PACKAGING HINTS Contain your ideas when giving cookies as Christmas gifts

You can make a festive container for your gifts of homemade baked goods.
If you're baking gifts this Christmas, presenting them in a holiday-worthy container is almost as important as the cookies.
Food canisters from oatmeal, bread crumbs, coffee and grits can be decorated in the spirit of the holidays . Here are a few ideas:
Ribbon container
Cover container with wrapping paper. Cut ribbons to the height of your container and affix one at a time, using a small amount of glue to secure each end. To make the bow: Cut a piece of ribbon to twice the width of the container's lid and glue one end over the other to form a circle. Pinch the middle of the circle flat to create two loops (use a dot of glue on the inside to hold the shape). Repeat several times and layer loops on the container's lid to create a bow.
Angel canister
Paint the container gold and allow to dry. Attach a background of wrapping paper using spray adhesive. Find a picture that can be cut out of an old calendar or from a holiday card and attach using spray adhesive. With a foam brush, apply 1-3 coats of a decoupage medium, such as Modge Podge, allowing ample drying time between coats.
Natural canister
Glue some brown paper to the outside of the canister. Wrap some twine around the middle and attach some holly or berries or any type of seasonal cuttings. Fresh or silk can be used. Tie and secure with hot glue. Add a small pine cone on the lid with hot glue. Make a handle by cutting lengths of twine, and tie a knot at the top. Hot glue cork "buttons" made from cutting a thin sliver of cork from a wine bottle.
Snowman canister
Apply craft paper to canister using spray adhesive. Attach felt figure using adhesive backing. Cut out or buy decorative border (sold at stores with scrapbooking supplies) and apply with glue. Spray lid with glitter paint and allow to dry.
Vintage canister
Use spray adhesive to adhere seasonal wrapping paper to the canister. Glue a doily to the center of the canister. Find some art that you like from either a Christmas card, or as we did from a vintage children's book. Cut it out in a circle and glue it to the doily. Hot glue some buttons around it. Add some ribbon for a handle with small bows secured with hot glue.
Sparkly canister
Paint the canister gold. Bend some sparkled pipe cleaners into different shapes and hot glue to the canister. Cut a small hole in the lid and push a Christmas light bulb through it. Cut small holes into the lid and push a long pipe cleaner through to make a handle.
Fringed canister
Cut fabric remnant 1 inch wider and 2 inches longer than canister (be sure measurements expose the lip of the canister lid). "Hem" edges using no-sew iron-on tape. Use fabric glue and attach batting to the back of the fabric and allow to dry. Apply thin layer of glue to the canister and the quilted fabric piece and wrap around canister, holding 1-2 minutes as the glue dries. Apply fringe to top of fabric, making sure not to cover the lip of the lid.