The wishlists are checked off, our closets are full, our wallets are empty, but the gifts are bare… to take care of this, grab your coffee & Baileys, turn on a PVR’d Christmas movie (Home Alone, anyone???), and get your WRAP ON!

IT’S MID-DECEMBER! We’re getting to the final grind y’all! For Christmas shopping that is! By this point, I’ve purchased all my main gifts and just have a few small stocking stuffers and Secret Santa gifts to run out and grab, but the stress of finding the perfect gift is over! And there’s nothing more fun than wrapping up all those special gifts and setting them under the tree until they’ll be opened by your favourite people.

Whether you love wrapping gifts like I do, or hate it, you will agree that there’s nothing like a well-wrapped set of Christmas presents sittin’ pretty under the tree while the lights sparkle all around. But sometimes all those Pinterest photos of the perfectly wrapped gifts look a liiiittle bit intimidating. Or unrealistic??? Truth be told, it’s a lot easier to get them to look that good than ya might think! PLUS getting all your wrapping out of the way gives you more time to get into the spirit with this list of holiday season must-do’s

First things first, just choose a theme. And by theme I mean choose your style. What do you want the wrapping to say? They’re gifts from YOU, so they should have a little bit of your personality shining out through them! Whether you want to go natural, extravagant, traditional, or whatever else, the theme you choose will set the tone for ALL the add-ons like ribbons, bows, tags, and cards!

Do you want to go modern? Classic? Bright? I chose two themes for this post, 1 that allows a little room for personal touches and creativity, and the other that gets the job done quick, but looks like you tried uber hard!

Ready for it?

LET’S GET TO WRAPPING!

THEME #1: CLASSIC-CHRISTMAS 

For the DIY Queen herself! Using Postal (Kraft) paper allows you to add all the customizable additions of ribbons and bows in exactly the colours and styles YOU want! Plus, you can use the leftover for wrapping gifts in the new year for birthdays, just change up your accessories!

1. Start off with simple postal (kraft) paper – available at any craft store like Michaels or Target
2. Decide on your accent colours – I choose red and gold – and grab a few types of ribbon of various widths
3. Select a “topper” to go along with the name tag – gold jingle bells, greenery from your tree or wreath, a tree ornament, or a small gift like a matching colour nail polish make the gift that much more fun!

THEME #2: MODERN-CHIC 

For the busy boss girl who just doesn’t have time to spend on wrapping! Grab a statement paper (black and gold marble? YES), and the rest is history! More time for champs! Sometimes, less really is more.

1. Start and end your wrapping activities with a statement paper!
2. Top it with a tag, and you’re set!

MAKE IT EXTRA

Wanting to take your wrap to the next level? Try out one of these 5 ideas!

1. use chalkboard paper and scrawl messages across the package for the recipient!
2. use newspaper to wrap, and bright coloured ribbon for character!
3. wrap a gift in a gift! use a new scarf, sweater, or blanket to wrap up a smaller gift. it adds texture and is earth-friendly!
4. replace ribbon with twine for a rustic, understated look!
5. knit some pompoms in lieu of bows!

There ya have it! A couple little tips to help you crush the wrapping game! Let me know in the comments how you wrapped your gifts this year!