When I was growing up, my mom kept a dedicated gift-wrapping drawer — stuffed to the brim but still highly organized. I always aspired to this. Still do, really. But my lack of storage space and, quite frankly, budget have not allowed it.
At no time of year is this scarcity of ready-to-use gift wrap felt more keenly than the holidays. I spend every Christmas at my boyfriend’s family’s house (my own doesn’t celebrate), and for a long time, I loved picking out and wrapping their presents almost as much as I loved opening my own. We usually give a few bigger items, plus a lot of small treats like chocolates, because even though we’re all adults, it’s fun to spend the morning unboxing.
But several years into this, I got frustrated: I would spend time picking out beautiful paper, appropriately sized boxes and bags, luxe ribbons of different widths for intricate-looking bows. I liked to ensure that everything went together but didn’t look too uniform. I had vision! All of this didn’t cost quite as much as the gifts themselves, but it was enough to factor into my overall holiday spending. At a certain point (even with some compliments), the effort didn’t feel worth it.
So I changed my ways, taking only one piece of my mom’s gift drawer with me: Gift tags and a couple of stamps are all you need to make the sweetest-looking wrapping. (Okay, it’s not exactly all you need — but it’s close. Stay with me.)
There are tons of gift tags online, but the pack I picked (plain white and decently sized for legibility and customization purposes) costs just $13 for 100. (In this case, the brand calls them “price tags,” which is funny, but you can find tons of similar varieties by searching either phrase.) Even if you have kids and use them for every birthday party under the sun, these will last you a long time.
The stamps cost a bit more but not too much, and, of course, they’re reusable. Here, you get to have fun picking out what you like. I have a snowflake and an ornament stamp from the same brand — but there are so many options to peruse.
My ink pad is navy, which looks clean and neat. I stamp one side of the gift tag, and on the other, I write a note with the recipient’s name.
Most gift tags come with a small cutting of elastic string attached. It’s often ugly and doesn’t tie particularly well. To remedy this, I also keep a large roll of two-tone twine to rethread the tags (one roll has lasted me several years, and I still have more to get through). I can wrap it all the way around a gift, cut to fit perfectly, or use a small piece to secure a bag handle with a bow.
Everything else I use
Kraft paper
Of course, you need something to actually cover the presents. You’ve probably heard this one before, but nothing is cheaper or more practical than a big roll of kraft paper. While it may not be the most stunning choice in the world, it looks neat — and just dressed-up enough with that sweet gift tag.
Colored pencils
The items above are truly all you need. But if you’re like me and you actually enjoy wrapping, there are a few other decorations that scratch the creative itch. You can color in your stamps with a set of colored pencils or watercolors or customize the borders with a nice pen. And you can draw on the kraft paper, too.
Fancier ribbon
The only other addition I sometimes go for is fancier ribbon to pair with the twine on certain gifts. I save scraps over the year, but of course you can buy a new roll. Simply tie a bow at the top, which takes less material, or go all the way around. Even a few gifts with this extra embellishment will make the whole bunch stand out.
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