The wrapping of your gift food is very important. A beautiful package, basket, or jar is an inviting glimpse to what is inside. Some ideas for wrapping supplies are: baskets, paper, fabric, disposable loaf pans, cookie tins, gift bags, canning jars, stickers, millinery trinkets, gift tabs, labels, tea towels, cloth napkins, and ribbon. You can make a beautiful gift with any of these basic items.
Worried that it will take too much time? Plan ahead and be organized. If you are making a lot of gifts, choose something that can be made ahead like jam or keep it simple with a muffin mix.
Check out yard sales for old glass jars, canisters, and platters. You'd be amazed at what you can buy for a $1 and with a little scrub and some wonderful food will look like a million!
Stick with your budget! This doesn't have to be expensive. Choose the idea/recipe you want, calculate how many batches you will make and buy only those ingredients. Keep a list of the ingredients on hand and watch for sales at the grocery store. Around Christmas stores tend to raise prices on baking supplies, so think ahead and buy things that can be frozen in early fall and you could save $1 a pound for unsalted butter!
Always include storage information/expiration information if needed. For instance, jam is good for long term storage if sealed, but once the seal is broken (or once open if it was just put into sterilized jars) it must be refrigerated and is usually good for 3-5 months.
If uses for the gift or serving suggestions are not immediately evident, be sure to include them on a tag or label. You want your recipient to know what the gift is and how to enjoy it!
Look for supplies:
Wrap a gift basket with cellophane or fabric:
Center the basket onto a measuring tape. Measure on the longest side if it is not a square. Bring the tape up to the basket handle and measure 8-12 inches about it. This will give you the length you need of fabric or cellophane.
Cut two pieces of fabric or cellophane matching the above measurements.
Center your basket (with food inside) on one of the pieces and draw each side up to the center of the basket handle. Gather them together and secure it with a twist tie. Repeat with the second length and secure it with a twist tie.
Tie a not with ribbon and remove the twist ties. Make a bow with the ribbon.
Adjust along the bottom of the basket by folding the gaps and pulling them taunt underneath the basket. Secure cellophane with clear tape if needed.
Add a gift tag and you are ready to give your basket away!
Use a flowerpot as a container:
Wash the clay flowerpot in hot water and let it dry thoroughly.
Paint a design with poster paints, glue leaves, flowers, ornaments...the options are endless!
Applying a finishing coat of shellac or clear acrylic varnish with seal the decorations.
Line the interior of the pot with tissue or cellophane, add your gift (cookies, candy, etc...), and place the filled pot into a large cellophane bag. Gather the edges and tie with a ribbon.
Wrap with a jar topper (fabric that just covers the lid & a small part of the jar):
Cut a 6-7" square or circle of fabric, heavy wrapping paper or craft paper. Pinking shears or scrapbook scissors will give the edges a finished look.
Use double stick tape (or make a loop with regular) and attach the topper, centered, to the lid.
Pull the sides of the topper down and secure it with a rubber band.
Tie a pretty ribbon around the topper. If the ribbon is wide enough, leave the rubber band for extra security. If not, snip the rubber band free with scissors.
Wrap in a pouch (enclosing completely in fabric):
Cut a square of card stock to a size that will accommodate the bottom of your jar/container.
With pinking shears, cut a square or circle of fabric that is 5-6 times the size of the square.
Center the card stock square on your fabric.
Place the container/jar on the square and draw the fabric up and above the top of it. Gather and tie with ribbon. Pull the fabric taunt and fold the pleats even as needed.
