Here's a little gift box (about 2 inches square) that's quick to make—just print, cut, fold and glue. You can put a small gift inside or leave the box empty and use it as an ornament. It also works nicely as part of a table centerpiece, and looks cute under a very small tree.
These boxes also have the convenient feature of being collapsible for easy storage until next year.
Related craft: For a different version of the cube collapsible box and patterns for other sizes, see the Collapsible Box craft project.
Choose a gift box to make. Download and print the pattern. Make a plain box to decorate as you like or wrap with paper. Or choose one with a design that prints in color or a black&white pattern that you can color in.
Tip: The plain pattern can be printed on the back of any colored or sparkly cardstock that is intended for a printer. For other cardboard or paper, simply cut out the plain pattern and trace around it.
Patterns are Adobe PDF files. The Adobe Reader is available for free.
All of Aunt Annie's project patterns are designed to be printed on standard letter-size paper (8.5"x11" or A4). When printing from Adobe Reader, you may need to select Auto-Rotate and Center or Choose paper source by PDF page size to ensure the best fit.
Color the box as you like with markers, colored pencils or crayons. Only the box sides, top and bottom need to be colored. You can color the box and lid flaps (indicated in pink) if you like, but don't bother with the glue tab (orange). You could even write a surprise message on the inside of the lid!
Rubber stamps, paper punches and stickers are also nice ways to decorate the plain box.
Cut around the box pattern on the solid black lines. Try to make your cuts very straight. The box will be stronger and fit together better if the cuts are straight.
Scoring the fold lines makes for easier folding and sharper creases. The fold lines are marked with dashes on the illustration and the plain pattern.
To score: Turn the box with the printed/decorated side down. Use a ruler and the empty ballpoint pen (or bone folder) to make a groove along the fold lines.
Keep the printed side down. Fold lids and flaps in on the scored fold lines. Flatten the box out again.
Fold the glue tab and each side in on the vertical fold lines, then flatten it.
Apply glue to the entire length of the glue tab. Shape the sides into a box, and glue the tab to the inside of the last side.
Tip: You can use double-sided tape in place of the glue.
Fold the bottom flaps in and close the bottom lid over them. Tuck the bottom lid's flap inside the box. Repeat for the top lid.
Tip: Make a stronger box by putting a piece of cardboard, cut to size, in the bottom of the box. You can also glue the bottom flaps to the box's bottom, but the box will no longer be collapsible.
Think how you will use your gift box. Is it packaging a gift? Will it be hung on the Christmas tree? Here are a few ideas for how to finish your box:
That's it! Your gift box is done!
Tip: Print the plain pattern on sparkly cardstock.
Tip: Print the plain pattern on the back of patterned cardstock.
The patterned cardstock for this box was created by printing Aunt Annie's pink dots digital paper on white cardstock.
Tip: Use Aunt Annie's Christmas Stripes digital papers printed on white cardstock to make festive gift boxes.
Tip: For a different version of the cube collapsible box and patterns for other sizes, see the Collapsible Box craft project.
