie a bow so perfectly! Have a lovely week!

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Judy – I am so happy that you found inspiration in the wrapping post. I am just starting to learn how to do videos and will make one showing how I make a bow. I take making them for granted, and think everyone knows how. :-) I think the one thing I do is primp after tying the ribbon just as I would a shoelace. Once the basic bow is made, it always needs to be primped and loops pulled to look better. Ed does think the glasses are cute, my sister thinks I need to find a “for real” pair in the same shape. :-) Enjoy your week.

    2. Diane, thank you for all your inspirational posts and all the work you put into them. Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas.

  8. Love the boxes I’ve never seen those before!
    You’re going to have to do a bow tying class, if you haven’t done one I’ve missed, your bow looks so neat and tidy. Hubbies mom use to make bows for a major store, she could whip them out. I was too young to pay much mind. Now I wish I would have lol.

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Mary – I just wrote to another reader that I am learning how to do video and will make one soon and post it showing how to make different types of bows. Stay tuned. :-)

  9. Sheryll $ Critters. says:

    My comments are not posting?

    1. Diane Henkler says:

      Hi Sheryll – I am seeing your comments. There was a big update on WordPress, the blogging platform I use and a few things have been slow to upload.

  10. Sheryll $ Critters. says:

    I love these ribbons, bows and oh my, the gorgeous papers. I too love to wrap gifts. It is so freeing for my soul. I worked in gift wrapping at Montgomery Wards and still think it was the greatest job ever!

  11. Beth Fagundes says:

    I LOVE to wrap presents!! I say the same thing, I wish I could have make a career out of wrapping presents. None of the department stores in my area have a gift wrap department anymore or I would be moonlighting! Thank you for some great ideas to add to my gifts this year.

  12. Totally love all of these ideas! You are so clever by slitting the bow to add the bells and the toliet paper roll to store the paper. Oh my stars. Brilliant. As always, thanks so much for sharing! Susie from The Chelsea Project

  13. LOVE all the ideas
    but my favorite is the snipped bow with the bells inside.
    My mom would take spools of ribbon from 3M when they made them
    and create the most amazing bows.

    1. Hi Diane,
      Thank you for all your clever ideas! I could spend hours reading your blog if I had the time. I don’t care if a post is sponsored or not. If it is a good idea, I am happy to find out about it. I may never re-do the ceilings in my home but I sure found your post about doing your’s interesting. Keep up the good work.

      Merry Christmas to you and your family!