These ideas range from a thin ribbon with one jingle bell to wide velvet bands, a big bow, or a double bow accent, and the pick depends on how much your wrapping paper is already doing.
Wired ribbon forgives a beginner, because the wire keeps each loop open and lets you reshape a bow that sags.
1. Fancy Bow
Choose a wide, soft satin and give yourself plenty of length, because a fancy bow eats ribbon fast.
Make the loops first, then stack them and pinch the center before you tie it off.
Pulling the loops out one at a time gives you the full, rounded shape. Practice on scrap ribbon before you cut into the good spool.
Matching the bow to the paper color keeps the whole gift looking calm and put together.
2. Big Bow
Size is the point here. One oversized, fluffy bow on a plain box does more than a dozen small touches, and it reads as a gift before anyone sees the tag.
A cream ribbon with a seasonal print, like pine, gives you a festive look without a single extra decoration. Use wired ribbon if you can find it, since the wire holds the loops open and lets you reshape them.
Skip busy wrapping paper underneath. A plain kraft or solid-color box lets the bow stand alone.
3. Ribbon Gift Tag
Felt, a few stitches, and a ribbon loop make a tag that people keep as an ornament. I like a velvet ribbon for the tie because it feels softer than the usual curling ribbon.
Cut the felt into a simple shape, stitch a small design in the center, and thread the ribbon through a hole at the top. Write the name on the back so the front stays clean.
A handmade ribbon tag takes more time than a tag from the gift aisle, so save it for the people who will notice.
4. Pom Pom Gift Wrap
Pom poms are cheap, and they turn a plain box into a character. A single large red pom pom becomes a reindeer nose once you glue paper antlers above it.
Cut the antlers from green craft paper, tape them inside the lid edge, and glue the pom pom on with craft glue. Hot glue works faster but can crush the fluff.
Kids love this one. Make a few for a gift table and the whole pile looks like a herd.
5. Ribbon Christmas Tree Design
Folding ribbon back and forth in a zigzag builds a tree in about a minute, with no cutting beyond the ribbon itself. Green on red gives you the classic Christmas pairing.
Make each fold a little shorter than the last so the tree narrows toward the top. Secure the folds with a dab of glue or double-sided tape, then add a small gold star at the peak.
It works best on a flat-topped box, where the tree has room to stand out.
6. Beaded Star Garland Ribbon
Silver ribbon strung with tiny stars and beads is delicate, so I use it on a quiet, neutral box like beige. Anything louder would fight it.
Wrap it around the box once or twice and knot it on top, leaving the tails loose. A bit of beaded ribbon goes a long way, so one spool can cover several small gifts.
Add a paper snowflake or two if you want more sparkle. The ribbon alone is already enough for a gift that feels special.
7. Wide Velvet Ribbons
Velvet ribbon in a deep red looks rich against rose-gold paper, and a wide band does the work of a bow without any tying skill.
Wrap it around the box like a belt and let the plush texture carry the gift.
Buy the widest velvet you can find, since a thin strip loses the soft, heavy look. Cut it with a little extra length, then trim the ends at an angle so they don’t fray.
Gold letter tags with a name or title, like the MOM and DAD ones, add a personal touch for almost no cost. Stick one on the ribbon or the paper.
8. Thin Ribbon with Jingle Bell
A thin ribbon and one small bell make the quietest finish you can put on a gift, and I like it for exactly that reason.
On a gift box that already has a pattern and lettering, a delicate red ribbon adds color without competing.
Wrap the ribbon once around the box, knot it on top, and thread a gold jingle bell onto the ends before you tie the final knot. Leave the tails a few inches long so they hang loose.
Pick a bell small enough to sit flat against the box. A bell that is too big will drag the knot sideways.
9. Double Bow Accent
Two bows on one box look generous, and each bow can be a plain, simple one. Red ribbon against a green textured box is the classic Christmas pairing, and a second bow beside the first makes the gift look finished.
Wrap the ribbon around the box in both directions, then tie one bow at each spot where the ribbon meets. Keep the 2 bows close in size so the pair looks planned.
Simple loops are enough. Save an elaborate bow for a single showpiece gift and keep this double bow easy: two loops, one knot, done in under a minute.
Choosing the Right Ribbon
Wired ribbon is the easiest place to start. The wire holds a loop open and lets you nudge a droopy one back into shape, so a first bow still looks full.
Unwired ribbon is fine once your hands know the folds, but it collapses fast if the first try is crooked. Buy a wired spool for practice, and you won’t waste the good ribbon while you learn.
Cost-effective Wrapping
Homemade bows cost far less than the pre-made ones sold in packs. One spool can wrap several gifts, so the savings grow with every box.
Big spools are the best value, and Costco sells ribbon all year in various widths and colors. Buy a color or two you’ll use again, since a spool that works for Christmas can also work for birthdays.
Paper stretches the budget the same way. Choose a few papers you can reuse for other occasions, and a reversible sheet gives you two looks from one roll.
A reversible ribbon is the cheap trick here: solid forest green on one face and a stripe on the back gives you two looks from a single spool.
Gift Presentation Tips
Wrapped gifts under the tree or stacked on a sideboard double as decor, so pick ribbon that matches your color scheme.
A stack under the tree is on display for weeks, so it should look like it belongs in the room.
Pull your ribbon and paper colors from what you already have out: the tree ornaments, the stockings, the table runner.
If the decor leans traditional, match it with classic ribbon. If it’s more modern, keep the wrapping equally simple.
Stick to two or three colors across all the gifts. That keeps a mixed pile looking planned instead of random.
24: Use as the gift tag: Instead of putting an extra piece of paper or a sticker on your present, let the gift wrapping do the job. Write out your “to” and “from” on any visible area of the ribbon.
— Giftster
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you make a simple bow with ribbon?
Make equal loops on each side, pinch the center tight, and keep adding matching loops until the bow looks full. For a big, poufy bow, make 4 loops on each side, 8 in all, with each loop a few inches long.
Then cut the ribbon from the spool and pull the loops out one at a time to round them. Cut a few yards of scrap ribbon and tie a test bow before you touch the good spool.
What type of ribbon is best for gift wrapping?
For most gift wrappers, and beginners above all, wired ribbon is the one I’d buy first. Satin in a width of 1.5 to 2.5 inches works well for bows, and wide velvet suits a simple band around the box.
What are some creative ways to decorate with Christmas ribbon?
Try a zigzag-folded ribbon tree on a flat-topped box, a wide velvet band wrapped like a belt, or a thin red ribbon with one small gold jingle bell.
You can also tie two simple bows on one box, or sew a felt tag with a velvet ribbon loop that doubles as an ornament.
Beaded silver star ribbon looks best on a quiet, neutral box. Ribbon colors that match your tree ornaments, stockings, or table runner tie the gifts into the room.
