I was staring at the pretty racks of upholstery trim in the fabric store when it came to me: ooh, presents. Why use something for its intended purpose when you can employ it to dress up Christmas gifts instead?

This is my kind of fast Christmas project. After three minutes with the hot glue gun, you have an overachieving gift bag with tassel fringe on top. (Reusable, too.)

I’ve decorated quite a few gifts with trim meant for upholstery and pillows this year. Come in and see what I’ve been up to (and yes, I’m feeling better — oh miracle, wonderful, drugs):

To make, you need kraft paper gift bags, a hot glue gun, and trim. My bags were purchased in bulk at Michael’s, and the trim is from Fabric Depot in Phoenix. (Candy cane: butterscotch, by Hammond’s Candies, from the Frances Studio holiday shop.)

Cut your trim to size. It looks best if it goes all the way around the top of the bag, as seen above, but you can also just adorn the front as I’ve done below.

Cute, isn’t it?

Below: I found this burlap-esque pillow trim in a little shop in the garment district in New York City and was very excited for its Christmas potential. The friendship tag is by Wendy Addison, from Tinsel Trading in New York.

Isn’t this grosgrain pleated trim gorgeous? I want to add it to the cuffs of a black sweater, too. Marni and I found it at MJ Trim, NYC — not sold online, but you might call and beg. The music notes paper is Caspari.

Also in ivory – leopard paper from The Container Store.

There are many tinsel possibilities in the furniture trim department.  Below: some pretties I spied at Fabric Depot.

I’m not a big fan of this stuff on pillows and draperies, but presents? Oh, my.

My favorite gift tags are those old-fashioned metal-rimmed tags from the office supply store. For under $10, you receive a pile of 50. They look chic and last forever.

I don’t know why I insist on stockpiling more.  My favorite gift tags, for all of your over-achieving gift wrap needs:

(Gift wrap above by Erin Zam. )

Deer silhouettes and gingham? Oh, the hipster glee. $9 for six, PixelImpress, Etsy.

I found these beautiful scallop-edged cards at Bell’occhio, one of my favorite little shops in San Francisco. These cards even come in nickel-sized scale.

Not a tag, but too pretty to keep to myself: Merry Christmas twill ribbon, $8 for one meter, Etsy.

Tree bark tags, Anthropologie, $14 for 10. I think an industrious crafter could make these herself.

Easy XO tags, since that’s how I sign all my notes anyway, $20 f0r 18 tags, from Sugar Paper in LA.

Letterpress gift tags, $6 for six, Dingbat Press on Etsy.

Silver and gold bauble tags, $8 for eight, Dingbat Press, Etsy.

Santa’s Belt ribbon, $14 for 10 yards, The Container Store.

And one to make yourself: recycled holiday cards turned monograms, from Martha Stewart.

I don’t want to talk about the well-documented hours I spend each year wrapping gifts. I love doing it, but it’s completely insane. This year I bought the paper early, along with some new package baubles, and I vow to wrap a gift each night. (Which means I have to have said gifts, of course.)

I’m really excited about the herringbone-tweed paper I found at The Container Store.

Design*Lab is a scary place for ribbon hoarders. Spools of stripes, burlap, and the alphabet had me spending and scheming (and MORE spending, because then I found this glitter snowflake wire below).

At FOUND, I discovered metal ribbon, which I’m excited to play with.

And I’m considering adding leopard to the mix — because it’s always necessary in a room, so why not under a tree?

My adventures in paper overachieving and ribbon obsessing continue.

It’s possible that wrapping presents is among my favorite things about Christmas. (There is something wrong with me, I’m sure.)

Christmases past: Peek at gift wrap 2009, 2008, and 2007 — a year that amazes me because it seems  I also baked and gift-wrapped truffles and homemade marshmallows. Who was that girl? Where did she find the time? And seeing these reminds me that I need to go dig out those glittered belt buckles. Where can they be?

2010  SOURCES: Sheet music paper, The Container Store. Black snowflake paper, Target. Snowflake kraft paper and silver quilted paper: my years-old stash. Glittered frame for silhouette: West Elm. Wide gray satin ribbon: SAS Fabrics. Pennant banners: made from stickers (!) purchased at Melrose Vintage. Folded paper lollies with feathers: I busted out the glitter and made them, but you can find ornaments similar to the initialed centers at Pottery Barn (and save yourself from a glittered kitchen, too). Silver numbers: vintage. Linen ribbon: Paris, but try The Willows for something close. Vintage “His” flashcard (used as gift tag): Frances.