How to Make Printable Christmas Bags
With all of the expenses of the holidays, the last thing you need is to spend extra money on gift wrapping and gift bags. Holiday gift bags can be very expensive, especially since you often only get one use out of them. Print your own gift bags this year instead of purchasing them from an overpriced store. Making your own gift bags is not only cost efficient but also a fun craft that you can do with your kids or a group of friends before the busy holiday months.
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Things You'll Need
- Computer
- Printer
- Word processing program
- 5 pieces of thick paper, 8 1/2 inches by 11 inches
- Ruler
- Paper cutter or scissors
- Glue or glue stick
- Sharp pencil
- Hole puncher
- Ribbon
Instructions
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Open a word processing document, such as a Microsoft Word document. Insert a picture or symbol in the document of your choice. You can use Microsoft Word's Clip Art program to insert a holiday symbol into the document. If you'd prefer, choose "Symbol" from the "Insert menu," and select a symbol instead. A final option is to find a picture online through a search engine image search, right click on the photo, save it to your desktop and insert it into the document.
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Click on the image in the document. Right click on the image, and select "Copy," and then right click again next to the image, and select "Paste." Continue to do this until you fill the entire page. To save time, once you have several images pasted, highlight the group of images, copy them and paste another group of images. Be sure to drag the ruler grid at the top of the page all the way to the right and left so that you can fill the edges of the page as well.
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Print five copies of this page. Place two pieces of paper, printed side down, on a flat surface. Fold each edge about 1/2 inch inward toward the non-printed side. These copies will make the front and back of your bag. Set these aside.
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Place one piece of paper vertically in front of you. The paper will be 8 1/2 inches across; trim about 1 1/2 inches off the edge of the paper. Repeat the step with another sheet of paper.
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Hold one larger sheet of printed paper and 1 smaller printed paper vertically with the printed side facing outward. Apply glue to the tab folded inward on the larger sheet of paper, and stick the non-printed side of the smaller panel to the folded tab. Repeat this process with each of the other panels, forming a rectangle.
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Place the remaining sheet of paper printed side down on a flat surface. Stand the rectangle on the sheet of paper. Use the pencil to tightly trace the inside of the rectangular onto the flat sheet of paper. Cut the rectangle out, leaving an excess of about 1/2 inch on each side.
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Fold the edges of the rectangle in toward the non-printed side of the paper. Apply glue to each edge and slide the tabs inside the gift bag, using your other hand to reach inside and press the tabs to the outer pieces of paper. Allow the bag to dry completely.
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Use the hole punch to make two holes in the top of the front and back of the bag. Insert one end of ribbon in one hole on the front of the bag. Tie the end in a knot, and insert the other end of the ribbon through the other hole on the back of the bag. Tie another knot. Do the same on the back of the bag.
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Tips & Warnings
To add a little more support, place a piece of cardboard in the back of the bag if you are giving a heavier gift.
