This week’s Friday Wrap is a little different. Instead of focusing on one type of wrapping, I’m going to show you an array of inspiration you can use for all those gifts you’ll be wrapping for the holidays. Here are some of my best tips:

1. Get soft and fuzzy. Pom-poms are easy and a perfect fit for gifts during the winter months. So pick up a few balls of yarn and follow a simple tutorial like this one here. That’s all there is to it.

2. Go metallic. The holidays are pretty much the only time of year when metallics transition from being cheesy to festive. So join in the celebration with shiny golds and silvers, whether it’s bows, wrapping paper, or decorative trims like these. Just remember to balance the metallics by placing them against wrapping materials with minimal or no pattern. Here it is wrapped against kraft paper, but a bold wrap colour like green would look great too.

3. Play around with non-traditional colours. The holidays don’t have to scream red and green. Get creative and try other colour combos. Sometimes pairings like the bright blue, green, and pink shown below are great for shaking things up, and can often feel much more festive at times. Hint: blue hues will give your gifts an “icy” winter feel.

4. Ornaments aren’t just for trees. There are lots of cheap bundles of ornaments out there, in all different shapes, colours and sizes. Why not pick up some for your gift wrapping? You’ll be surprised how much they amp up the look of your gifts. Get an assortment of ornaments and have fun mixing and matching.

5. Spell it out. Not into all those tiny gift tags? Why not spell it out louder by cutting out names from various decorative papers. Choose a favourite typeface from your computer and print out the letters on plain white paper at the right size for your gift boxes. Cut out the letters from the printer paper and use those as tracing stencils on the sheets of newspaper or maps or other fancy papers you might have lying around. No one will accidentally open the wrong gift now.

Happy holiday gift wrapping everyone!

{images from Tea and Toast, Lisa Solomon, Jessica @ Such Pretty Things, CleverIndie, and Bugs & Fishes}