By Splash Packaging TeamHoliday Packaging, Packaging Resources, Sustainability in the Packaging Industry

Creative Ways to Decorate Your Holiday Gift Packaging

Accessorizing your packaging is what creates a completely unique and memorable gift. There are endless ways to personalize your packaging with accessories like ribbon, bows, tissue paper, and many other crafting supplies. This holiday season, make your gift packaging stand out with some of these creative decorating ideas!

Ribbons and Bows

Ribbon is one of the easiest ways to make your gift packaging look beautiful. There are so many types of ribbon to choose from that the options are endless. Ribbon can be wide, thin, made of different materials, have wired edges for creating neat bows, or the ability to be curled into ringlets.

The trendiest types of ribbon to use on your gift packaging this year are twine, natural colors, and striped ribbon. Red and white or black and white striped ribbons and natural brown twine are stylish options for decorating your gift boxes. Buffalo plaid is also a popular choice for packaging decoration this year.

Bows are another obvious choice for decorating your packaging. But that doesn’t mean they have to be generic or boring. Bows come in all shapes and sizes and you can even custom make your own out of the right kind of ribbon.

Some unique bow options that are easy and quick to use include pre-made twist tie bows and pull bows that feature instant assembly. Or you can use the traditional ready made confetti style bows that have peel and stick backing for easy use.

Tissue Paper

Tissue paper is a versatile packaging accessory that can be used in many ways. It is normally used as a gift bag filler, or to wrap items inside gift boxes or bags. You can also use tissue paper to wrap items, create small gift bags, and wrap individual items inside a larger packaging. You can buy tissue paper in a huge variety of colors and design prints for your packaging. You can also get creative with DIY tissue paper crafts and make your own tissue poms, fringe, or other crafty decorations.

DIY Tags

Reuse what you have laying around the house to create new gift tags for the holidays! Cut pieces of cardstock, specialty paper, or old holiday greeting cards and turn them into DIY gift tags. This is a great way to use or upcycle paper or greeting cards that would otherwise go to waste.

Take any paper scraps, paperboard or old boxes, greeting cards, or wrapping paper extras and cut them into fun shapes. Use stamps, markers, paint, glitter, pom poms, ribbon and other inexpensive crafting materials to personalize and decorate your gift tags into something stylish and unique.

Custom Wrapping Paper

There are many ways to turn ordinary plain paper into personalized holiday gift wrap! Use paint, stickers, or stamps to create your own gift wrap designs. While there are companies that can create completely custom printed gift wrap for you, the minimum quantity and cost for ordering may be too much.

Decorate your plain wrapping paper in a variety of ways to create a one-of-a-kind look. This article offers 10 unique ways to decorate your brown kraft wrapping paper. Or use the technique featured below for a cute ‘chalkboard’ look.

Check out this video on how to easily create your own custom gift wrap using stamps!

Botanical Accents

Attaching fake or real greenery or flowers to your gift packaging creates a very elegant and upscale look for a low cost. For the holiday season, small pine branches, holly, pinecones, berries, and poinsettias are all great accent options for your gifts. This has become a popular trend in recent years and examples and ideas can be found all over Pinterest and Etsy.

Edible Adornments

Everyone loves candy right? Decorate your gifts with a little sweet treat on the outside and your gift recipients will be overjoyed. You can go classic with a candy cane tied with ribbon to your gift, or use other types of candy for a unique presentation, like this example of using an M&M bag to look like a bow.

However you decide to decorate your gift packaging, remember to have fun and get crafty! The holiday season is the best time to DIY your packaging and get creative!