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There’s just something about a gift wrapped in plain brown paper and twine that I’m drawn to. Maybe it’s the simplicity, or that rustic, homespun feel. It doesn’t try too hard, and somehow that’s exactly what makes it so pretty. Tuck in a sprig of greenery from the yard or a dried orange slice, and it looks like it was wrapped slowly and with love, not grabbed in a hurry.

Some of the prettiest gifts I’ve ever seen were wrapped this way. Kraft paper is budget-friendly too, and it lets you skip the giant pile of shiny paper that can’t be recycled. Here’s how I like to do it.

The basic supplies

• A big roll of kraft paper. One roll goes a long way.
• Natural jute twine or baker’s twine for a little color.
• Kraft gift tags.
• Good double-sided tape, which hides seams for a cleaner look.
• Sharp scissors you keep just for paper.

Easy toppers that make it special

This is my favorite part, where plain paper becomes something beautiful. Tuck a little something from nature under the twine:

• A sprig of rosemary, eucalyptus or pine from the yard.
• Dried orange slices (you can dry your own in a low oven).
• A cinnamon stick or two.
• A few dried flowers.
• A tiny bell for kids’ gifts.

Add a personal touch

• Hand-letter names right on the paper with a white paint pen or a black marker.
• Use a simple stamp to make your own patterned paper.
• Wrap the box in kraft paper, then add a band of fabric scrap, wallpaper or sheet music.

Set up a wrapping station

Wrapping goes so much faster when everything is in one place. Clear a table, light a candle, keep supplies in a basket or a gift wrap organizer, and put on some music. Wrapping a few gifts as you buy them, instead of all on Christmas Eve, is a gift to yourself too.

A quick wrapping tip

Measure your paper so it wraps around the box with about an inch of overlap, and so the ends come up a little more than halfway up the sides. Fold the edges under for a clean line before taping. Too much paper is what makes wrapping look bulky.

In the end, a simple wrap doesn’t need to be perfect. A little twine, a bit of green and a handwritten tag say you took your time, and I think the person opening it can feel that.

Tell me what you think over on Instagram. I love hearing from you.

Something homemade to tuck inside: beeswax food wraps are an easy DIY gift, and here are more handmade holiday gifts with honey and beeswax.

Gifts that already look the part: our Hive & Hearth Gift Box and Cozy Candle Gift Box from Beeholden Farms arrive in a kraft box, so all you need is a bit of twine and a sprig of green. For the candle I light at my wrapping station, I love our White Tea soy candle, and a peppermint beeswax lip balm in its little kraft tube is the perfect tuck-in for a wrapped stocking.

Keep reading: Gift ideas for teens and amaryllis and paperwhites for holiday blooms, a lovely gift wrapped in kraft paper.