Elevate your holiday gifts with these DIY vintage-inspired Christmas gift bags. These charming and festive bags are adorned with classic holiday graphics, ideal for wrapping treats or small presents. Filled with nostalgia these are a quick, delightful way to add a personal, vintage touch to your holiday gift giving.
Yes, my friends! I whipped up some adorable treat bags once again!
These Christmas Gift Bags might look a bit familiar. That’s because this past Halloween I made almost exactly the same thing, but used vintage Halloween graphics instead of Christmas graphics.
I heard from dozens of you that you loved these so much and wanted a Christmas version. Ask and you shall receive.
I was more than happy to oblige as I’m such a big fan of this project and they are SO easy to make! Handmade holiday gifts are my favorite to give and receive. The resulting Christmas gift bags are such a unique way to present a gift. What could you put inside them?
Here are a few ideas:
- gift card
- cookies/candy
- jewelry
- lottery tickets
- … and the list goes on!
As you can see throughout this post, I styled these gift bags in various places throughout my home. Even if you decided to not give them as a gift, I think they’d make great décor too!
I love an old-fashioned Christmas, so for the graphics, I wanted to go vintage again. As usual, I found amazing vintage art at The Graphics Fairy. She has the best selection of vintage clip art, graphics, and illustrations.
Sidenote: If you’re looking for a more modern version of these bags, I have you covered. Check out these DIY cookie bags I made a few years ago.
I found so many that I loved, but decided to narrow the collection down to my eight favorites. These eight are available as a free download below. However, feel free to do a search for your own images if you don’t love the ones I’ve selected.
Speaking of these vintage graphics, remember last Christmas when I used a bunch of vintage graphics to craft printable holiday gift tags? It was so much fun collecting and sourcing the graphics for those gift tags. They filled me with nostalgia and the magic of Christmas traditions. If you like these bags, you’ll love those too! Be sure to check them out as I offered a free printable for those as well. Why buy gift tags when you can print them from the comfort of your own home?
But this post isn’t about tags, it’s about bags! Let me show you how easy these Christmas bags are to make!
Why You’ll Love This Project
- A Nostalgic Twist on Gift-Giving: These bags aren’t just containers; they’re a throwback to a bygone era. The vintage Christmas card designs add a touch of nostalgia, making your gifts even more special.
- Versatility at Its Best: Not only are these bags perfect for wrapping up small treasures like jewelry or gift cards, but they also double as adorable Christmas decor. Imagine them hanging by the fireplace or sitting pretty on your bookshelf!
- Easy and Fun: You don’t need to be a crafting guru to succeed here. The process is as simple as print, iron, and admire. Plus, it’s a great activity to do with friends or family.
- A Personalized Experience: These bags offer a more thoughtful and personalized way to present your gifts. It’s like saying, “I made this just for you.” Everyone can appreciate a handmade holiday.
Project Marterials
For this project you will need:
*If you use a different type or brand of fabric transfer sheets, please follow the directions on the package.
**There are a variety of bags that you can buy. You will find the ones I used HERE. These bags are constructed from a thicker material, so they’re a bit more expensive. (They also sell out quickly, but keep checking back as they do restock them.) For a more affordable option, I recommend THESE. You can also try THESE.
How to Make
- Begin by downloading the printable file. You can find that HERE. With your PDF download successfully saved to your computer, load the printable fabric transfer sheets into your printer. Adjust the printer settings to the highest quaintly and then print.
(You’ll notice that the printable looks backward or mirrored. This is okay. Since you’ll be ironing these transfers with the printed side down, the image of the graphic needs to be mirrored so it will read correctly when the paper backing is removed.)
- Once printed, cut out each graphic as neatly as possible.
- Next, make sure your iron is empty of water. Turn off the steam and then set the iron on high heat (cotton setting). Iron the bag to remove any wrinkles. Then place the graphic on the bag so that the printed side of the graphic faces down. I positioned the graphic a bit closer to the bottom of the bag rather than in the center of it to allow for the gathering at the top when the bag is cinched shut.
- Using the iron, apply heat to the transfer for 45-60 seconds. Apply medium pressure and be sure to move the iron around to avoid scorching the bag.
- Repeat this heat transfer process with all of the bags and graphics. Let each bag sit until it’s cool (2-3 minutes) before gently peeling off the paper backing.
And that’s it! I told you these were easy!
The Christmas Gift Bags are now complete and ready to be filled with whatever gifts you’re giving this holiday season.
I am majorly pleased with how these turned out! They are even better than I envisioned.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need any special skills to make these bags?
Not at all! This project is super beginner-friendly. If you can print something and use an iron, you’re all set. It’s really that simple and fun!
Where can I find vintage graphics to use?
Great news! I’ve provided a selection of charming vintage graphics right here in this post for you to download. Feel free to use these, or you can search online for other vintage Christmas card designs that catch your eye.
What size are these bags?
The bags I used are about 5×7 inches – perfect for small gifts like jewelry, gift cards, or candy. But feel free to experiment with different sizes to suit your needs!
Can I make these in bulk?
Absolutely! Once you get the hang of it, it’s easy to make a bunch at a time. They’re perfect for Christmas party favors or as a unique way to wrap gifts for friends and family.
More Handmade Holiday Ideas You’ll Love
I hope you’re able to use this idea this Christmas season. Have fun with these vintage looking Christmas bags and make them your own. I think they are such a fun, unique, and nostalgic way to present a gift. They even double as fun décor!
If you do make these vintage-inspired Christmas bags, please stop back and leave a comment and a 5-star rating below.
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- Free Graphic Download
- Printable Fabric Transfer Sheets
- 5 x 7-inch Cotton Bags
- Color Printer
- Iron
- Scissors
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Begin by downloading the printable file. You can find that HERE. With your PDF download successfully saved to your computer, load the printable fabric transfer sheets into your printer. Adjust the printer settings to the highest quaintly and then print.
-
(You’ll notice that the printable looks backward or mirrored. This is okay. Since you’ll be ironing these transfers with the printed side down, the image of the graphic needs to be mirrored so it will read correctly when the paper backing is removed.)
-
Once printed, cut out each graphic as neatly as possible.
-
Next, make sure your iron is empty of water. Turn off the steam and then set the iron on high heat (cotton setting). Iron the bag to remove any wrinkles. Then place the graphic on the bag so that the printed side of the graphic faces down. I positioned the graphic a bit closer to the bottom of the bag rather than in the center of it to allow for the gathering at the top when the bag is cinched shut.
-
Using the iron, apply heat to the transfer for 45-60 seconds. Apply medium pressure and be sure to move the iron around to avoid scorching the bag.
-
Repeat this heat transfer process with all of the bags and graphics. Let each bag sit until it’s cool (2-3 minutes) before gently peeling off the paper backing.
