How to make a gift bag out of wrapping paper

Don’t you love the feeling when you wrap a present just right? All the corners fold in perfectly, the tape isn’t wrinkled, and you successfully tie a bow without it being lopsided. It basically feels like a Christmas miracle. On the flip side, sometimes the gift you’re trying to wrap is just too awkward or too weirdly shaped, and trying to wrap it turns into an existential crisis of tape and paper cuts. Sometimes it’s best just to throw everything in a bag and call it a day. Here’s how to make a gift bag out of wrapping paper, in three easy steps.

You don’t need to go out and buy gift bags this wrapping season. You can quickly and easily make them yourself out of paper and other materials you already have in your home.

Materials

Wrapping paper
Ribbon
Scissors
1-hole punch
Hot glue and glue gun (not pictured)

Step by Step: How to make a gift bag out of wrapping paper

Materials needed for this project — Photo: M.E. Russell

Step

First, cut a rectangular sheet of wrapping paper a little over twice as wide as you need your gift bag to be.

Next, fold the paper in thirds across the width, creasing the edges. Unfold.

Now match the edges in the middle, overlapping slightly. Crease the folds.

Step

Next, fold up along the first crease created when the bag was folded in thirds. This will create the final fold needed for the “accordion” sides of the gift bag. Unfold, and flip these flaps so they sit inside the bag rather than outside.

Using hot glue, adhere the seam of the bag where the edges overlap. Next, fold the bottom of the bag up to create a crease, then unfold.

Now fold the bottom of the bag as you would a paper airplane, bringing the bottom corners to the middle seam. Crease, and unfold.

Step

Using the diagonal creases created in the last step as a guide, fold the bottom of the bag like you would a present. Glue the bottom tabs in place.

Next, punch two holes on each side of top of the bag.

Feed ribbon through the holes. Use hot glue to affix the ribbon in place, or knot the ribbon inside the bag. Done!

Not only is it easy to make your own gift bags in a pinch, but it’s also great if you’re obsessed with having matching presents under your tree (which, side note, I totally am).