Design plastic gift tags for your packages

Follow our simple steps to create tags for everyone on your list

By Tara Nolan and Heather Camlot

It never fails. Every year, along with yards of wrapping paper, we buy countless sheets of gift tags. They are necessary, but you don’t always have to stick to the same old designs. Set aside time this holiday to make your own. It’s simple, and you can even get the kids to help out.

Forgo store-bought gift tags for those made from a timeless kids’ classic — Shrinky Dinks. We used beautiful botanical prints, wrote the recipients’ names on the shrinkable plastic and then popped the tags in the toaster oven.

It’s still a thrill to watch Shrinky Dinks at work — perhaps even more so knowing the results are pretty and practical. You could even hang them on your tree as ornaments. These personalized tags will impress all the people on your holiday gift list.

Download one of our free craft templates to get started. Choose from our freeform gift tag template or botanical gift tag template. Open the template in Word.

Step 1: Select and adjust your image

Delete images you do not want and copy those that you do.
Adjust the image size and edit text, if desired.

Step 2: Print on the specialty paper

Test-print your template on regular paper before using the specialty paper.
Load Shrinky Dinks shrinkable plastic into the printer, following the package’s and your printer’s directions.
Print at the lowest-quality setting at Exact Size. The printed sheet should appear faded.

Step 3: Trim to fit

Cut out the gift tags using paper scissors or a utility knife. Leave a thick edge of white space around the shape.
Make a hole with a hole punch at the top of the tag.
Using a water-based marker, write holiday messages on the tags.