Nothing makes Christmas more special than handmade food, gifts and decorations. And if you're having a get together, what better way is there to spread the love than sending your guests home with a party bag that's filled with homemade treats?
This simple yet elegant project is from Homemade Christmas & Festive Decorations: 25 Home Craft Projects by Ros Badger with Elspeth Thompson (Collins, RRP £5.99), which is packed with festive ideas. We'd suggest that you fill the party bags with shortbread or other edible goodies.
Party bags
You will need
- Craft paper
- Binding tape
- Letter stamps (optional)
- Tea-stained luggage tags
To make
- Cut out a sheet of paper for each party bag. Our paper sheets measured 12 x 15cm (5 x 6in).
- Fold your paper in half.
- Stitch around 3 sides.
- Insert sweets, gifts or a mixture of small items.
- Cut a length of binding tape slightly longer than double the width of your bag. Fold the tape over the top edge of the bag, sandwiching the bag between the tape, pinning it in place as you work around the top. Stitch the tape into place.
- Make luggage tags by cutting out rectangular pieces of card to the size you want. Write your guests’ names (or stamp them on as we did, see right) or a simple ‘thank you’ on the luggage tags.
- Use a hole punch to make a hole in one corner of the bag and attach the luggage label.
Tea staining labels
To add a vintage feel, you could tea stain your labels. Put a handful of tea bags into a bowl of hot water (it doesn’t have to be boiling) and place your paper sheets or card into the water until they are stained. Then lay them flat in a warm place to dry.
Tips
For an easier finish, put the fillings in place then glue all the sides of the bag together, so each bag is completely sealed. Your paper bags could be made from crêpe paper or last year’s wrapping paper from your store cupboard.
Plenty more festive ideas for gifts, food and fun in December's issue of The Simple Things - buy, download or subscribe now.