Brief History of Gift Boxes

The history of paper craft boxes isn't just about packaging—it's about how presentation evolved alongside craftsmanship. Here's a brief timeline.

• Ancient China (around the 2nd century BCE onwards): After paper was

  invented, it was used to wrap and protect precious items such as tea, medicines and ceremonial gifts. These were simple folded wrappers rather than boxes.

• Japan (from the 6th century): The traditions of origami and decorative gift wrapping developed. The classic Masu folded box, made without glue, is one of the earliest paper box designs still in use today.

• Europe (18th–19th centuries): Decorative paper-covered boxes became popular for jewellery, hats, confectionery and stationery. Many were handcrafted from rigid paperboard covered with printed paper or fabric.

  
  

But what excites me most, though, is what happened in the Arts and Crafts movement around the turn of the 20th century. Handmade boxes became part of the gift itself. Craftspeople decorated them with embossed papers, ribbons, marbled papers, botanical illustrations and hand lettering. The packaging reflected the care and artistry of the item inside.

You're not making shipping cartons— you're creating presentation pieces. Your boxes could become keepsakes in their own right, just as Victorian stationery boxes and Japanese gift boxes were treasured long after the original contents had been removed.

"Every handmade gift deserves a presentation worthy of the time, care and creativity invested in its making. The projects in this collection continue that tradition—transforming packaging into part of the ift itself."

You can make your own Japanese Masu boxes by clicking the link and downloading the PDF .

These Masu boxes were created using Stampin Up's

• Moonlit Flora 12"x12" Designer Series Paper

• Fern ad Flora Dies

• Fern and Fora Stamps

If you wish to purchase any or all these items Click Here