DIY Hanukkah Gift Wrapping Ideas

Make a Dreidel Snowflake Topper

Here's how:

1. Wrap a box with patterned paper.

2. Cut a square of tissue paper that’s slightly smaller than the box and fold it in half twice. Set the resulting square in front of you so the single-folded edge is on the left and the double-folded edge is on the top. (It should open like a book.)

3. Fold the top-right corner down diagonally, then flip the square over and do the same thing with the top-left corner to create a triangle. On the closed point of the triangle, draw a dreidel shape as shown.

4. Cut out the dreidel shape as shown. Unfold.

5. Repeat steps 2, 3 and 4 with smaller squares and different colors of tissue. Layer the squares, sticking them to one another and the box with glue dots.

Check out this video to see the how-to.

Try Stamping Paper

Here's how:

1. Cut a piece of solid-color wrapping paper big enough for your box. (We used this one from JAM.)

2. Stamp the paper to spell “Happy Hanukkah,” spacing the letters out as evenly as possible in a grid pattern.

3. Wrap the box. Tie ribbon into a bow in one corner.

Create Cardboard Crackers

Here's how:

1. Cut sheets of tissue paper big enough to wrap around a cardboard tube, like a toilet paper roll, adding 5 inches to each side. Cut fringe into the sides.

2. Place a gift in the tube and wrap the tissue paper around it a couple of times. Tie the ends with ribbon.

3. Cut a piece of wrapping paper a bit shorter than the tube and long enough to wrap around it once. Wrap it around the tube; secure with tape. (We used these two patterns from Minted.)

Make a Honeycomb Dreidel Topper

Here's how:

1. Wrap boxes with patterned papers. (We used these two from Minted.)

2. Honeycomb balls come folded flat. Draw half of a dreidel shape on the paper backing of each one, then cut them out. The large, two-tone honeycomb is from Oriental Trading.

3. Unfold the dreidels and stick them to the boxes with double-sided tape.

Paint Your Paper

Here's how:

1. Cut a piece of recycled white sketch paper from a roll big enough for your box.

2. Using blue watercolor paint and a 1/2-inch flat brush, paint candles on the paper in straight strokes. Vary the angles and leave enough space between the candles for flames.

3. Using gold paint and a round brush, paint a flame above each candle.

4. Let the paper dry, then wrap the box and tie gold ribbon around it in a bow.

Add a Confetti Gift Tag

Here's how:

1. Wrap a box with solid-color paper. Tie ribbon into a bow in one corner.
2. Write the gift recipient’s name in the center of a blue piece of card stock with a silver paint pen.
3. Sprinkle confetti and sequins around the name. Cover the card stock with a self-adhesive laminating sheet (available at office supply stores) or wide, clear packing tape. Press down firmly to remove any air bubbles.
4. Cut out a tag shape (ours measures 5 inches by 7 inches). Tie the tag to the bow with ribbon.

Try Washi-Tape Menorahs

Here's how:

1. Wrap boxes with solid-color papers.

2. To decorate, cut washi tape into strips to create a menorah as shown, then cut gold washi tape into small diamonds for each flame. “Light” the number of candles on each menorah to designate which night of Hanukkah the present should be opened!

Go for Gelt Ribbon

Here's how:

1. Wrap a box with solid-color paper. (We used this one from Blick.)

2. Trace different-sized pieces of gelt onto gold card stock, then cut out the circles slightly smaller than what you traced.

3. Dab some hot glue on the back of a piece of gelt and lay twine over it, then press a card-stock circle over the glue while it’s still hot to sandwich the twine. Repeat with more gelt, spacing the pieces about 1/4 inch apart. Continue until the twine is long enough to tie around the box.