How to Wrap a Christmas Ornament as a Gift

The neatest way to wrap a Christmas ornament is to cushion it in tissue, settle it in a small box so it cannot slide, then wrap the closed box like any other present. The tissue protects the ornament from rubbing against the box, while the box gives you flat sides for clean folds and ribbon.

Hands cut ribbon from a green gift box during gift wrapping — Gift-wrapping example: cutting ribbon on a plain gift box. Photo by Antoni Shkraba on Pexels, used under the Pexels License.

Use a box for a tidy finish

Choose a box that leaves a little room around the ornament for tissue, without leaving a large empty space for it to move. Before you start wrapping, close the lid once: it should not press on the ornament. If it touches, choose a deeper box; if the ornament slides across the bottom, try a smaller one. If you are wrapping an embroidered hoop ornament, such as Sewadora’s Personalized Baby First Christmas Ornament, Embroidered Name Hoop, place it face up so the decorated side stays visible and its hanging loop is not trapped underneath.

Personalized Baby First Christmas Ornament, Embroidered Name Hoop, Custom Newborn Keepsake Gift — Personalized Baby First Christmas Ornament, Embroidered Name Hoop. Product photo from Sewadora.

Wrap it in tissue before closing the box

Line the box with one sheet of tissue, leaving the ends loose over the sides.
Lay the ornament in the center. If it has a cord or hanging loop, guide it beside the ornament rather than underneath it.
Fold the tissue over the ornament loosely. Add small, soft folds at the sides to stop it sliding; do not press hard on the decorated surface.
Close the box and tilt it gently from side to side. If you can feel the ornament move, reopen the box and add a little more folded tissue at the open spaces. Repeat until it stays in place.

For a rounded ornament, use tissue underneath and around its sides to make a cradle. For a flat hoop or plaque, keep the decorated face clear and cushion the edges so the piece does not slide. The goal is a snug nest, not a tightly packed box.

For a flat wooden example, see Sewadora’s Growing Old Together ornament: it is made from 3 mm ash plywood, with custom-shaped printed artwork on a flat surface. Wrap it loosely in tissue, cushion the edges, and check that it cannot slide inside the box. See the product listing for current personalization options.

Growing Old Together wooden Christmas ornament. Image from Sewadora.

Finish the present

Wrap the closed box with paper, folding each end neatly against the box and securing the paper with tape. Tie ribbon around the box and add a tag with the recipient’s name. A short note about why you chose the ornament turns a small gift into a keepsake without adding more packaging.

For a wrapping that becomes part of the gift, our Etsy shop has two crochet Christmas bags with drawstring tops and shoulder straps. The Santa gift bag shows a 3D Santa face holding a present, and its listing suggests using it as a reusable gift bag for treats and small presents; it is about 7.1 inches (18 cm) tall. The Santa bucket bag surrounds Santa with Christmas trees and poinsettias and is about 9.84 by 7.87 inches (25 by 20 cm). Keep a fragile ornament in tissue inside its small box before it goes into either bag; afterwards, the recipient can carry the bag.

This method is for presenting a gift. If you are mailing the ornament, place the gift box inside a separate shipping carton with cushioning around it; gift wrap alone is not shipping protection.

After the holidays, see how to put flat embroidered hoops and shaped crochet ornaments away for next season.