When gifting presents to friends, family and coworkers, the act of wrapping each individual package can be tedious, to say the least. But for me, gift-wrapping is the highlight of the season. And because no two presents are wrapped the same, each wrapping job is an opportunity to break out the crafts and challenge myself to put as much thoughtfulness into the packaging as I do the gift inside.

Looking for a relaxing holiday activity to escape the madness? There’s nothing like turning on the holiday tunes and sitting down with a cup of cider to lovingly wrap each holiday gift.

Those closest to me know I have quite the sweet tooth, so it was no surprise that when I sat down to think of some interesting gift-wrapping ideas, candy was the first thing that came to mind. Simply gluing individual candy buttons onto solid-colored wrapping paper instantly transforms a plain present into a package that’s pretty enough to eat.

And because this project takes almost no time at all, it is a great way to involve kids, and it results in an embellished present that’ll stop recipients in their tracks.

Looking for a gift-wrapping idea that’s foolproof? Add a painterly element to your presents by splatter-painting classic brown butcher paper with acrylic paint. Set your materials up outside, then let the kids go wild and splatter at will.

Get more more do-it-yourself gift-wrapping projects that are totally original, are unlike anything you can find in stores, and just might make gift recipients think twice before tearing open their presents this year.

Photography by Molly Winters