How to Make Unique Gift Boxes

My love language is, without a doubt, gifts. I guess I see them as a puzzle/project because I like figuring out what the receiver would appreciate. Plus, I love any excuse to create and get crafty! I can get a bit awkward expressing my feelings for others so gifs are a way for me to take something that I’m good at and confident in and show that person how much they mean to me when I can't always do so in words.

I know that not everyone is a gift person, in fact most of the people I’m closest to are self-proclaimed “bad at gifts” people. So whether you love giving gifts and just want some fresh ideas or you want the extra help, this post is about gift boxes I’ve done in the past and what they typically include!

With boxes, I always go for a theme. That theme could be a color, brand, TV show, holiday, vibe, place, etc. Try to think of something that person would enjoy and build the box around it. Remember, the boxes don’t have to be extravagant. In fact, they can be very budget-friendly while still being meaningful.

Once of the most recent ones I did was a video game themed box for my boyfriend for our anniversary. This is probably one of the more time consuming ones I’ve done, but I’m a little extra.

I pre-ordered him a game, but since it wouldn’t be arriving for another month I decided to make a box with small things he liked so he’d still have something to open. When he opened the box there was a note that said, “Welcome to Level 3” since it was our 3rd anniversary and under that the message, “load game”. I tried to imitate the style of retro a game screen so all of the wording looked pixelated (like I said, I’m a little extra).

Then I just filled the box with his favorite snacks, Pokémon cards, and drinks. I made little labels for each like “healing potion”, “extra life”, “1 up”, “companions”, etc. all in the same pixelated art style. And once he took the items out, there was a message at the bottom saying that the game I ordered was coming soon.

Most of the boxes I do are more simple though, I just like to go big on special occasions like anniversaries. In the past, one of my go-to boxes is a spa box or cozy box, which I'll include along with some other ideas for inspiration:

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Spa Box - $

• A face mask or two

• Body/hand lotion

• Bath bomb

• Chocolate

• Candle

Cozy Box - $

• Fuzzy socks

• Throw blanket

• Candle

• Candy/chocolate

• Hot chocolate packet or tea packets

Color Coded Box - $

• Find candy that all has the same color packaging

• Matching flowers

• Matching fuzzy socks or blanket

• Small trinkets (succulent for green, matching pens, matching lotion bottle/hand sanitizer).

Coffee/Tea Box - $$

• Mug or Tumblr

• Coffee beans/tea bags or loose tea

• Cute tea strainers

• A small, wrapped treat (like cookies or mini doughnuts)

Starry Night Box (for anniversaries) - $$$

• Picture of the night sky you met/got together/married (they sell a lot of these on Etsy)

• Constellation necklace (again, Etsy)

• Milkyway bar

• A mug with stars or constellations on it

• Any star themed scent from Bath & Body Works (Into the Night or In the Stars)

• Added touches: throw blanket, flowers, or hot chocolate packets

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If you’re on a budget, Five Below is a great store to check out for small items (including throw blankets, mugs, twinkle lights, socks) and snacks. For the face masks, Ulta sells a brand called I'm Real that go for about $3.75 that are great to use (and look cute too)! Also, any of the travel-size items at Bath & Body Works are normally under $10.

If after reading this you realize gift boxes aren’t your thing or you don’t have the time (trust, me I get it) then you can always buy premade gift packages from Etsy and have them sent over to your loved one. This is a great way to support small business owners if you’re able too and the boxes on Etsy will cost around $30-45 on average and sometimes include shipping costs.

I know with the holidays coming up, people tend to get anxious about gifts, time, and money so I hope these ideas help and alleviate some of that stress! Just remember that a gift doesn’t have to be perfect or extravagant to be meaningful. Sometimes just adding a personalized note to the box can mean the world to the receiver. Choose things that remind you of your person, that show you listen to their interests, and that you know they’ll enjoy!