We thought it was about time that we shared a truly festive on-theme Christmas post given that today marks exactly a month until Christmas Day (eeeeep!); what better then than a piece on Christmas wrapping ideas to help you on your way.
The very lovely Cox & Cox were kind enough to provide us with lots of very delicious paper for this DIY adventure including this glossy red version, this super cute mini stars wrapping paper and this very on trend copper wrap that has a midnight purple reverse side. Combining all of our creative brain cells together we came up with some fun ways to use your wrap, ribbons and decorations this year.
You can find a link to all the gorgeous bits and pieces in the Shop The Post section at the bottom of the post should you so wish. In the meantime I thought I’d talk you through a couple of the ideas in the gallery below.
Also can we just take a moment to appreciate the giant glass tree here; isn’t it AWESOME. We filled it with some fake snow and a light up wooden house from John Lewis to make our own wintry scene.
Red Wrapping Ideas
Cox & Cox’s super shiny red paper is such a statement in its own right that we felt it best to keep things simple by pairing either greens, rustic browns or whites with it. For the kids and even bigger kids in your life, we loved the idea of tying a mini cardboard letter to the present with twine instead of a traditional gift tag. You can purchase these from most craft shops. Alternatively add a present on top of a present with this cutesy felt reindeer decoration from John Lewis which they can add to the tree once the present unwrapping is done and dusted.
Ever since Lauren shared these awesome ceramic feather decorations in her recent Ten Treats For Your Home Under A Tenner post, I just knew that I had to integrate them into my festive decor and they were a natural pairing with this scarlet Christmas wrapping and a bundle of twine. If you’re looking for something a little punchier then why not forget ribbons entirely and encase your gift in Cox & Cox’s gloss black “Merry Christmas” tape which appears when taped to colourful paper. It also looks super sleek when applied to matte white wrapping too.
Copper & Stars Wrapping Ideas
The copper paper from Cox & Cox is deliciously thick which means you can really attain that crisp luxe look thats a bit harder with textured or overly thin papers. We decided to keep things simple for the kids by slotting a chocolate lolly into a cream silk bow looped round the copper wrap and then gluing a few paper snowflakes at random onto the paper afterwards. You could easily ramp this up for grownups with an bottle of whisky or perhaps some alcoholic truffles. Or, for the nature lover, try tying some sprigs of holly, fir or eucalyptus into a rustic ribbon. We opted for this red cotton striped number that we pinched from Lottie’s box of ribbons.
For the grans in your life you can’t go far wrong with the stars wrapping paper and lashings of branded Merry Christmas ribbon. We also threaded some copper bells onto the ribbon for some extra wow factor. These snowball clusters would do the same trick as well though on some gorgeous silvery ribbon.
Lastly if you’ve bought several presents for the same person but don’t want all your presents to look samey then make like us and create some opposites. We mixed and matched the copper and stars paper and then wrapped the remaining paper around the middle to create some contrast. A bit of twine and an extra touch in white – like this leaping stag and these dipped feathers – kept things consistent between the two and pulled them together so they looked like a pair.
Oh this is making me feel particularly smug – I bought the Cox and Cox copper paper in their January sale last year and am using it all for my wrapping this Christmas! I’m dressing the presents with mini copper bells (paperchase) and butcher’s twine. I just have to find where I put it now!
Sara this sounds immense! I love a forward planner – I always have the best intentions but it never seems to work out that way. I’m off to paper chase to buy those bells you mentioned right now!
These are beautiful but I can’t help feeling that this post is a bit of a cruel joke if you’re a parent?! Don’t get me wrong, I used to spend hours wrapping up all my presents, making them look gorgeous, but with a busy job, toddler in tow and a hectic calendar between now & Christmas, I will be stocking up on cheap gift bags and tissue paper from Wilkos! My method is: stick present in beg, stuff tissue on top, give bag to recipient, hoping that I have a) taken the price off the gift and b) given it the right person!!!
I suppose that could be said for everything on the RMS blog! I just like seeing different options and what other people are up to!
With no children myself, I don’t have the time issues that you might have but do love a gift bag nonetheless – it’s just so easy!
True! I resisted making a facetious comment on the “guest room” post the other day but clearly couldn’t resist in this case 🙂
Don’t get me wrong – they are really beautiful presents and great ideas, and I do so wish I had the time to do this! But alas, life gets in the way….
I wrap when the kids are in bed – after getting Mr H to do bedtime. If nothing else, it means that nosy-Parker children looking for their presents are thwarted by the fact that they’re already wrapped!
Also, after the Great Christmas Eve Stocking Meltdown of 2014, I have made the decision that this year I will not be wrapping stocking gifts at all – they don’t care and I’m fairly sure the cost of the paper is greater than that of most of the gifts inside the actual stocking.
Sara – what’s the Great Christmas Eve Stocking Meltdown of 2014?? We need to hear more!
I also wrap in the evenings – a couple here and a couple there. I actually find it quite therapeutic – accompanied by a glass of wine of course!!
I don’t think anyone I give presents to fully appreciates my wrapping enthusiasm but I love it! For me, sitting down with the Muppets Christmas Carol, mulled wine (or a glass of bubbly) and a mince pie whilst wrapping everything nicely is part of my Christmas prep! Preferably when no one else is in and I can just enjoy some me-time 🙂
Sounds like exactly my idea of heaven Maike! My husband hates wrapping and I’m always a teeny bit gutted when he hands me a present unwrapped and still in the bag it came in. In fairness though he is most excellent at choosing and writing cards. You can’t have it all I suppose.
Ahhhhhh Christmas wrapping!!
Loving all the ideas here.
I haven’t sorted my colour scheme for this year, although I have already bought tiny little brightly coloured bells to tie to all the presents!
Feel a Paperchase visit coming this weekend! 😉
See you at the till Rebecca!! Love Paperchase!
Where oh where is the glass tree from?? I neeeeeeed it!!
It’s from Cox and Cox Jennifer x
Oh I love wrapping presents in the evenings by the light of christmas tree! As a child I would peel the corners back on presents, then fold and keep my favourite paper (first sign I’d become a graphic designer?!)
Jenny I did exactly this but with ribbons. Still to this day I’m obsessed with them and have baskets full of the stuff!
I will sadly admit that I love wrapping more than choosing the presents. I probably also spend more on paper and adornments than I care to admit! I love nothing better than sitting down watching Santa Claus the movie surrounded by pretty paper and ribbons. I must say I don’t bother for the children as they don’t care one bit but I like to make an effort especially for the presents that are sat under the tree. I want to start wrapping now! x
Love wrapping! This is a great creative post. Am loving the dipped feathers – that might be my theme this year!