Short answer. This year's best gift wrapping ideas are either calm and natural, with white or kraft paper, fabric and handwritten tags, or bold, with deep colors, pink and bows on everything.
Pick one idea and repeat it on every gift so the pile looks planned.
Which trend suits you?
- You like it calm: quiet white, kraft with natural toppers or fabric wraps.
- You like it bold: deep green and dark botanicals, pink or vintage red and green.
- You like it glittery: gold and silver prints.
- You want it to feel personal: handmade tags. Add bows to any of them.
Why is white the color of the year?
The Pantone Color Institute named a soft white, Cloud Dancer, its color of the year. White wrap looks fresh, and any ribbon color sits well on it.
How to do it. Wrap every gift in the same white or off-white paper, then change the ribbon and tag from gift to gift. Fold the paper with sharp creases, because a plain sheet shows every wrinkle. The box wrap guide shows how to get crisp edges.
See white papers on the wall.
Is kraft paper still in?
Yes, and it is warmer this year. Kraft paper is now paired with natural toppers: a sprig of greenery, a pinecone, a dried orange slice or cotton string. It is also one of the easiest papers to recycle, and it takes a pen, so the tag can be written straight on the wrap.
How to do it. Wrap in kraft, tie it with string or twine and tuck a small sprig under the knot. Kraft is thick and forgiving, so it also works for wrapping without tape, with ribbon holding the folds.
See kraft papers on the wall.
Are big bows a trend?
Very much. Bows are the big Christmas look this year: velvet, satin, grosgrain and even paper or jute ribbon, tied large and put on everything. A bow also reuses well, because the ribbon can be untied and kept for next year.
How to do it. Start with 1 or 2 ribbons you love and build the paper around them. Use wide ribbon, and make the bow bigger than you think you need. The bow guide shows a two loop bow and a fuller florist bow, step by step.
Bow step 2: Cross, tuck and pull
Cross the loops, tuck one under and through the middle, then pull both tight.
Each color on the paper wall names a ribbon that goes with it.
What are deep green and dark botanicals?
Designers are showing forest green, cognac and slate instead of bright Christmas green. Near black papers printed with dense flowers in oxblood, dusty violet and olive are also in. The look is moody and rich, and it suits grown-up gifts.
How to do it. Use one dark paper and keep everything else plain: a solid raffia or satin ribbon and a kraft tag. A busy print does the work, so skip extra decoration.
See green papers and black papers on the wall.
Can you still use pink?
Yes. "Pinkmas" is a playful Christmas look that pairs pink paper with velvet bows and matching small touches. It suits teens and anyone who wants a break from red and green.
How to do it. Wrap in one pink, tie a velvet bow in a close shade and add a touch of gold or white. Keep to 2 or 3 tones, because pink on pink on pink looks flat.
See pink papers on the wall.
What about gold and silver?
Metallic is back, but as a print: brushed silver, champagne gold and chrome patterns on ordinary paper, rather than shiny foil. It catches the light on a tree and still looks refined.
How to do it. Choose a metallic print for a few gifts and plain paper for the rest, so it stands out. To check recycling, scrunch a corner: paper that springs back has foil or plastic in it and usually goes in the trash. Paper that stays scrunched can often be recycled once the tape and bows are off, but check your local program's rules.
See gold papers on the wall.
Is vintage Christmas wrapping a thing?
Yes. Retailers are pointing to old fashioned red and green, rich plaids and nostalgic Santa designs, with faded, archive style prints on top. It looks warm and familiar.
How to do it. Choose a plaid or a Santa print in red, add a kraft tag and tie it with red and white string. Keep the tag handwritten.
See red papers and plaid papers on the wall.
Why are fabric wraps popular?
A cloth wrap is part of the gift: the person unwraps it and keeps the scarf, tea towel or napkin. It also leaves no paper to throw away, which is why fabric leads the reusable ideas this year.
How to do it. Use furoshiki, the Japanese cloth wrap. Put the gift in the middle of a square cloth, fold two opposite corners over it and tie the others on top. The furoshiki guide shows boxes, bottles and books.
How do you make a wrap feel personal?
Small handmade details are the other big idea. Try a wax seal on the ribbon, an embroidered initial, a handwritten tag or a small ornament tied on as a keepsake. They turn a plain wrap into something the person keeps.
How to do it. Write the name by hand on a kraft tag, or print our free Christmas gift tags. Add one detail that matches the person, such as a sprig of rosemary for a cook or a hobby ornament. Tuck the tag under the bow so it comes away without tearing the paper.
Where can you find the papers?
The wrapping paper wall sorts papers by color, like a paint chart, and each color above links to its row. For a plan covering paper, ribbon and tags for everyone on your list, use the gift wrapping hub. The wrapping paper calculator tells you how much paper you need.
Gift ideas for Christmas stockings
*Paid link
Small gifts in square boxes are the quickest to wrap.
SmartGames IQ Puzzler Pro brain teaser puzzle
SmartGames IQ Puzzler Pro is a logic puzzle for any puzzle-minded player from age six to adult.
Since it runs to adult, a parent and child can trade turns on the same challenge. Once stockings are emptied, the puzzle can pass back and forth on the couch all afternoon.
CATAN On The Road deck for tabletop play
CATAN On The Road is a card game for a household that never tires of CATAN.
Regular players get a fresh way to play CATAN, with only a deck to pack. On a holiday road trip, the cards can come out on a motel table between drives.
Hasbro Monopoly Deal tabletop card game
Monopoly Deal brings the property rivalry of Monopoly to a card game, a handy stocking stuffer for game-night families.
Nobody has to set up a board, so a round can start right after Christmas dinner. Relatives keen on striking deals in the classic game get that same back-and-forth with cards in hand.
Melissa & Doug Sticker Wow! unicorn sticker stamper set
Ages 3+ (Melissa & Doug)
This Melissa & Doug Sticker Wow! stamper with a unicorn theme suits a three-year-old who loves decorating pages.
The child picks a spot on the page, then presses the stamper down to add a sticker there. After breakfast on Christmas morning, the pad can come straight out at the kitchen table.
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