Free Holiday Gift Bags Template and Tutorial

Click the link below to download the free printable Christmas gift bag template





These easy-to-make shabby chic Christmas gift bags are perfect for holiday party favors, stocking stuffers, office holiday gifts and more. There's just one bag template but it's customizable in so many ways, it will make your head spin. You can make it with a flap or without, you can add ribbon and then vary the types or ribbon you use, you can add any of the embellishments included with the template, and then you can add glitter, rhinestones, faux pearls or any number of other embellishments. These rhinestone and pearl pieces are beautiful, especially the snowflakes. snowflake Floral picks from Michael's or other craft stores would also look very nice tucked into the ribbon or attached in creative ways.



These are just some of the looks that can be achieved using this printable holiday gift bag template

There are also matching free holiday cupcake toppers and printable paper holiday wreath templates, both with instructions. Just click the links in this paragraph or at the bottom of this post to download them.

Instructions


Supplies:
  • Regular bond or inkjet paper
  • Scissors
  • Glue stick
Optional:
Prep: Download the holiday gift bag template components to your hard drive by clicking on the link above. You'll need an zip/unzip program to access them. If you don't have one, you can download 7-Zip free from CNET.

Scroll down below the tutorial image below for detailed instructions



1. Print the box template on plain bond or inkjet paper. Unlike most of the printables I design that require high-quality card stock, this project works quite well with regular paper.

Cut carefully around the pale gray outline, either with scissors, a craft knife or a paper cutter. Personally, I preferred a large pair of shears to cut the outline, but you can do it however you want.

2. Fold along the dotted line at the bottom of one of the blue panels. Crease the fold with your fingernail or burnisher, and do that for every step that involves folding. (I'm not going to repeat that last bit of advice over and over, because that would be annoying. But keep in mind that it's important to make a crisp crease on every fold, otherwise your bag will be floppy.)

3. Fold along the dotted line at the bottom the other blue panel. 

4. Fold along the dotted line at the bottom of one of the pink striped panels.  

5. Fold along the dotted line at the bottom of the other pink striped panel.

6. Fold the first of the four diagonal dotted lines that will create the side panels. The dotted line should be facing you as you fold.

7. Fold the rest of the four diagonal dotted lines to create the side panels.

8. A triangle will be formed once steps 6 and 7 are completed.  Apply the glue stick to each triangle one-by-one and then adhere it, so it creates a crisp right angle that will form the side of the bag.

9. Use the glue stick to adhere the internal front and back flaps to the bag. This will keep it from being unstable.

10. This image hows what the final bag should look on the inside. You can use glue over a larger area if you want there not to be any gaps at all, but it's not necessary unless you plan to not tie the top or use the included flap.

11. If you want to use the flap, make a fold at about 1/2" from the flat edge. You can also use the bag without the flap, punching holes so you can insert ribbon to tie it closed, or you can leave it open and insert tissue paper that will spill out over the top.

12. Apply glue stick to the 1/2" folded area.

13. Glue the flap to the back of the top of the bag, being careful to center it in the front. Alternatively, you can insert the flap in between the layers on one side of the bag and glue it in place.

14. This images shows a basic completed bag with a flap. Now you're free to decorate it using the embellishments template provided, and/or glitter, rhinestones, faux pearls, ribbon, etc. And as mentioned in step 11, you can also make the bag without the flap. See the photos at the top of this post for some bag embellishment ideas.

I hope you enjoy making these holiday gift bags, as well as my other Christmas printables!

Matching Printables:

You might also be interested in this tutorial for making Christmas garland and ornaments out of recycled Christmas cards or this paper Christmas tree and ornaments template. 

Credits: Thanks to Cajoline of Cajoline-Scrap.Blogspot.com for several of the patterns used, to Marni Designs for the blue paisley design and to WendyBird Designs for the bag template. 

Terms: This art is for personal use only. Please see my easy-to-follow terms if you would like to link to this page. You may use the image at the bottom of this post to link to this page.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate links are used in this post and in the sidebar, which means I will be paid a small commission if anything is purchased through them. This doesn't increase the amount you pay if you buy anything.

2 comments:

  1. Is this template still available? I've tried to download it but message says file has been removed or renamed. Thanks

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sorry about that. It's strange, because when I click on it the file comes up, but it has a message saying a preview can't be displayed because it's a zip file. But it is there. Try this direct link instead: https://app.box.com/s/8f3rsazd9266tf9g8vbt

      If that doesn't work, email me at the address on the Contact page (accessible at the top of the site) and I'll send you the file. Please try the link I just provided first though.

      Thanks.

      Delete

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