Gift giving is a pleasurable experience for everyone. There are few greater delights than watching a beloved friend or family member open a package that has been picked out for them with care.

On birthdays, holidays, and other special occasions, the gifts are almost always the main event, but the packaging for the gift can also take center stage with the right amount of creativity – and perfecting the art of using ribbons in your gift wrapping is great way to show off your creative flair.

Ribbons are inexpensive yet charming and come in an almost overwhelming variety of colors and styles. Decorating packages with ribbons is only as limiting as your imagination allows. A traditional way to use ribbons with gift wrapping is to tie the packages neatly, then affix either a pre-made bow or a selection of curls.

These are lovely choices, but there are many more unique options that can make your package stand out and can give the recipient the added gift of knowing that you took the time and effort to give them something extra special.

Making your own gift bows with ribbon is easy and allows you to use any color or pattern of ribbon that you can find. There are any number of tutorials available online for different types of bows you can make, or you can purchase a bow making device.

These can be found at craft stores and are fairly inexpensive, yet very useful. Bows can be as large or small as you like and can be made with one type of ribbon or several. Bows can serve another purpose as well; with only the addition of hot glue and a hair clip, the package decoration can double as a gift unto itself.

Personalizing ribbon is easier than most people think. With just an inkjet printer, some transfer sheets, and a hot iron, any grosgrain ribbon can turn into a mini-photo album. First choose the ribbon. Solid color ribbon that is at least 1.5 inches wide works best. Select a number of images and, with a photo editing software program, size them so that they will fit on the ribbon of your choice.

Follow the instructions on your transfer paper and before you know it, you can have a package decoration to rival any filmstrip. This works for well for any occasion, but can be particularly meaningful with going away gifts or, using ultrasound images, for new babies. If images are not available or don’t match the theme, words, names, or meaningful quotations can also be transferred onto the ribbon.

Tucking special items within the ribbon on packaging is another way to decorate giftwrap. A floral spray is lovely for an anniversary gift, while a selection of kitchen utensils may be perfect for housewarming. The options for decorating with ribbon are endless.