3 Easy Christmas Gift Bag Crafts for Kids and Grown-Ups

Why use a boring Christmas gift bag when you can create one with pizazz? Get a little creative and your gift bag will become as treasured a part of the process as the gift inside.

Potato Prints

Here's an easy one that the kids will enjoy. Before the kids are around, prepare the potato stamps. You'll need potatoes - plain white baking ones are the least expensive to waste but even a yam will do the trick -- and a carving knife. Carefully, use the knife to etch a shape in the potato. You may need a few practice attempts to get it right, but don't try to be perfect! The handmade look is a huge part of the charm. A Christmas tree outline is an easy shape, but a bell isn't too difficult either. If you feel adventurous or particularly talented, try a snowflake or a candy cane, complete with etched lines. You can even cut letters, or, if you have them handy, use pre-made foam alphabet stamps to add a personalized greeting. Once you've made your stamps, gather brown paper lunch bags and acrylic paint. Squirt assorted paints onto disposable plates then call the kids into the room to start stamping. Allow to dry between layers of colors. Now you have creative and one-of-a-kind Christmas gift bags that everyone will love!

Ribbons and Bells

You will need:

Eyelets, in your choose of size, with a setting press (available at fabric stores)

Ribbon that will fit through the eyelets easily

Christmas bells, again that will fit on the ribbon.

To make this Christmas gift bag, you'll use the same brown bags from the first project and simply fold down the top inch of the bag towards the inside, forming a one-inch "hem" all the way around. At regular intervals, set the eyelets across the top (1-inch apart is a good starting point). Start your eyelet row at the middle of either the front or back of the bag so you end up in the middle where you will tie. When you've added the eyelets, thread the ribbon in and out, adding bells as desired. When you reach the end, tie a nice bow and/or add more bells. Easy and cute!

Hand-painted Designs

If you don't want to carve stamps and you fancy yourself a bit of an artist, use acrylic paints and a brush to paint your brown bags. Cut a layer of cardboard to fit inside the bags to prevent leakage between front and back. Paint in even, thin layers so the bag doesn't wrinkle. When finished and dry, spray with a quick coat of varnish.

Get creative! Your inspiration doesn't have to stop with these ideas. Experiment and have fun. You'll never buy a Christmas gift bag again!