Last-Minute Christmas Gift-Wrapping Ideas

Fill these chalkboard-label jars with crafts supplies or sweet treats and give as gifts. Mask off a stripe around the jar and then spray it with chalkboard paint. When dry, write the recipient's name with chalk.

A take-out box, available at crafts stores, is perfect for a tasty gift. Punch snowflake shapes from colored paper and tape them to the box using double-sided tape. Then wrap your goodies in a cellophane bag before placing them in the box.

Don't forget your furry family members this Christmas. Wrap up a toy for Spot and use a new collar in place of a bow. Use a key ring or ribbon to attach a bone from the collar.

Be prepared for seasonal parties with a stash of wrapped hostess gifts. Wrap bottles with sleeves of paper and then slip card-stock tags, embellished with stamps or rub-on letters, over the necks. A large hole punch works great for making the right-size holes.

Dress up a clear acrylic box with a single sheet of tissue paper and about 3 yards of sequin trim. Fold the paper in tucks to form a band, wrap the band around the box, and secure it with tape. Then wrap the box with the sequin trim; tie the ends in a bow.

Arrive at the party with holiday spirits wrapped in a glamorous bag decorated with ribbons. Wrap a wine bottle in tissue paper and slip it into the bag. Add the finishing touch by creating handles from beaded necklaces.

If you want to send party guests home with a few goodies or you have a little gift to give a neighbor, teacher, or coworker, skip the conventional paper gift bag for something more creative, such as these fuzzy mittens. Stick in a festive candy cane tied with a plaid ribbon and garnish with a sprig of greenery.

Turn pint-size papier-mache boxes into something special with a simple ribbon topper. Just poke a hole through the lid and thread a ribbon through to form a loop on top. Tie the loose ends into a knot under the lid.

Sometimes all you need is a ribbon with a holiday garnish. Here, a beautiful green jar is embellished with a velvet ribbon and a sparkling holiday reindeer ornament that can immediately be hung on the Christmas tree.

Kids' drawings make adorable wrapping papers that will bring smiles to all. Tie them with a narrow ribbon and present to someone special.

An oversize gift tag dresses up a bottle presented in a velvet bag. Stamp a design onto card stock, and cut the edges with pinking shears. Use silver cord to drape it around the neck of the bottle.

The fastest way to present a gift is to skip the wrapping paper altogether. This is the best solution for large items or gifts such as plants and flowers. Add a bow and gift tag and you're done!

Add buttons to create a holiday symbol on gift wrap.

Empty paint cans, both large and small, are available in home centers and hardware stores. Use them as unique gift holders, then decorate with ribbons, bells, and ornaments.

Give a plain gift bag a facelift by decorating it with striped art paper and handles made from ribbon. You can use all sorts of coordinating papers, ribbons, and crafts supplies to match each gift to your decor or the recipient's personality.

Transform any plain bag -- even utilitarian lunch bags -- by adding stickers, stamped designs, and embossing powder. To close the bags, fold the top down twice, punch two holes, thread a ribbon through the holes, and finish with a bow.

Frame family photographs with wrapping papers. Simply remove the frame's back and slide wrapping paper and photo in place.

These show-stopping designs will stand out from other packages with pretty papers and clever toppers you can make. All it takes is a trip to the crafts store.

Brightly colored wrapping paper paired with creative ribbons and bows create gifts almost too pretty to open.

Get started in wrapping gifts early and use the packages as accessories. These little lacquer boxes simply need a ribbon bow on top.

Keep a box of colored twine, string, or ribbons to use on small gifts. Embellish the boxes even more by gluing on miniature trees or tiny wooden cutouts from a crafts store.

Give your holiday gifts a special shine with glitter. Glue on shaped glitter or sprinkle it into a clear cello bag, right along with your gift. Sheer ribbon or tulle complete the look in any color or style you prefer.

In this photo, the smallest box shows an easy way to get a custom look. Silver foil paper is topped with a lovely satin ribbon and a sprig of greenery. The other boxes show off pretty papers and are tied with wide silk ribbons in large, simple bows.

Baskets are a great way to contain a number of small or theme-related gifts. Cushion the bottom of the basket with colorful package shred or tissue paper. If desired, encase the entire basket in a sheet of cellophane and tie with a bow.

Holiday ornaments make great package toppers. Simply wire or tie the ornaments to ribbons. You can also hot-glue them to a card or right onto the gift box. Ribbon streamers add more shine.

Plain gift boxes can be personalized quickly and easily. Here we've glued on strips of gold rick-rack to make a unique star design, but there are many other ideas: paint pens, stickers, stamps, ribbon trims, or cut-up holiday cards.

You'll find these clever boxes at crafts stores. They match the look of the utilitarian take-out container, but are either clear, frosted, or printed with nice designs. Plop your gift inside and you have an instantly-wrapped gift.

Wrapped packages that have to be shipped don't have to be boring. Use a decorative paper from an art supply store, then wrap a few lengths of ribbon around the box. Secure with glue or tape on the bottom of the box, and you'll have a flat package that's easy to ship.

To create the colorful seed packet paper, color-copy several rows of your favorite seed packages onto 11x17-inch copier paper. Then use the color copies as you would any wrapping paper. For extra-special packages, use a string of jute to attach a sprig of dried herbs to the top of the present. The herbs serve as a package embellishment and as a secondary present.

Use standard blueprint paper, available at most office supply stores, and holiday stencils to create the blueprint wrapping paper. Stencil the designs onto the blueprint paper with a pen or pencil; then cut out the designs and attach them to either white wrapping paper or plain white gift boxes. Use blue and white ribbons to complete the wintry look.