I suppose there are people who actually enjoy wrapping Christmas gifts, but I am not one of them. Probably the reason I don't enjoy this part of holiday preparations is because I don't allow enough time for doing a nice job. By the time I get around to wrapping the gifts, I feel rushed, and my wrapping jobs show it.

This year I have a plan.

First, I'm going to simplify the whole process. I'll choose several colors of solid paper, in which I'll wrap all my gifts. I've never been a fan of those patterned wrapping papers, anyway. The fun part of the process, and what will make the gifts look special, will be the tags that I will make individually for each gift.

Before I even start shopping, I'll go ahead and make a few tags whenever I have a little time, and then I'll wrap the gifts as I find them.

The tags are made to be gifts in themselves. Each will have a purpose beyond identifying the recipient of the gift. Some will be tree ornaments, others key chains or magnets.

Here are just a few ideas to get you started making your own gift tags. This is another time when you will be glad you've saved scraps of materials from other projects.

And if you are one of those organized types and are already finished wrapping your gifts, many of these ideas would work just as well for place cards for your holiday gathering.

Leather Tag: Perfect for the men in your family. Use a piece of thin leather from the craft store and an alphabet stencil to create this masculine tag. Use a sharpy pen to fill in the stenciled letters on the leather. Cut the leather after you have stenciled it to ensure that your word is centered on the leather. Punch a hole at the top of the tag, feed a key ring and an old key through the hole. Instead of ribbon, secure this to your gift with a rawhide shoe lace.

Craft Foam Tag: Use scraps of craft foam to cut out individually the letters of the person's name. This is not hard: just cut out the same size rectangle for each letter, then cut into each one to form simple letters. Punch each one in two places near its top. Use jump rings and needlenosed pliers to connect the letters together to spell the name. Use rick rack or raffia in place of ribbon with this one.

Post It Tag: For the workaholic in the family. Use a small pad of Post Its to create this witty tag. Place the pad on a thick newspaper then on a work surface you don't mind damaging, such as an old cutting board. Use a hammer and an awl to pound a hole all the way through the pad in the upper left hand corner. Insert jump ring through hole. Use rubberstamp alphabet to put recipient's name on the top Post It. Secure this one to the gift with a thin plastic tape measure instead of ribbon.

Fit for a Queen Tag: Every family has one. Choose the queen card from a deck of cards then stamp the person's initial to a small square of white paper, and glue that in the center of the card. This card trick also works great for the king of the castle, and if you have a Jack in your family, you are really in luck!

Shrinky Dink Ornament Tag: Grab a sheet from your child's art supply bin and draw a circle about 4" in diameter with a red permanent marker. Decorate the front as an ornament, incorporating the recipient's name into the design. Cut out circle, use a hole punch to make a hole at the top. Write a note on the back, if you'd like. Bake as directed. Thread this one on gingham ribbon in the colors of the ornament.

Sculpey Ornament Tag: Roll out a small ball of white Sculpey clay to about 1/8 inch thick. Use pinking shears to cut a simple triangular tree shape, then use regular scissors to create straight cuts along the trunk. Use alphabet stamps to imprint the clay with the recipient's name. The plain white clay has an elegant, porcelain like quality when used alone.

Found Object Gift Tags. You can also use various objects, just as they are, to make gift tags. A brass stencil of someone's initial makes a great tag. The "V" seal from the top of a wine bottle is perfect for someone with that initial. Just glue it on a small card. and keep your eyes peeled.