With four months to go until Christmas, it is not only a holiday that emphasizes family reunions, gift exchanges, and festive atmosphere, but also a major cultural, family-oriented, and commercial holiday around the world. So, how can you make your holiday packaging stand out among the many gift boxes? In this article, we will provide you with six methods and designs to help you perfectly prepare your custom Christmas packaging before the holiday season arrives and launch it into the market.After all,planning your holiday packaging well in advance is crucial for a successful seasonal campaign.
Why You Should Start Planning Holiday Packaging Early？
The holiday rush can lead to supply chain delays, limited production slots, and last-minute headaches. To avoid missing key sales windows, it’s recommended to start your packaging planning at least 2 months before the holidays begin. This gives you time for design, revisions, approvals, production, and shipping.
The holiday season is the most profitable time of year for many businesses, and your packaging plays a critical role in standing out. Custom Christmas packaging boxes not only protect your products—they also delight customers and build stronger brand loyalty.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
1. Use High-Quality, Eco-Friendly Materials
According to McKinsey’s Sustainability in Packaging 2025 report, recyclability is considered the most important sustainability feature globally, and consumers consistently rank glass and paper among the top sustainable materials. Young consumers, especially Gen Z and millennials, are more willing to pay extra for environmentally responsible packaging.Sustainability matters more than ever—68% of consumers say they prefer brands that use eco-conscious packaging. Choose recyclable or biodegradable materials for your boxes and overall holiday packaging. This reflects both creativity and responsibility, helping you connect with modern, values-driven consumers.
2.Incorporating personalized elements through technological innovation
QR codes linking to personalized videos or digital cards
Holiday packaging that feels personal can create emotional value. In fact, 79% of consumers say personalization makes them more likely to make repeat purchases.
Combining QR codes with personalized videos or digital greeting cards is a cutting-edge way to integrate physical packaging with digital interaction. Alternatively, printing different QR codes on packaging boxes, similar to the popular “blind box” trend, allows customers to receive different videos or rewards when scanning the QR codes. Among these packaging boxes, only a limited number of special editions exist, akin to rare finds in blind boxes. These can range from thank-you videos and exclusive behind-the-scenes footage to discount codes or even digital collectibles. Some packages can be designed as “rare editions,” triggering special rewards, limited-time offers, or hidden storylines. This adds a unique twist to the packaging, attracting trend-driven consumption. It not only enhances the customer journey with engaging viral elements but also taps into the emotional excitement of discovery—driving repeat purchases and encouraging social sharing. By transforming packaging into an experience, brands can elevate their products from mere transactions to unforgettable events.
3.Be bold with festive colors and patterns.
Some common holiday color schemes include red and green for Christmas, orange and black for Halloween, bright red for Chinese New Year, and red and pink for Valentine’s Day. When each holiday arrives, the entire street will be decorated in the corresponding colors, which adds to the festive atmosphere.
Eye-catching holiday packaging in seasonal colors will help your brand stand out on store shelves and under Christmas trees. Packaging boxes can be printed with gold or silver foil stamping and made from laser-cut card stock to further highlight their uniqueness.
4.Think Multi-Use Design
Create boxes that have life beyond the holidays. For example, packaging boxes can be used as storage boxes, with reusable magnetic closures or ribbon ties, which will increase the added value of the packaging box and the gift, and increase consumers’ desire to purchase.
As a leading practitioner of environmentally friendly and sustainable packaging, Bonroy has designed an easy-to-open and recyclable packaging box with a design patent. Currently, many manufacturers have produced this packaging box. Due to its appearance, which opens like a blossoming flower, it is very suitable for use as a gift box. At the same time, like a decorative item, it has unique value and beauty.
Dior has previously designed a blind box packaging that can be opened to reveal different lipsticks or skincare products. This design also combines the characteristics of two packaging styles: the box is both a blind box and a storage cabinet. This Dior packaging cleverly integrates these two packaging design concepts: it draws on the “surprise experience” of blind box packaging and combines the “practical function” of storage packaging. The entire box not only provides the interactive fun of opening each compartment, but also can be used as a sophisticated storage cabinet for long-term use, combining beauty and practicality.
5. Include Interactive Elements
As mentioned earlier, leveraging technology to combine innovative packaging boxes with digital gifts, we can also incorporate creative interactive elements into printing. Packaging box designs can feature pull tabs, sliders, or pop-up functions, with scratch-off sections on the surface revealing surprise messages. This approach adds an element of discovery to your holiday packaging, transforming the unboxing experience into an enjoyable activity rather than a mere task.
6. Brand Subtly, but Smartly
Don’t overdo the logos—less is more. Instead:
Use branded wax seals or custom tags
Print your logo inside the lid instead of on the outside
Use your brand colors subtly in the design
Smart branding within your holiday packaging helps customers remember your name, while still focusing on the festive spirit.
Custom holiday gift boxes are more than just packaging; they are part of a brand’s story during the most emotionally charged time of the year. By combining thoughtful design, functionality, personalization, and holiday packaging elements, you can turn each box into a joyful moment that enhances customer loyalty.
This Christmas, don’t just deliver gifts—deliver an experience.
Ready to Create Holiday Packaging That Truly Stands Out?
Join hands with Bonroy and make your brand unforgettable this festive season. From innovative box design to premium holiday packaging solutions, we help you bring your Christmas vision to life—beautifully, sustainably, and memorably.
Let’s create the perfect holiday packaging together!
