Holiday Gift Adornments
These smartly wrapped packages have retro charm. Attaching the holiday tags is a cinch -- they're designed with slits that fit around ribbon. And the handles slip right over the tops of plain bags, turning them into cute parcels that you can carry.
Gift Adornment How-To
Download and print tags on white card stock. Cut out.
1. Cut ribbon long enough to wrap around your gift box. For a tag with two slots, you'll need one piece; a tag with four slots will require two.
2. Wrap ribbon around box, securing ends with tape. Cover tape by threading tag over taped section.
Handle How-To
Download and print handles on white card stock, enlarging or reducing them to match the width of your gift bags (for standard lunch bags, enlarge by 135 percent). Cut out.
1. Score the handle so you can fold it in half horizontally.
2. Place a present or treats in a bag. Trim the top of the bag, cutting it 1 or 2 inches higher than the top of the items inside.
3. Use double-sided tape to close bag. Affix handle to the bag with double-sided tape, sandwiching the top of the bag inside.
First Published: December 2004
By adding simple embellishments, ordinary brown or white paper bags are transformed into elegant wrappings -- and a ready-made way to carry a gift home. 1. Sew two buttons to a bag, and wind with twine. 2. Make two buttonholes in ribbon so that when it's draped over a folded bag, the buttonholes line up on the front and back; cut a small hole in the bag where the buttonholes fall, and secure with a cuff link. Glue the ends of the ribbon to bottom of bag. 3. Lace ribbon through slits you've made along the flap of the bag.
Cookie Compotes
Crisp anise cookies become even more memorable when they're presented in small compotes, wrapped in sparkling cellophane, and adorned with red ribbons.
The cookies can be wrapped in cellophane and then tucked into the compote (shown here on the left), or the entire compote can be wrapped (shown here on the right side of the photo). Instructions for both variations follow.
Option 1 (wrapped in cellophane): Fill a compote or decorative dish with red shredded paper or Easter grass, and top with a small mound of cookies. Top with a sheet of cellophane, and invert. Remove dish, and trim cellophane to cover bottom of shredded paper, allowing edges to overlap. Seal with tape. Invert again, and place wrapped cookies and paper in dish. Wrap a length of satin ribbon around dish and cookies, taping ends of ribbon to bottom of dish. Tie several lengths of bakers' twine around ribbon, and attach a gift tag.
Option 2 (wrapped compote): Fill a compote or decorative dish with red shredded paper or Easter grass, and top with a small mound of cookies. Wrap a sheet of cellophane around dish and cookies, taping cellophane to bottom of dish and leaving sides open. From a sheet of red glassine, cut a 1-inch-wide length for ribbon. Write a name or greeting on ribbon with a white-gel pen. Place across top of dish. At rim of dish, gather cellophane and ribbon on each side, and tie with silver cord. Trim cellophane, and notch ribbon ends.
Sources
Compotes, $6.99 each, by Martha Stewart Collection, from Macy's.
Similar glassine, German tissue paper in Red (#737905), $3 per 27 1/2-by-39-inch sheet, from katespaperie.com.
Easter paper grass in Strawberry Red (GR006), $3 per bag, from D. Blumchen & Co., 866-653-9627 or blumchen.com.
Ribbon, 36-mm-wide double-face satin in Red and Silver (Art.1100; colors #1 and #5), $9 per yd., from mokubany.com
Similar bakers' twine, 4-ply red cotton twine (RCST4), $20.70 per cone, from packandseal.com.
Cookie Boxes
When richly spiced cardamom cookies are pressed with wood-grain and scallop texture mats, cut into the shapes of trees and reindeer, and packaged, they create a charming woodland fantasy in each box.
To keep them fresh, sandwich the cookies between layers of waxed kraft paper. Fine wood shavings protect them from breakage. Embellish the outside of the boxes with one or several of the decorating options below, or create your own adornments.
Spread wood shavings in the bottom of a shallow gift box. Wrap lid with desired paper, securing paper to underside of lid with tape. Top shavings with a sheet of waxed kraft paper. Stack 2 or 3 similarly shaped cookies, and tie with red twine. Arrange stacks of cookies in box, varying shapes and sizes. Top with another sheet of waxed kraft paper and a layer of wood shavings. Top with the lid.
To decorate outside of box:
Option 1, top left: Wrap a wide satin ribbon around entire box, securing it to bottom with double-sided tape. Top with a velvet ribbon that's slightly narrower, securing at back. Trace tree template onto metallic card stock, and cut out. Affix to ribbons with double-sided tape.
Option 2, bottom left: Wrap a satin ribbon around front of box to back. Twist, and bring ends around to front along other sides. Tie with a classic bow. Tuck glittered faux greenery into the bow.
Option 3, top right: Wrap a wide satin ribbon around front of box, securing it to bottom with double-sided tape. Wrap a narrower satin ribbon around box on top of other ribbon, and tie with a classic bow. Tuck glittered faux greenery into the bow.
Sources
Boxes: Small and medium premium gift in White (No. 10038820), $8.99 for pair, from the Container Store, 800-786-7315.
Waxed kraft paper (WP1830), $64.17 for 18-inch-by-1,500-feet roll, from ReStockIt.com, 800-680-0859.
Paper: 31-by-43-inch Japanese metallic Midare Silver, $19 per sheet, and 31 1/2-by-39 3/4-inch Japanese wood grain (No. 6721; No. 6603), $7.40 per sheet, from New York Central Art Supply, 800-950-6111.
Natural fine shredded wood excelsior (FWE14), $21.95 for 1/4-bale box (about 16 lb.), from Nashville Wraps, 800-547-9727.
Ribbon: 36-mm-wide double-face satin in Red and Silver (Art.1100; colors #1 and #5), $9 per yd., 100-mm-wide double-face satin in Red (Art.1100; color No. 1), $29.47 per yd., and 75-mm-wide velvet in Red (Art.2600; color No. 1), $32.81 per yd., from Mokuba New York, 212-869-8900.
Similar Bordeaux matte-finish bakers' twine in Red/White (BBT001), $7 for 60 feet, from Raffit Ribbons, 516-333-6778
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