Perhaps it's not the gift that counts, but the care you take when wrapping it! Check out these two creative gift-wrapping ideas that add a special touch to your holiday presents, excerpted from Creative Giftwraps by Constance E. Richards.

Stamped wooden box
A small wooden box, stamped with herbal designs, becomes a keepsake with a simple bit of decoration. Add the stamped seed packets as an extra gift or part of the gift tag.

You will need:
&#8226 Wooden box
&#8226 Stamps, in shapes of herbs
&#8226 Green ink pad
&#8226 Coin envelopes (available in office supply stores)
&#8226 Herb seeds
&#8226 Heavy card stock
&#8226 Twine
&#8226 Pencil
&#8226 Craft glue
&#8226 Deckle-edged scissors

Instructions:
1. Measure and mark lightly with a pencil every 2 inches (5 cm) around a wooden box that will fit your gift.

2. Dabbing your herb stamps onto the ink pad, center each stamp over the marks on the box, and press.

3. Stamp the fronts of the coin envelopes with the same stamps.

4. Allow the ink to dry, and fill the envelopes with herb seeds.

5. Cut your card stock with deckle-edged scissors to fit the top of the box. Stamp the center of the card, and allow the ink to dry.

6. Glue the card onto the top of the box.

7. Place a few herb envelopes into the box with your gift. Wrap the twine around the box, and tie at the top.

8. Tuck a few envelopes under the twine on top of the box.

Sentimental emergency wrap
Trying to think of something inventive and unusual as decoration for a gift to grandma or your favorite aunt? Something sweetly sentimental for your husband or wife?

These colorful wrappings are so easy, and they convey just the right personal touch. Preserve your children's first ABC's, first letters from camp, or first drawings. Give a meaningful letter to a loved one, a hand-written poem to a lover — all gently enveloping a chosen gift within.

To recreate these colorful bundles of joy, simply photocopy your works of art on color paper. Use the different sizes available in your copier.

Grab a few photographs from your desk, postcards from a colleague, or create a collage with office supplies, using paper clips, rulers, pencils, floppy disks. Place the objects on the copier plate and cover them with a blank sheet of paper, press the copy button, and voila - a whimsically creative wrapping.

Match colorful bows to your wrapping.