33 Stylish Christmas Gift Wrapping Ideas

Add Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is truly an underrated holiday decoration, and if you're not looking to make a garland, place it in your presents. These presents designed by designer Maggie Dillon feature a slices of dried oranges wrapper under ribbon to add a unique natural element to the gifts.

Mix and Match

Play with paper that makes the classic and cozy symbols of the season shine. Add multiple colored bows and pile the high—all that's left is to wait for the excitement.

Keep Them Guessing with Gift Wrap

"This sprang from my own laziness!" Birmingham designer Iris Thorpe says about her ingenious method of wrapping presents: She designates one color of paper per family member and uses that to wrap all of their gifts. The assigned paper is revealed at Christmas Eve dinner when everyone receives a homemade Christmas cracker made from "their" paper.

Make Them Merry and Bright

Preppy and playful pops of green and red can play nicely with less traditional colors, like pink, too. It's easy to mix likeminded patterns if you've got your color palette squared away.

Paint Your Wrap By Hand

One way to ensure your gift wrap is unique is to paint it yourself. These gifts are wrapped in paper hand-painted by designer Julie Neill and her daughter who have made it a tradition. This is a wonderful way to add a personal touch to each gift this season.

Use A Pine Sprig

Solid colored paper paired with bright ribbon and a bell trim make this gift holiday-ready. Use clippings from a tree or garland to slip into the bow for merry gift-giving.

Bring in Blue

Bring a beautiful winter blue into your traditional color scheme. You can incorporate it in snowflake and snowman-themed paper and thread it throughout your other packaging in your bows and gift tags.

Make Gift Tags With Magnolia Leaves

Use a silver or gold paint pen to write someone's name on a magnolia leaf, and attach it to a present with double-sided tape. The touch is simple, yet elegant on an all-white color scheme.

Coordinate Your Colors

Gift wraps in different patterns look coordinated when they use the same palette. A complementary color scheme goes a long way when you mix plaids, patterns, and solid prints.

Take Inspiration From The Coast

Rather than buying gift tags, get creative and forage. Here, oyster shells (used as gift tags) reference the coast. Use a metallic marker to outline the edge of the shell and write the name of the recipient.

Craft Custom Crackers

Thorpe orders cracker snaps and uses bath tissue rolls to create her handmade crackers. She tucks special gifts inside the crackers to open on Christmas Eve.

Wow With A Wreath

Forgo the traditional bow. Add unexpected outdoor elements to your packages such as a twig wreath tied with a festive plaid ribbon. Let them take the wreath home and use it to decorate for the holidays.

Tie Ornaments On Packages

Instead of stuffing them in stockings, incorporate ornaments into your holiday gift wrapping. Tie sparkly balls and stars onto packages with ribbon for an added flourish.

Match Your Home's Color Scheme

Wrapping paper doesn't have to be limited to red and green. Kristin Gish of Austin, Texas, wraps her gifts with paper that matches her living room's color scheme. Sprigs of fresh greenery add life and aroma.

Dress Packages With Bright Berries

Tuck a sprig of berries or greenery, either fresh or faux, on top of a present in lieu of ribbon for an extra festive look. Fresh greenery also adds a nice holiday scent.

Line The Steps With Christmas Gifts

Scatter packages along the staircase to increase the holiday anticipation. Tie on accents, like silver jingle bells, along with satiny ribbons. Repeat variations of the same colors and patterns to coordinate your gift wrapping.

Take Inspiration From The Garden

Let your love of gardening carry over to the gifts you give. Try an amaryllis in bloom wrapped in burlap, glue pressed leaves to a gift box wrapped in kraft paper, or top off a package with a useful tool to accent your bow.

Deck Out Presents In Tartan

For a cozy and stylish holiday look, you can't go wrong with plaid. Cover your presents in kraft paper, and tie them up with a ribbon of your favorite red and green tartan. Wrap other gifts in plaid and a coordinating solid-colored ribbon.

Embellish Packages With Rosemary

Rich with Christmas legend, rosemary is the herb of love and remembrance. Tuck a handful of fresh sprigs beneath the ribbon just before delivering packages. Those sprigs can be placed in a vase or dried for holiday cooking.

Use Household Items

If you're a last-minute wrapper, you still have time to make a statement. Grab office supplies you already have on hand, like graph paper and Sharpies, and create a humble, heartfelt package.

Shine With Gold And Silver

Skip the tree skirt and opt for soft metallic glamour in your Christmas presents. They'll reflect the shimmering lights and ornaments and provide a gleaming finishing touch for your tree.

Use Textures And Accents From Nature

Go all out with a nature-inspired wrapping palette (think greens and browns). Top things off with uniquely Southern elements, straight from your local florist, nursery, or—even better—your own backyard, like a single cotton boll, eucalyptus flowers, or shiny Elaeagnus leaves.

Add Extra Sparkle

Pretty up your presents by attaching bells and shiny miniature ornaments. Use the same color ribbon on all your packages under the Christmas tree to make a cohesive look with different patterned wrapping papers.

Create A Golden Glow

For a bit of elegance, go gold. Metallic gift wrap paired with a wide wired ribbon that you can fluff up makes a stunning and refined present.

Top With A Monogram

Once you've found something for everyone on your list, make their gift extra-special by topping with a custom wooden monogram rather than a simple sticker.

Order these from Southern Proper Monograms.

Get Inspired By Nature

Mix simple, solid-colored paper with artisan prints, and don't worry about a single one of them being Christmas paper. Then attach vintage ornaments and pinecones to packages to make them work with your other decorations.

Choose A Patterned Box

You don't have to break out the scissors to make your packages festive. For "gift wrapping" that is simple, fun, and oh-so-easy, pick up a bold-patterned storage box and top it with shiny ornaments.

Use A Rich Color Scheme

Even if your colors aren't the traditional red and green, metallics, ribbon, and a bit of shimmer can set the holiday tone. The unexpected, like chocolate browns set off by silver and gold, can have a big impact under the tree.

Opt For Pastels

Pastels can have a fun retro vibe, especially under a vintage Christmas tree. Soft sea greens and pinks fit right in with a beachy home like this one.

Show Off Your Calligraphy

Learn calligraphy to create beautiful gift tags with special Christmas messages and artfully written names. Receivers will appreciate the personal gesture. Tie them with ribbon and a pretty ornament or stocking stuffer.

Wrap Gifts In Burlap

Burlap bags are perfect for hard-to-wrap gifts when you want to skip the box. They're easy to keep on hand, fill, and cinch with ribbon and greenery.

Print Gift Tags

Let your kids get creative with their computer skills by photocopying festive fabrics and adding printed names to create customized gift tags. Make a set to match this year's theme or a different design for each person. The possibilities are endless.

Stick With One Color

These gifts are wrapped in coordinating soft browns and creams from the shiny foil wrap to the burlap bows. Snow-white accents give the packages a wintery feel, while the wood gift tags remind us of a freshly trimmed Christmas tree.