These DIY Gift Boxes Double As Charming Holiday Decor
Confession: As much as we adore gift-giving (and receiving, of course!) every holiday season, it’s the gift *wrapping* that we look forward to most. We tend to think outside of the box — pun completely intended — when it comes to packaging presents. Decorating gift boxes gives us an opportunity to express ourselves and personalize the gift, making it even more valuable to the person receiving it :)
Materials + Tools:
- kraft gift boxes, assorted sizes
- colored paper (we used construction paper and scrapbook paper)
- utility knife
- pencil
- ruler
- cutting mat
Instructions:
1. Using a ruler and a pencil, draw the outlines of doors and windows, and architectural details on the front flap of your gift box.
2. Use a utility knife to carefully cut out each detail.
3. Erase the leftover pencil marks.
4. Onto the colorful backing! Measure and cut a piece of colored paper just smaller than the face of your gift box.
5. Build the gift box, then tape the paper to the inside of the box’s front.
6. Tuck the front flap of the gift box into place, and you’re done!
Using a ruler and a pencil, draw the outlines of doors and windows, and architectural details on the front flap of your gift box. We’re constantly inspired by the array of architecture in San Francisco, so we switched up each building design as an homage to our beautiful city.
Use a utility knife to carefully cut out each detail. Be sure to cut on a cutting mat!
Erase the leftover pencil marks.
Onto the colorful backing! Measure and cut a piece of colored paper just smaller than the face of your gift box.
Build the gift box, then tape this paper to the inside of the box’s front.
Tuck the front flap of the gift box into place, and you’re done!
After building a bunch of these adorable holiday houses, we displayed them on our foyer table as a darling, hilly village. And because no holiday scene is complete without snow, we made some by hole-punching a bunch of white office paper!
How sweet are these houses on a hill?
Psst: To make these paper trees, simply cut out two identical shapes. Cut halfway down from the center-top of one tree and halfway up from the center-bottom of another tree, then slide them together. Easy peasy!
When it comes time to gift these little guys, simply add some ribbon and handwritten paper gift tags.
There you have it: Charming gift packages *and* a holiday village made of simple brown kraft boxes and paper. Happy gift-giving!
Are you making these gift boxes? If so, we want to see the results! Share a photo on Instagram with the hashtag #iamcreative and #HowLifeUnfolds so we can take a look!
DIY Production + Styling: Maddie Bachelder, Kristina Elkus, Cassidy Miller, Shannon Righetti
Photography: Chris Andre
