three color nail ideas

21 CREAVTIVE CHRISTMAS GIFT WRAPPING IDEAS

Your Christmas décor theme isn’t complete without carrying it through to the smallest details—like the gifts under the tree. These presents, waiting to be unwrapped, are a key element of your home’s holiday look and deserve just as much attention as the tree topper.

Draw inspiration from jewel tones, embrace natural beauty with fresh winter foliage, or add a whimsical touch with playful miniature bells. Looking for more creative ideas? Regardless of the gift’s size or wrapping challenges, you can make your presents stand out with these favorite Christmas gift-wrapping ideas, tips, and tricks. They’ll look so beautiful, they might just outshine the excitement of opening them!

Wow With A Wreath

Skip the traditional bow and add a charming, unexpected touch to your packages with outdoor elements like a twig wreath tied with a festive plaid ribbon. Not only does this make your gift stand out, but it also gives the recipient a lovely wreath to take home and use to decorate for the holidays.

Opt For Pastels

Pastels bring a fun retro vibe, especially when paired with a vintage Christmas tree. Soft sea greens and pinks blend seamlessly into a beachy home, adding a unique and fresh touch to your holiday décor.

Add Dried Fruit

Dried fruit is an often-overlooked yet charming holiday decoration, perfect for adding a natural, rustic touch to your gift wrapping. Designer Maggie Dillon elevates her presents by tucking slices of dried oranges beneath the ribbon, creating a simple yet eye-catching embellishment that feels both unique and festive.

Shine With Gold And Silver

Skip the traditional tree skirt and embrace soft metallic glamour for your Christmas presents. The shiny wrapping will reflect the shimmering lights and ornaments on the tree, adding a gleaming finishing touch to your holiday décor.

Craft Custom Crackers

Thorpe orders cracker snaps and repurposes bath tissue rolls to create her own handmade Christmas crackers. She fills them with special gifts, making the Christmas Eve celebration even more exciting as everyone opens their personalized crackers.

Paint Your Wrap By Hand

One of the best ways to make your gift wrap truly unique is by painting it yourself. Designer Julie Neill and her daughter have turned this into a holiday tradition, hand-painting the wrapping paper for their gifts. This personal touch adds a special, heartfelt element to each present, making them even more memorable this season.

Embellish Packages With Rosemary

Rosemary, rich in Christmas legend as the herb of love and remembrance, makes a thoughtful addition to your gift wrapping. Tuck a handful of fresh sprigs beneath the ribbon just before delivering your packages. The sprigs can then be placed in a vase for a lovely holiday touch or dried for use in festive cooking.

Use Textures And Accents From Nature

Go all out with a nature-inspired wrapping palette, focusing on earthy greens and browns. Add a personal touch with Southern elements from your local florist, nursery, or even your own backyard—such as a single cotton boll, eucalyptus flowers, or glossy Elaeagnus leaves. These natural accents bring a rustic, charming elegance to your holiday gifts.

Tie Ornaments On Packages

Instead of using stockings, incorporate ornaments directly into your holiday gift wrapping. Tie sparkly baubles and stars onto packages with ribbon for a festive and eye-catching flourish that adds extra charm to your gifts.

Bring in Blue

Introduce a beautiful winter blue into your traditional color scheme for a fresh, seasonal touch. Use it in snowflake or snowman-themed wrapping paper, and carry the color throughout your other packaging with coordinating bows and gift tags. This adds a cool, wintry vibe to your holiday gifts while maintaining a cohesive look.

Create A Golden Glow

For a touch of elegance, opt for gold. Metallic gift wrap combined with a wide wired ribbon that you can fluff up creates a stunning and refined look, making your presents stand out with sophistication and charm.

Keep it Simple

Choose a primary color for your wrapping paper and a secondary one for the ribbon to create a polished, cohesive look. For a refined touch, try pairing bold red wrapping paper with a simple white ribbon. The subtle contrast adds just the right amount of detail, making each gift feel thoughtfully wrapped.

Keep Them Guessing with Gift Wrap

“This sprang from my own laziness!” says Birmingham designer Iris Thorpe, explaining her clever approach to gift wrapping. She assigns a specific color of paper to each family member and uses it to wrap all their gifts. The personalized paper is then revealed at Christmas Eve dinner, when everyone receives a homemade Christmas cracker made from “their” paper, adding a fun and thoughtful twist to the holiday celebration.

Take Inspiration From The Coast

Instead of buying gift tags, get creative and forage for unique materials. Here, oyster shells serve as charming gift tags that evoke a coastal theme. Use a metallic marker to outline the edge of the shell and write the recipient’s name, adding a personalized and natural touch to your holiday wrapping.

Match Your Home’s Color Scheme

Wrapping paper doesn’t have to stick to the traditional red and green. Kristin Gish of Austin, Texas, wraps her gifts in paper that complements her living room’s color scheme, creating a harmonious look. Sprigs of fresh greenery are added to bring life and a lovely aroma, making the wrapping as delightful as the gifts inside.

Use A Pine Sprig

Solid-colored paper, paired with a bright ribbon and bell trim, makes for a festive and holiday-ready gift wrap. For an extra touch of cheer, add clippings from a tree or garland into the bow, creating a merry and natural accent for your presents.

Mix and Match

Embrace the magic of the season by playing with paper that brings classic, cozy holiday symbols to life. Layer colorful bows and create a delightful stack of presents, each one more exciting than the last. All that’s left is to enjoy the festive anticipation!

Make Gift Tags With Magnolia Leaves

For a simple yet elegant touch, use a silver or gold paint pen to write someone’s name on a magnolia leaf and attach it to a present with double-sided tape. This delicate detail adds a sophisticated charm, especially when paired with an all-white color scheme.

Make Them Merry and Bright

Preppy and playful pops of green and red pair beautifully with less traditional colors, like pink, for a fun and fresh twist. Once you’ve nailed down your color palette, mixing complementary patterns becomes a breeze, adding a stylish, personalized touch to your holiday gifts.

Line The Steps With Christmas Gifts

Scatter packages along the staircase to build excitement for the holiday season. Add festive accents like silver jingle bells and satiny ribbons to each gift. By repeating variations of the same colors and patterns, you can create a coordinated and visually appealing gift display that enhances the holiday ambiance.

Coordinate Your Colors

Gift wraps in different patterns can look perfectly coordinated when they share the same color palette. A complementary color scheme allows you to mix plaids, patterns, and solid prints seamlessly, creating a visually cohesive and stylish presentation for your presents.

Conclusion

No matter your style, there are countless creative ways to elevate your holiday gift wrapping this season. From natural elements and metallic accents to bold colors and personal touches, each detail can enhance the festive spirit and make your presents truly memorable. Let your wrapping reflect the warmth and joy of the season, and add a personal, thoughtful touch that will delight everyone who receives them.

GEL NAILS VS DIPPED NAILS VS ACRYLIC

There are several types of nail extensions available, each offering its own set of benefits and drawbacks. Whether you’re considering dip powder nails, gel nails, or acrylics, it’s important to know what to look for when deciding which option is best for you. Before diving into the details, let’s explore the pros and cons of dip nails, gel nails, and acrylics to help you make an informed choice.

WHAT ARE GEL NAILS?

Gel nails are created using a gel formula that is cured under UV or LED light. They’re much more flexible than traditional acrylics, making them less prone to breakage.

While applying gel nails can be a bit challenging due to the sticky residue left behind, which must be wiped off with alcohol, they are highly durable once set and typically last 2-3 weeks.

Unlike hard gel extensions, which are ideal for salon use, gel polish is easier to apply and suitable for both at-home and professional applications.

Disadvantages of Gel Nails

  • Time-consuming application: The process can take a while, as each nail needs to be shaped individually and cured under UV or LED light.
  • UV/LED light exposure: Some individuals may be sensitive to UV or LED light used during the curing process, which can cause skin irritation. To reduce this risk, it’s recommended to apply sunscreen to your hands before exposure.
  • Harsh chemicals: Some gel brands may contain harsh chemicals like BHA, so it’s best to avoid those when possible.

WHAT ARE DIPPED NAILS?

Dip powder nails, or dipped nails, are made using finely milled acrylic powder and are bonded with a special adhesive called cyanoacrylate.

The powder is applied to the nail and sealed with a top coat. Dip powder nails are known for being both flexible and durable, making them longer-lasting than other types of artificial nails. When applied properly, they are also resistant to chipping and breaking.

The dipping method is particularly suited for home use. Unlike hard gels and acrylics, which require skill and experience to sculpt the nails, dip nails don’t involve sculpting, making them easier to apply.

In addition, dip powders are flexible, durable, odorless, non-toxic, and don’t require curing lights.

Disadvantages of Dip Nails

  • Hygiene concerns: While dip powders are great for home application, if you’re getting them done at a salon, ensure your fingers aren’t being dipped into shared powder pots, as this can lead to infections.
  • Messy application: The process of applying dip powder nails can get a bit messy.

WHAT ARE ACRYLIC NAILS?

Traditional acrylic nails are created by combining a liquid monomer with a powder polymer, typically applied with a brush and then shaped to the desired look.

Acrylic nails are the most popular type of artificial nails due to their durability, longevity, and relatively simple application process. However, if not applied correctly, they can cause significant damage to your natural nails.

Disadvantages of Acrylic Nails

  • Toxic smell: Liquid monomers often contain harsh chemicals like MMA, which can be harmful to your health, potentially causing allergies or asthma.
  • Harsh chemicals: Some types of acrylics contain dangerous substances such as formaldehyde and toluene. While it hasn’t been definitively proven, toluene has been linked to potential health issues.
  • Lack of flexibility: Unlike gel or dip powder nails, traditional acrylics are quite rigid. This means that if they hit something hard, they are more likely to break due to their stiffness.
  • Bacterial or fungal infections: Improper application or trauma to the nails can lead to gaps between the acrylic and the natural nail, creating a breeding ground for bacteria or fungi.
  • Acrylic nail removal: Removing acrylic nails is a lengthy process, requiring soaking the nails in 100% acetone for 30-40 minutes. It’s recommended to have a professional handle the removal, as attempting it on your own can risk damaging your nails.

DIPPED NAILS VS GEL NAILS – WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE

Dipped nails and gel nails are both popular options for fake nails, but how do they differ? Let’s break it down.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Both dip powder and gel nails are great for home use. However, applying hard gel (gel extensions) can be much trickier for a DIY project.

Gel nails usually take longer to apply than dip nails because gel polish or hard gel needs to be cured under an LED or UV light.

For a gel manicure, the process includes prepping the nails, applying a base coat, gel polish color, a top coat, and curing under a lamp.

A dip powder manicure involves prepping the nails, applying a base coat, dipping them in powder, adding a top coat, and using an activator.

Traditional acrylics include prepping the nail, applying acrylic powder and liquid with a brush, and finishing with nail polish and a top coat.

UV/LED LIGHT EXPOSURE

Dip powder nails don’t need UV or LED light to set, unlike gel nails, which require curing under these lights.

LASTING POWER

Gel polish: If done right, gel polish can last 2-3 weeks.

Hard gel extensions: They can last more than 3 weeks but usually need a fill-in after 3-4 weeks.

Dip powder nails: When applied properly, they can last over 3 weeks without chipping.

Acrylic nails: Acrylics are very strong and can also last over 3 weeks without cracking or chipping.

NAIL DAMAGE

If not applied or removed properly, all three types—gel, dip powder, and acrylics—can harm your natural nails. This can range from mild irritation to more serious issues like infections or allergies, depending on the person and the process used.

COST AND TIME

Gel polish: Costs $35-$50 and takes about 45 minutes to an hour. In the U.S., the average price is $40.

Hard gel extensions: Cost around $80 and take 1-1.5 hours. Prices may rise if you add decorations like rhinestones.

Dip nails: Typically cost $40-$50 and take about 45 minutes.

Acrylic extensions: Cost between $75-$100 and take 1-1.5 hours in a salon.

REMOVAL PROCESS

For gel nails and dip powder nails, the removal process is similar: first, file off the top coat, then soak the nails in acetone for 15-20 minutes. For acrylic nails, removal takes longer. You need to soak them in acetone for 30-40 minutes and then file them off.

CONCLUSION

So, what’s the verdict? It really comes down to your preferences. If you’re looking for something quick and easy to do at home, both a gel polish manicure and a dip powder manicure are great options. If you prefer to visit the salon for a full set of extensions, then gel or acrylic nail extensions might be more your style.

Acrylic allergy: If you’re allergic to acrylics, none of these options will work for you since they all contain acrylic. In that case, you could try a regular polish manicure or a shellac manicure. While these won’t last as long, they are gentler on your nails in the long run. Whatever you decide, remember to care for your nails and give them a break every now and then!