8 DIY Ways to Dress Up a Plain Paper Gift Bag

What you’ll need:

• Brown paper lunch bag
• Scissors
• Double-sided tape
• Cardstock
• Glue
• Red pom poms
• Black marker

How-to:

1. Start with the brown paper lunch bag. Pop out the sides of the bag so that the face of the bag is wider.
2. Cut antlers out of the top half of the bag, and then refold the bottom portion back so it sits like a normal lunch bag.
3. Insert the gift and use double stick tape to secure the bag closed.
4. Add a thin strip of cardstock to make sure the antlers are rigid, and then secure them together.
5. Glue on a pom pom nose and draw in eyes.

What you’ll need:

• Dark paper gift bag
• White ink pad
• Snowflake stamps (available at your local craft store)
• Silver tissue paper (optional for an extra-festive look)

How-to:

1. Stamp assorted snowflakes onto the bag. Arrange them in clusters to make it look like snowfall.

What you’ll need:

• Large rubber eraser
• Craft knife
• Christmas tree stencil
• Brown paper bag
• White ink pad
• Assorted gel pens

How-to:

1. Using the craft knife, stencil and then carve a tree shape into a large rubber eraser, creating a stamp.
2. Stamp the bag in a lined pattern using the white ink pad.
3. Decorate trees with the gel pens. You can make little ornaments by dotting the trees, add tiny stars to the top, or just outline the shapes.

What you’ll need:

• A sprig or branch of pine (one from your yard is fine)
• Repositionable adhesive spray
• Colorful, solid-colored paper bag
• Spray paint in a metallic color

How-to:

1. Spray the sprig or branch with the repositionable adhesive spray.
2. Place the sticky side of the branch onto the gift bag. Place the bottom of the stem at one corner, and lay the branch diagonally across.
3. Spray the entire bag with metallic spray paint and, when it dries, carefully peel back the branch.

What you’ll need:

• A tall, narrow gift bag (aka a wine bag)
• Colorful artist or masking tape

How-to:

1. Create diagonal candy stripes down the front of the bag. You can use any pattern—we placed three close together, but you can evenly space all of them, like a candy cane.
2. Repeat on the back of the bag.

What you’ll need:

• Solid-colored paper gift bag
• Washi tape
• Thin ribbon
• Blank gift tag

How-to:

1. Wrap one strip of washi tape vertically around the center of the bag. Wrap the ribbon around the bag, down the center of the washi tape. Tie a bow at the top to fasten the bag shut.
2. Attach the gift tag to the front.

What you’ll need:

• Small, colorful gift bags
• Black felt-tip marker

How-to:

1. Draw assorted bows and ties onto the front of the gift bags. We’ve included four styles for inspiration, but feel free to get creative. You can even use metallic paint pens for a festive ribbon look that will definitely stand out.

What you’ll need:

• Colorful tissue paper
• Glue
• Sequins
• Festive stickers
• Cellophane bag
• Tape
• Ribbon

How-to:

1. Wrap a gift in tissue paper. Use several layers so that the gift doesn’t show through, and you won’t be able to tell if one sheet tears.
2. Use small glue dots to attach sequins and festive stickers to the tissue paper bundle.
3. Insert the bundle into a cellophane bag. Tape the bag shut and tie a ribbon around it.