How to Give a Cookie Gift Without Looking like a Scrooge

Try these creative ideas for packing and presenting holiday cookies, using cellophane wrappers, decorated gift boxes, and more.

Related: 27 Easy Party Food Ideas You Can Make in a Pinch

Deck the Box

Give a plain box a seasonal makeover with fresh pine. Arrange the leaves in a small ring and glue together the stems before securing the delicate wreath with ribbon.



Mix-and-Match Cookie Tins

A mixed tin is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Line the bottom and sides of a square or rectangular airtight tin with corrugated paper. Fold short lengths in half for dividers. Envelop your cookies in tissue paper, buffer them with corrugated paper tubes, or protect them using accordion-folds of red paper. You can also tie a stack of cookies with baker's twine.

1. Line the bottom and sides with corrugated paper. Fold short lengths in half for dividers.

2. Envelop your cookies in tissue paper, buffer them with corrugated paper tubes, or protect them using accordion-folds of red paper. You can also tie a stack of cookies with baker's twine.

Cookie-Filled Christmas Crackers

Stack Lemon Spice Butter Cookies and other holiday favorites inside store-bought clear tubes. They're more festive -- and affordable -- than tins or plastic containers. (They're also sturdier in transit than cellophane wrapping.)

Stack this year's holiday cookies and sweets inside store-bought clear tubes. At under $2 each, they're more affordable -- and festive -- than tins or plastic containers. (They're also sturdier in transit than cellophane wrapping.)

Tools and Materials
Plastic tube
Cookies or candy
Tissue or crepe paper
Fast-drying glue, such as Magna-Tac
Ribbon

1. Print clip-art bands, and cut out.

2. Fill plastic tube with cookies or candy; place caps on ends.

3. Cut a 4-by-12-inch piece of tissue or crepe paper. Apply glue around 1 end of tube, attach paper, and wrap around twice. Secure end of paper with a dot of glue. Repeat at other end.

4. Using scissors, fringe paper ends. Gather with ribbon; tie.

5. Glue clip art around tube so it covers where fringed paper was attached.

Related: These Pretty (and Delicious!) Holiday Cookie Recipes Are Perfect for Gifting

Cookie Boxes

Embellished faux bois boxes make charming woodland gifts.

When richly spiced cardamom cookies are pressed with wood-grain and scallop texture mats, cut into the shapes of trees and reindeer, and packaged, they create a charming woodland fantasy in each box.

To keep them fresh, sandwich the cookies between layers of waxed kraft paper. Fine wood shavings protect them from breakage. Embellish the outside of the boxes with one or several of the decorating options below, or create your own adornments.

Spread wood shavings in the bottom of a shallow gift box. Wrap lid with desired paper, securing paper to underside of lid with tape. Top shavings with a sheet of waxed kraft paper. Stack 2 or 3 similarly shaped cookies, and tie with red twine. Arrange stacks of cookies in box, varying shapes and sizes. Top with another sheet of waxed kraft paper and a layer of wood shavings. Top with the lid.

To Decorate Outside of Box

Option 1, top left: Wrap a wide satin ribbon around entire box, securing it to bottom with double-sided tape. Top with a velvet ribbon that's slightly narrower, securing at back. Trace tree template onto metallic card stock, and cut out. Affix to ribbons with double-sided tape.

Option 2, bottom left: Wrap a satin ribbon around front of box to back. Twist, and bring ends around to front along other sides. Tie with a classic bow. Tuck glittered faux greenery into the bow.

Option 3, top right: Wrap a wide satin ribbon around front of box, securing it to bottom with double-sided tape. Wrap a narrower satin ribbon around box on top of other ribbon, and tie with a classic bow. Tuck glittered faux greenery into the bow.

Kitchen Molds

Kitchen molds make attractive gift containers, and they serve the recipient well long after the cookies are eaten. Here, pudding molds lined with parchment make excellent vessels for soft cookies.






Recipe Booklet

A collection of holiday recipes, accompanied by a sweet sample, is a gift that will be appreciated for years. The cheery presentation adds to its appeal. Pass on your culinary traditions to friends.

1. To make one booklet, cover the exterior of a blank greeting card with patterned wrapping paper using a glue stick.

2. Remove the flap from an envelope that will accommodate 3-by-5-inch recipe cards.

3. Glue the front of the envelope to the inner right-hand side of the greeting card.

4. Stuff the envelope with recipe cards, printed by hand or on a computer.

5. Finish by affixing a label to the front of the booklet.

Cookie Compotes

Crisp anise cookies become even more memorable when they're presented in small compotes, wrapped in sparkling cellophane, and adorned with red ribbons.

The cookies can be wrapped in cellophane and then tucked into the compote (shown here on the left), or the entire compote can be wrapped (shown here on the right side of the photo). Instructions for both variations follow.

Option 1 (wrapped in cellophane): Fill a compote or decorative dish with red shredded paper or Easter grass, and top with a small mound of cookies. Top with a sheet of cellophane, and invert. Remove dish, and trim cellophane to cover bottom of shredded paper, allowing edges to overlap. Seal with tape. Invert again, and place wrapped cookies and paper in dish. Wrap a length of satin ribbon around dish and cookies, taping ends of ribbon to bottom of dish. Tie several lengths of bakers' twine around ribbon, and attach a gift tag.

Option 2 (wrapped compote): Fill a compote or decorative dish with red shredded paper or Easter grass, and top with a small mound of cookies. Wrap a sheet of cellophane around dish and cookies, taping cellophane to bottom of dish and leaving sides open. From a sheet of red glassine, cut a 1-inch-wide length for ribbon. Write a name or greeting on ribbon with a white-gel pen. Place across top of dish. At rim of dish, gather cellophane and ribbon on each side, and tie with silver cord. Trim cellophane, and notch ribbon ends.

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Great gift-giving is all about presentation. See ideas to make a store-bought gift your own.