How to make a gift tag from a cereal box

A nice tag adds to the appeal of a gift bag or wrapped present. You can choose any pattern that you like. Customize the tag for Christmas, Hannukah, a birthday, a baby shower or any occasion.

This tutorial uses a small cereal box similar to the ones in mini cereal variety packs, but you can use any box size as long as the cardboard is free of corrugation. If you don't like the look of the exposed cardboard, you can trace the shape on a piece of thick white paper and glue the paper to the cardboard.

Materials
- Cereal box
- Scissors
- Straight ruler
- Pencil with eraser
- Gift wrap
- School glue
- One-hole punch
- Marker

Instructions
1. (Not shown) Remove the cereal box's inner plastic bag and shake the box over a trash can to get rid of any food particles.

2. Tear open the box along the side and bottom and flatten it out. Trim off the top and bottom flaps. Cut out a piece measuring approximately 4x5 inches.

3. Measure ½ inch up from the bottom and ½ inch in from the left side of the 4x5 piece of cardboard. Draw a horizontal 1 ½-inch line.

4. Draw a vertical 1 ½-inch line going up from the left point of the horizontal line. Repeat for the right side.

5. Make a dot ½ inch above each vertical line. Connect the two dots, extending the line ½ inch past each point.

6. Place the ruler along the bottom horizontal line (the first one you drew). Make a mark at ½ inch and 1 inch. Make corresponding marks on the top horizontal line.

7. Connect the left corresponding mark with the top point of the left vertical line. Connect the right corresponding mark with the top point of the right vertical line. You should have a shape that looks like a house with a pole across the top.

8. Cut out the house shape (not the pole) and erase any pencil marks on it.

9. Place the house shape on wrapping paper. Trace around it and cut it out. Apply glue to the patterned side of the cardboard tag and press on the matching wrapping paper shape. Let the glue dry.

10. Punch a hole at the top of the tag. Address the tag on the exposed cardboard side. Hang the tag from a gift-bag handle or tie it to some ribbon.