Christmas Gift Bags Wholesale: How to Stock Up for the Holiday Rush
For a gift shop, bakery, boutique or salon, December is the month the checkout counter turns into a gift-wrapping station. Running out of Christmas gift bags on the second weekend of December is one of the most avoidable problems in retail, and also one of the most common. This guide walks through what to stock, how many to order, which sizes to buy and when to place the order, using the bags we actually sell and their real case prices.
The three kinds of Christmas gift bags worth stocking
1. Printed Christmas kraft bags
These carry the season on their own, so nobody at the counter has to decorate anything. Our 8.6 x 7 x 3.3 in Christmas gift bags come 384 to a case: six designs (snowflake, Christmas tree, elk and others), 64 of each. They are made of 120 gsm recycled kraft paper with a reinforced bottom and glued handles. That is heavier paper than most small gift bags, which matters when someone drops a candle or a jar of jam into one.
At this size they suit small gifts: ornaments, candles, cookies and treats, cosmetics, jewelry boxes, gift cards with a small extra. Six designs in one case also means a customer buying four gifts can pick four different bags, which feels more considered than four identical ones.
The trade-off: printed holiday bags stop selling on December 26. Buy them for the volume you are confident about and cover the rest with plain kraft.
2. Plain kraft gift bags with handles
This is where most of your volume should sit. A brown or white kraft paper bag with handles looks right for Christmas once you add a sticker, a ribbon or a sprig of tissue, and it looks equally right for Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and everyday retail. Leftovers do not go to waste.
We stock plain kraft gift bags in 5.25 x 3.75 x 8, 8 x 4.5 x 10, 10 x 5 x 13 and 16 x 6 x 12 inches, in brown, white and black. For exact dimensions and what fits in each, see our kraft paper gift bag size guide.
3. Premium gift bag sets
For the customer buying a $150 sweater or a perfume set, a plain bag undersells the purchase. Our 12.6 x 9.8 x 4.3 in gift bag sets come with four sheets of tissue, a bow ribbon, two cards and an envelope per bag, in pink or champagne. Handles are rated for 10 lb. They cost several times more than a kraft bag, so they work best as a paid upgrade at the counter or reserved for orders above a set spend.
Case prices and cost per bag
| Bag | Size (in) | Case | Case price | Per bag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Printed Christmas kraft | 8.6 x 7 x 3.3 | 384 (6 designs) | $154.00 | about $0.40 |
| Small plain kraft | 5.25 x 3.75 x 8 | 200 / 400 | $41.99 / $67.99 | $0.21 / $0.17 |
| Medium plain kraft | 8 x 4.5 x 10 | 300 / 600 | $75.99 / $137.99 | $0.25 / $0.23 |
| Tall plain kraft | 10 x 5 x 13 | 100 / 300 | $31.99 / $79.99 | $0.32 / $0.27 |
| Wide plain kraft | 16 x 6 x 12 | 100 / 200 / 400 | $38.99 / $73.99 / $127.99 | $0.39 / $0.37 / $0.32 |
| Gift bag set | 12.6 x 9.8 x 4.3 | 30 / 120 | $75.00 / $238.00 | $2.50 / $1.98 |
Per-bag cost is case price divided by bag count, rounded. Two patterns are worth noticing. First, the larger case of every plain kraft size cuts the per-bag cost by roughly 9–19%, so if you know you will use the volume across the year, the bigger case is the better buy. Second, a printed Christmas bag costs roughly twice a small plain kraft bag. The premium is fair for the convenience, but it is a reason to keep printed bags to the share you will certainly use by Christmas Eve.
How many Christmas gift bags to order
The most reliable number you have is last December. Start there rather than guessing.
- Find last December's transaction count from your POS. If you had a slow or unusual December, use an average of the last two.
- Estimate the gift share. Not every December sale goes home in a gift bag. Count bags used on a few typical days (or ask staff) and divide by transactions for those days. Many gift-focused shops land well above half; a grocery-style store will be far lower.
- Multiply, then add a buffer of 15–20% for growth, torn bags and the customer who wants one bag per gift.
- Split by size using the mix in the next section.
Worked example (illustrative numbers): a boutique had 1,200 transactions last December and about 60% went out in a gift bag. That is 720 bags; plus 20% gives about 860. A split of 50% small, 35% medium and 15% large is roughly 430 small, 300 medium and 130 large. In case terms that could be one case of printed Christmas bags (384) for the small gifts plus a 200-pack of small plain kraft, one 300-pack of medium, and a 200-pack of wide bags, with any surplus plain kraft carrying straight into January.
If you have no history (a new shop or a first December selling gifts), order conservatively on printed bags and lean on plain kraft, which you can keep using through the year.
Matching bag size to what customers buy
| What customers buy | Bag that fits |
|---|---|
| Ornaments, jewelry boxes, gift cards, lip and skincare minis, small treat bags | 5.25 x 3.75 x 8 small kraft or the printed Christmas bag |
| Candles in jars, mugs, cookie tins, small cosmetic sets | Printed Christmas bag or 8 x 4.5 x 10 medium kraft |
| Boxed gift sets, two or three items together, books | 10 x 5 x 13 tall kraft (handles rated 10 lb) |
| Folded sweaters and apparel, wide boxed sets, multi-gift purchases | 16 x 6 x 12 wide kraft |
| High-ticket single gifts (perfume, cashmere, premium sets) | 12.6 x 9.8 x 4.3 gift bag set |
When in doubt, measure your five best-selling December items in their packaging and check them against the bag dimensions. A bag that is too small for your top seller is the one you will run out of first, because staff will start double-bagging or reaching for the next size up.
When to order
Aim to have Christmas gift bags on the shelf by the week before Black Friday. That means ordering in the first half of November, which leaves time for transit and for a second order if the first weeks sell faster than expected. Carriers get slower as December goes on; our holiday shipping deadlines guide lists the USPS, UPS and FedEx cut-offs.
A practical rhythm: place the main order now, check bag counts weekly from Black Friday, and reorder plain kraft (not printed) if you are on track to run out before December 20. Plain kraft is the safer reorder because anything left over still sells after the holiday.
Turning plain kraft bags into Christmas bags
A brown or white kraft bag becomes a Christmas bag in under 30 seconds at the counter:
- Stickers or a seal on the front or over the folded tissue: a "Merry Christmas" label or your logo in red or green.
- Tissue paper in red, green or gold, pulled up above the bag opening.
- Ribbon or twine tied through the handles, with a small tag for the recipient's name.
- A rubber stamp with a holiday design or your logo, done in batches during quiet hours.
White kraft takes colored stamps and stickers especially well. Brown kraft gives a rustic look that suits bakeries, candle shops and handmade goods. Either way, the bag itself stays useful after December. If you want your logo printed directly on the bag, see our custom paper bag inquiry, and allow extra lead time.
FAQ
What size Christmas gift bag is most popular?
For most shops, the small to medium range sells fastest, because ornaments, candles, cosmetics and treats make up the bulk of holiday gifts. A bag around 8 x 7 x 3 inches, like our printed Christmas kraft bag, covers a large share of small purchases. Check your own top sellers before you settle the split.
Should I buy printed Christmas bags or plain kraft?
Both. Use printed bags for the volume you are confident you will use by Christmas, because they cannot be sold after it. Use plain kraft for the rest and dress it up with stickers or tissue, so leftovers carry into the rest of the year.
How far ahead should I order Christmas gift bags?
Order in the first half of November so the bags arrive before Black Friday weekend, with time for a reorder in early December.
Are your Christmas gift bags recyclable?
Our printed Christmas bags are made of recycled kraft paper and are recyclable. As with any paper bag, check your local program's rules for printed or coated paper.
Can I get Christmas gift bags with my logo?
Yes, through our custom paper bag inquiry. Custom printing takes longer than stock bags, so for this Christmas a stock bag plus a logo sticker is the faster option.
Related reading
- Kraft Paper Gift Bag Sizes: Small, Medium and Large
- Paper Gift Bags: Types, Sizes & How to Choose
- Paper Bags Wholesale: Sizes, Basis Weights and Case Packs
- USPS, UPS & FedEx Holiday Shipping Deadlines
Sources: JiaroPack product pages for sizes, materials, case counts and list prices, read November 2, 2026. Prices may change; the product page is always current.
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