How to Make Christmas Gift Sacks From Brown Paper Grocery Sacks

Christmas gift wrap and store bought gift sacks are not usually environmentally friendly. If you want to "go green" this Christmas, you've probably considered wrapping paper and gift sacks made of recycled material. Those options are great ways to help out the environment, but re-using your own materials can actually help even more. Even recycled wrappings are manufactured in a plant that uses energy. At home, you can make beautiful gift sacks with ordinary paper grocery bags.

Things You'll Need

• Paper grocery sacks
• Scrap fabric
• Fabric pen
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Spray adhesive
• 1-inch thick ribbon
• Hot glue gun
• Markers or crayons
• Pencil

Instructions

Fabric-Covered Gift Sacks

1. Lay out some scrap fabric onto a flat surface, pattern-side down, and lay your paper bag on top.

2. Use a marker or pen to trace the paper bag's size onto the material twice, so that you can cover both sides.

3. Cut each side out individually and set them aside.

4. Use your measuring tape to measure a narrow side of the bag. Cut two pieces of fabric that size.

5. Lay your paper bag down on the table, and spray it with a spray adhesive. Immediately lay a piece of fabric onto the sprayed surface.

6. Continue to spray and place fabric until the bag's four sides are covered.

7. Cut two sections of 1-inch wide ribbon, each about 8 inches long.

8. Glue the ends onto the inside surface of the bag with a hot glue gun so that the loops stick out to create handles on both broad sides of the bag.

Hand-Drawn Gift Sacks

1. Lay your paper sack out onto a flat surface along with some markers or crayons and a pencil.

2. Draw a Christmas scene or design onto each side of your paper sack with a pencil. Draw a Christmas tree, a snowman, Santa or a nativity scene. Be creative, and think of the gift recipient while deciding on a design.

3. Color the scene that you drew, and add a phrase like "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays."

4. Attach a set of ribbon handles to carry your gift sack. (See steps 7-8 above)

Tips & Warnings

• Use caution when using a hot glue gun. Do not allow children to use a hot glue gun without supervision.

References

• Planet Green