One of my favorite holiday rituals is choosing a new gift wrap theme each year. You don’t need to redecorate everything to get a fresh look—switching up your wrapping scheme is an easy, high-impact way to change the mood. You can go classic or bold, playful or elegant, and mix unexpected colors and textures. Below I’ve gathered four favorite wrap pairings from this season to spark your creativity. Consider it permission to buy the wrapping paper you love!
I give each theme a name—this one is:
You wanna pizza me, Santa?
The Wrap:
Pizza | Santa | Gold stripes | Red and gold spots
The Trim:
Gold ribbon | Candy-cane yarn | Pom-pom trim | Red ribbon | Mini Santa hats | Reindeer tag
—
Let It GLOW!
The Wrap:
Glossy green | Pink glitter | Neon triangles | Playful patterned paper
The Toppers:
Tinsel | Koosh balls | Hot pink ribbon | Neon ribbon | Jingle tags | Tree tags
—
Santa, Kanye Hear Me?
The Wrap:
Graphic celebrity print | Emoji paper | Black and white squiggles | Red glitter
The Toppers:
Red ribbon | Striped grosgrain | White elastic | Honeycomb toppers | Mini Santa hats
—
Joy to the (Girl) World
The Wrap:
Neon brush stroke | Bubblegum pink | Gold stars | Pink glitter
The Toppers:
Mini honeycombs | Glitter foam accents | Hot pink ribbon | Light pink ribbon | Heart toppers
Here are five practical tips to help you create your own cohesive gift-wrap theme:
1. Include one traditional holiday color to keep the look festive — red, green, gold or silver work well.
2. Mix pattern scales: combine large prints with small patterns and add a solid color to balance busy designs.
3. Look beyond seasonal paper. Regular gift wrap and craft-store rolls often offer metallics and subtle patterns that pair beautifully with festive sheets.
4. Raid your craft closet and junk drawer for trims: honeycombs, pom-poms, glitter foam, tinsel and even elastic can become charming toppers.
5. Splurge selectively. Buy one or two special designer or small-batch papers and pair them with budget-friendly options for everyday gifts. Save the luxe sheets for recipients who will truly appreciate them.
Photos by Jeff Mindell
What’s your holiday gift wrap style? Share your favorite combos!