Pine Cones Are The Secret To Giving Your Wrapped Presents A Gorgeous Rustic Touch

Shiny bows and bells are great additions to any wrapped gift. But, if your aesthetic is more on the rustic side, pine cones are about to become your new best friend. Best of all, despite looking incredibly chic and expensive, this DIY gift-wrap add-on is both low-cost and super easy to recreate. 

Pine cones are closely associated with Christmas decor, so bringing them into your gift-wrapping only makes sense. Whether you choose to top your presents with several cones along with a sprig of rosemary and a dried orange slice or prefer just one on its own, it's a great way to create a festive feel while issuing nods to nature. Plus, because they're a neutral add-on, pine cones work just as well with brown paper as they do with last year's brighter leftovers. Yay for a more sustainable Christmas!

For this hack, you'll first need to gather some pine cones. If you live near a park or forest or have your own pine tree, you're in luck — though keep in mind, you'll need to clean those off before attaching them to a gift. If not, you can grab a 40-pack of cleaned and preserved pine cones on Amazon for about $15. Stock up on the ribbon of your choice or load up your glue gun, and let's get to it. 

First thing's first, decide on the ribbon you'll use. For that rustic feel, raffia (via Amazon) and twine (also on Amazon) are always great options — and with both available for less than $20 together, it's a great way to help do Christmas on a budget. However, you may want to look at yarn, as well, or even traditional satin ribbon if you're not opposed to a little bit of luxe in your otherwise pared-back gift-wrapping.  As soon as you've settled on a ribbon type, measure how much you'll need to wrap it around the gift both lengthwise and across in a classic crisscross pattern. Then, budget a little extra so you can wrap the ribbon into the pine cone itself. 

Start by sliding the middle section of the ribbon into the scales of the pine cone as close to the base as possible. (We'll touch on what to do if your pine cones are a little too tight to do this step next.) Tie a knot once the ribbon is woven through the base, place that on the top of your gift, and wrap the rest of the gift in that traditional crisscross. It really is as simple as that! Be sure to test how secure the pine cone is in case you need to make any adjustments. If things feel a little too lax for comfort, you can always add a bit of tape to ensure the ribbon stays down.

Pine cones make for a chic addition to any rustic gift-wrapping, but it's also important to keep in mind that as natural items, there's no guarantee that they'll always have enough space between scales to slide a ribbon through. If you're determined to string the ribbon through, The San Diego Union-Tribune notes that placing the cones in an oven can help with removing moisture and opening up the scales. However, if you're in a pinch and the pine cones aren't cooperating, opting for a glue gun is a great alternative. 

Take a leaf out of Opulux Designs' book from TikTok and use a glue gun to secure the pine cones to the wrapped gift, either on the paper itself or to the ribbon. You can still add other rustic touches like raffia or twine, but you won't have to wrestle with the pine cone along the way. And, if you're traveling for the holidays, you'll also be able to rest easy knowing your handiwork isn't coming undone on the journey. Whether you go the ribbon route or feel safer using hot glue, pine cones are a fun addition to rustic Christmas gift-wrapping. Whatever you have inside, this is a gift your loved ones are sure to remember.