Packaging Homemade Goodies as Holiday Gifts
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It is possible to save money and make fun creative gifts this season for your family and friends in your kitchen.
The question:
Dear Chef Mom: I love to give homemade cookies as
holiday gifts, but I never know how to package them so they
look like a "real gift" rather than just something I threw
together. I've used tins and those holiday zipper bags but I
was hoping for something a little more appealing in the
presentation. Any ideas? - Courtney
Chef Mom says:
It's always fun to give homemade gifts from the kitchen (
click
here for some goodie recipes) - but when it comes to the
gift wrapping, sometimes it's easy to run out of ideas. Fear
not! Creative guru Amanda Formaro of
Family
Corner offers you her excellent suggestions!
Says Amanda: Courtney has a great question. Cookies,
brownies, and homemade candies are wonderful gifts from the
heart. But what are some fun and pretty ways to wrap your
treats? Try some of these ideas when wrapping up your holiday
gifts.
Jars
Use mason jars (completely cleaned and dried) to stack homemade
cookies in, then decorate the lid with a pretty bow tied from
holiday ribbon.
Colorful Wrap
When using cookie tins, try wrapping the cookies in colored
plastic wrap and tying with thin colorful ribbon. To wrap,
place a rectangle of plastic wrap on the counter, place a short
stack of cookies in the center of the plastic wrap, then gather
the plastic wrap together above the cookies. Tie with ribbon
and blossom out the top of the plastic wrap so that it looks
attractive.
Recycle!
Use empty (washed and dried) Pringles cans to stack cookies in.
You can decorate these with
wrapping paper, contact paper, or paint and
ribbons. You could even use aluminum foil and a pretty bow.
Baskets
Baskets make a
wonderful presentation for edible gifts. Bundle
cookies in colored or clear plastic wrap as indicated above,
then arrange in a basket that is lined with tissue paper.
Insert extra tissue paper as filler and "fluff" it up to make
it pretty. Tie a big shiny bow to the handle of the basket or
wrap the entire basket in cellophane then adorn with a bow.
Mugs & Plates
For smaller portions of cookies, wrap in plastic wrap and put
inside a coffee mug, add a package of cocoa, a cinnamon stick
or candy cane, wrap with cellophane and a bow. For larger
portions, you can use a holiday plate wrapped in cellophane,
embellished with ribbon.
Suckers
Cookie suckers are always a big hit. When your cookies are
ready to go into the oven, press an ice cream or lollipop stick
into the dough, then bake. Wrap cookie suckers individually
with colored or clear plastic wrap and tie closed with a pretty
ribbon.
Cookie Jar
Though a little more extravagant, place cookies inside of a new
holiday or everyday cookie jar. Wrap the cookie jar in wrapping
paper, add curling ribbon in several colors. This gift will
keep giving for many years to come!
You can top off home baked gifts with a fun poem or friendly handwritten note. If your gift recipient enjoys baking, include the recipe and a wooden spoon or wire whisk with the gift as a special touch.
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