If you’re bringing gifts for friends and family this holiday season, don’t forget the gift tag — especially if you’re forgoing wrapping paper in favor of gift bags. It’s a simple part of a gift that can really impress the recipient. Plus, if you’re giving multiple gifts to different people, it’s an essential component of keeping who-gets-what organized!
DIY gift tags and name tags can make a gift pop — and the great news is that you don’t necessarily need to be Martha Stewart to create them.
You can get a lot of pre-made parts at craft stores and dollar stores, and upgrade the designs with your personal touch. If you own a crafting machine, like a Cricut, you can take your creativity to a whole other level with materials like vinyl decals and sticker paper.
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Here are a few name tag ideas to get you started. Most can be completed in a few minutes, so if you’re really under the wire for last-minute gift giving, you’ll be totally covered.
Festive with felt
If you’re handy with a sewing machine, create some tags with texture that will really impress. The names can be easily added with some colorful iron-on transfer materials, printed onto iron-on paper from your computer, or even cut out by hand and stuck right on.
Really impress with ribbon
This simple style packs a major pinch when you use silky, satiny ribbon as the tied component. The tag itself can be a heavy-stock paper. Cut the tag in a simple shape (like the rectangle here), add the names with a paint pen, and voilà!
Paint and present
Unleash your inner artist with a really personalized gift tag your loved one will never forget. Use watercolor paper, which is heavier in weight and offers a nice texture, then cut or tear the tag style you like.
Finish it off with a painted symbol, shape, or winter scene. Use watercolor paints, acrylics, or even felt-tipped markers to complete the design.
Dip-dyed to perfection
If Picasso-ing your present is too much, simply dip the edge of your gift tag into a mixture of paint and water. You can make an ombre design that fades to reach the name of the recipient and tie it off with some twine or rope.
Wow ‘em with wood
You can usually buy pre-cut wood tags like these at any craft store; it’s how you personalize them that makes a difference!
For this style, you can stain each tag to darken the wood, and write names using a paint pen once it’s dried. Then jazz up the tie with some beads for a chic but simple touch.
Double-duty DIY
Why give one gift when you can give two? Pick up some cute but simple keychains at the dollar store, and personalize them with the recipient’s name, for a gift tag they can keep along with the gift.
