Easy Christmas Gift Wrap

Wreath-Topped Packag

Using a hot-glue gun, glue dried bay leaves from the grocery store in a wreath shape to the top of a package. Add two star anise for the bow. Dress up a plain brown box with cinnamon sticks and a large or medium-size jingle bell, tied in place with wire-edge organdy ribbon. Make a gift tag from art paper; cut a small slit in the top of the tag and tie short cinnamon sticks to the top of the tag with gold ribbon or cord.

Glass Ball Ornament Gift

Instead of a bow, top a package with inexpensive glass ball ornaments. Use three different sizes and attach them to the package with a hot-glue gun. Add curls of wired star garland for a festive finish.

Odds and Ends Bow

Put odds and ends to creative use to give packages an elegant look. Use scraps of ribbon and cording to make a bow and glue it to the box. Spray silk ivy leaves silver and glue them over the bow.

Jingle Toppers

Your packages will jingle all the way when you decorate them with bells in assorted sizes. Use a hot-glue gun and glue sticks to attach the jingle bells in a free-form design, and add a knotted ribbon for an accent.

Shoelace Ribbons

Instead of tying packages with ribbon, use shoelaces! Braid three pairs of neon-colored shoelaces together and wrap the braid around the box. Secure it with a rubber band, then unbraid the ends up to the rubber band and loop the tails through it to make a bow. Or tie metallic shoelaces around a box. Cut a free-form star from heavy paper and punch two holes in the center. Pull the shoelaces through the holes and tie them in a knot.

White Gift Boxes

Purchased white boxes become dazzling gift containers when you add simple designs in gold rickrack. Use small dabs of crafts glue to hold the rickrack in place. Line with gold tissue paper before filling it up.