Want to add a special touch to your Christmas gift giving? You can design your own gift tags to put on your gifts. It's fun to do and so rewarding when your friends and family want to know where you got the cute gift tags.

You use Word's mail merge feature to create your Christmas gift tags. Here's how:

• Click on View | Task Pane if the task pane is not displayed.
• Click on the drop down selection on the task pane and select Mail Merge
• Put a tick mark in the radio button next to "Labels" to indicate the type of document you want to create
• Click on "Next: Starting Document at the bottom of the Task Pane
• Put a tick mark in the radio button next to "Change Document Layout"
• Click on the link to "Label Options" to select the size and layout of the labels you want to use

Setting up your Labels
• Click on the Show/Hide button on the Standard Toolbar to display the non-printing characters. This makes it easier for positioning your text and graphics
• In the first Label cell, press the space bar once and the ENTER key 3 times
• Position your insertion point in front of the middle return mark so your graphic will position where you want it
• Select Insert | Picture | ClipArt and choose your graphic
• Resize the picture or clipart as needed to fit on the label (use the selection handles displayed surrounding the graphic when it is selected to resize)
• Change the Text Wrapping to a "Tight" Wrapping Style. Right click on the graphic to select the format picture command. Text wrapping options are located on the Layout tab of the Format Picture dialog box
• Place your insertion point on the 3rd return mark. Type "TO: Press enter 4 or 5 times and type "FROM:" Format your To: and From: as you like. For example: 20pt size, Red Color, Calligrapher font type.

Since you are using the Mail Merge feature, you must have a data source established but you will trick Word into thinking it is merging.

• Click on "Next: Select Recipients"
• Select "Type a new list"
• Click on "Create" and insert one data record
(I simply use my name)
• Click on "Close"
You will be prompted to save the data list. Save it under any appropriate file name
• The Mail Merge Recipients dialog box will be displayed with the one record you inserted appearing. Click on OK
• The document will be displayed. Each of the labels will contain a "Next Record" field. You can ignore it since the data source is empty the fields will remain blank on your printout.
• Click on Next: Arrange your Labels
• Click on Update All Labels. This will replicate the layout of your first label into all other labels on the sheet
• Click on "Next: Preview your Labels"
• Click on "Complete the Merge"
• Insert your label blanks into your printer; then, Click on Print
Note: I sometimes will do a trial print on regular paper to see whether I am getting what I expect.
• Choose "All" on the Merge to Printer dialog box
• Click on OK
• Choose options on the Print Dialog box and click on OK
• Save your document as you choose

Have fun!

Need some design ideas? You can get some Christmas gift tag design ideas by reading Custom Design Your Christmas Gift Tags.


Microsoft Office XP Standard