Free Christmas gift coloring pages: 43 printable PDF designs of wrapped presents, Santa’s gift deliveries, and decorated gift boxes. Every page can be downloaded as a PDF to print or colored online in the browser.
Decorative wrapping paper, as most people know it today, traces back to a specific accident. In December 1917, brothers Rollie and J.C. Hall, who went on to found Hallmark, sold out of the plain red, green, and white tissue paper their Kansas City stationery store used for gift wrap. Rollie substituted decorative French envelope-lining paper instead, and it sold so well that the brothers began printing their own patterned wrapping paper the following year, effectively starting the modern gift-wrap industry.
This collection ranges from detailed scenes, Santa delivering an enormous stack of presents, an elf packing boxes on a factory conveyor belt, pets popping out of gift boxes, to simpler single-present pages built around a stack, a pair, or a trio of wrapped gifts.
What Is Inside This Collection
The 43 pages are split into four groups: Santa and elves delivering gifts, gift boxes paired with characters, decorative gift box patterns, and simpler general present pages.
Santa and Elves Delivering Gifts
A large group shows Santa or his elves in the act of delivering, packing, or hauling presents: Santa climbing a towering stack of gifts, an elf working a gift factory conveyor belt under a “Nice List Approved” sign, a train loaded with presents and elves, and elves handing gifts to one another indoors. These pages tell a small story rather than showing a static pile of boxes, which makes them a good fit for retelling as a quick narrative alongside the coloring itself.
Gift Boxes With Characters and Creatures
Several pages pair a gift box with a character: a reindeer inside a snow globe, a gnome peeking out of a box labeled “Christmas Mail,” a teddy bear next to a mug of hot cocoa, and four different pets popping out of their own wrapped boxes. These pages give younger colorists a character to focus on in addition to the gift itself, and the variety of animals involved makes this the most naturally varied group in the set.
Decorative Gift Box Patterns
A smaller group emphasizes pattern and decoration over storytelling: gift boxes wrapped with poinsettias and holly, or a repeating background pattern of boxes and holly leaves. These pages suit an older colorist who wants a more intricate, pattern-focused coloring session rather than a scene with a clear narrative.
General Wrapped Presents
The remaining pages are simpler, single-scene designs built around a stack, a pair, or a trio of wrapped gifts, without the additional characters or storytelling found in the newer pages above. These work well as a quick activity or for younger children who are not ready for a busier scene, and their simplicity makes them a reasonable choice for a large classroom where every student needs a page that colors quickly.
What Christmas Gift Coloring Pages Do
Fine motor development. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists structured coloring among the activities that build fine motor control in children ages 2 through 7, and the repeating ribbon, bow, and wrapping-paper patterns on these pages give a child plenty of small, defined shapes to practice on.
Pattern design practice. A wrapped gift is essentially a small pattern-design exercise, since a convincing wrapping paper look comes from repeating a shape or color rather than filling the box at random, a skill that carries over into other pattern-based coloring and craft work.
Anxiety reduction through focus. A 2005 study in the Art Therapy Journal found that structured coloring sessions produced measurably lower anxiety than unstructured drawing, and the small, self-contained scale of a single gift box suits a short, low-pressure coloring session well.
Counting and sorting practice. Pages built around a specific number of presents, a pair, a trio, or a stack, give young children a simple, visual counting exercise built directly into the coloring activity.
How to Color Christmas Gift Coloring Pages Well
- Classic wrapping paper: use Scarlet or Forest Green as the base paper color, then add a Gold or White pattern, stripes, dots, or stars, rather than leaving the paper a single flat color.
- Ribbons and bows: color the ribbon a contrasting color from the paper, Gold on Scarlet or White on Forest Green work well, and add a slightly darker shade of the same ribbon color in the folds of the bow to suggest depth.
- Gift tags: keep tags plain, cream or White with a small red or green border, so any lettering stays easy to read against the busier wrapping paper around it.
- Santa and elf figures: keep Santa’s suit a true Scarlet with White fur trim, and give elves Forest Green or Turquoise Blue outfits with a contrasting hat, so the figures stay visually distinct from the presents they are carrying.
- Character-and-box pages: color the animal or character in its natural or expected colors first, then treat the gift box wrapping as a separate, contrasting color choice so the two elements do not blend.
5 Creative Craft Ideas With Christmas Gift Coloring Pages
1. Gift Tag Set. Color two or three small present pages, cut them into tag-sized shapes, punch a hole in each, and tie them onto wrapped presents with ribbon.
2. Present Ornament. Color a small gift box page, cut around the outline, punch a hole at the top, and thread ribbon through to hang it on the tree.
3. Holiday Greeting Card. Color one of the Santa or elf delivery pages, fold a piece of cardstock in half, and glue the design to the front for a homemade holiday card.
4. Counting Garland. Color a stack, a pair, and a trio of gifts page, punch holes, and string them in order along ribbon to make a simple counting garland for a classroom wall.
5. Wrapping Paper Swatch Sheet. Color one of the decorative pattern pages, trim it down, and use it as a small reference swatch for picking real wrapping paper colors that match.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Christmas gift coloring pages?
A free set of 43 printable PDFs and online coloring sheets showing wrapped presents, Santa and elf gift deliveries, and decorated gift boxes.
Who invented modern wrapping paper?
Brothers Rollie and J.C. Hall, founders of Hallmark, are credited with starting the modern gift-wrap industry in 1917, after substituting decorative envelope-lining paper for tissue paper their Kansas City store had sold out of.
What kinds of scenes are in this collection?
Scenes range from Santa and elves actively delivering or packing gifts to characters like reindeer, gnomes, and pets paired with gift boxes, plus simpler pages showing one, two, or a small stack of wrapped presents.
Are these pages suitable for classrooms?
Yes. The counting-focused pages, a pair or trio of gifts, work well for a simple math or vocabulary activity alongside the coloring itself.
Are these pages suitable for young children?
Yes. The simpler single-present pages suit young children, while the detailed Santa and elf scenes work well for older kids who want more to color.
What colors work best for wrapping paper patterns?
A Scarlet or Forest Green base with a Gold or White pattern on top gives the classic look of traditional Christmas wrapping paper.
Do any pages include animals or pets?
Yes, several pages show pets and other characters, a reindeer, a gnome, a teddy bear, and four different pets, paired with their own gift box.
Are these free to download and print?
Yes. Every page is free, with no account, email, or payment required, and can be downloaded as a PDF or colored online in the browser.
Start Coloring
Download any page by clicking the design. No account, email, or payment is required. Pages print directly from the browser at full resolution or open in the online coloring tool for screen use. Share finished pages on Facebook or Pinterest with the share buttons at the top of each design page.
