• A kitchen container (a mug, bowl, goblet, large scoop, thermos, martini shaker, etc. - as the container and part of the gift... double up!; wrap what’s in the container)

• Fancy glass jars

• Unfancy glass jars... but make dough sculpture lids to fancy them up! (see "Sculpted Jar Lids" in Instructions)

• Painted tin cans - over which you tie on fabric or cellophane "lids"

• Old kitchen canister sets - enough for gifts for a whole family!

• Baskets (see "Christmas Card Gift Baskets" in Instructions)

• Hat boxes (there are still some of these around)

• Hats! - e.g., enclose a small gift in a knit hat, or a larger one in the crown of a sombrero

• Cigar boxes

• Jewelry boxes/caskets

• Heart-shaped candy boxes

• Origami boxes (search on the web for instructions)

• Any handsome box - wooden? cardboard? acrylic? (or cover an ugly one with handsome paper or fabric)

• Use strong glue to attach sequins all over a small lidded box. Plain is lovely - or you can try a pattern (what about snowflakes on lid and sides?).

• New pressboard gift boxes... with cutouts in the lids (showing colored paper inside)

• Old toolboxes or tackle boxes

• A new toolbox makes a fun and useful container for candy samples

• Chinese take-out boxes or cylindrical ice cream containers (these would be available from large restaurant supply houses and some paper products stores... I’m not suggesting you use used ones!)

• Used oatmeal cylinders would be okay! - I find them rather handsome, even if uncovered... or unpainted)

• Other fancy food bags or boxes (especially foreign?)

• Plain old brown paper bags, tied at the top with ribbon

• Those nice, pre-made gift bags (e.g., the wine-bottle-shaped bag... a dead giveaway... if you’re giving a bottle of wine!) - or your own version!

• Paper bags of whatever sort... but with cutouts or a punched design at the top (with tissue paper inside showing through)

• Translucent vellum bags... Yes, you can see the gift inside them - but mysteriously and tantalizingly veiled!

• Cookie (etc.) tins
    
• Give cookies on interesting rummaged plates
    
• Not-too-big cookies can also be packaged nestled inside vintage ornament boxes. (Akin to a commercially-sold assortment box, line each hole with a paper muffin cup and set a few cookies in each. You'll probably want to line the bottom and top of the box with waxed paper.)

• Envelopes (manila, maybe; or made by yourself from nice-looking paper or pasteboard or acrylic sheeting or...)

• Cardboard tubes

• Cardboard cones wrapped with a square of paper... the excess point folded over the top of the cone and closed with a sticker

• Flower pots

• Lunch boxes (perhaps old ones painted with holiday themes?)

• Suitcases and trunks

• Baby clothes - i.e., a onesie filled like a Christmas stocking with smaller baby items (or pin pants at the ankles, and pin arms closed as needed)

• Folded paper boxes (see Instructions)

• Come-apart Easter eggs (do they still sell L’Eggs hosiery in the plastic ones?)

• Zip-up notebook paper binders

• Fabric/leather/plastic pouches

• Old purses (or empty out yours for the time being?)

• Old boots?

• New socks

• Christmas stockings

• A piñata!

 
And for protection inside the container (other than the usual tissue paper or styrofoam peanuts):

• How about real peanuts?
   
• Or shredded gift wrapping paper
   
• Or shredded, or wadded, Sunday comics
   
• Crumpled up lace, for delicate items
   
• Dried herbs
   
• Those pretty paper napkins, "swirled" up
   
• Colored cellophane sheets
   
• Wine corks?
   
• After the fun, the pieces of a piñata!