After you’ve made your list, checked it twice, and managed to buy gifts for those who’ve been nice, you still have a huge task ahead of you: wrapping them. And if presentation is important in food preparation, it matters even more in gift giving. But be forewarned: for the most part, pretty packages don’t come cheap.

Happily, one place where that warning doesn’t apply is the Christmas Tree Shops. For holiday trimmings, at least, price doesn’t reflect quality here. For example, there’s a seemingly handcrafted wine gift bag adorned with a felt-and-yarn Santa (59 cents). There are also larger bags with snowmen made of cloth, real twigs for arms, and beads for eyes and mouths ($1.69).

Those who eschew the sometimes cheesy look of ribbons and bows can head to the Art Store and pick up some raffia ($3.95). This straw-like string comes in lots of different colors and gives packages a thoughtful, artistic look. On the more expensive end of the cost spectrum, Sandpaper, an artsy store in Roslindale, sells individual sheets of wrapping paper that will make a much bigger impression than your typical drugstore variety. For example, Andy Warhol–esque wrapping paper ($4) covered in images of Jesus repeated in different styles comes in a package of two 20-by-30-inch sheets. Sandpaper also carries nondenominational prints, such as a gold, red, and green design with geometric patterns of holly ($2.25/sheet).

For the smaller package, Selletto in Harvard Square carries Asian-inspired wrapping paper ($4.50/sheet) with floral themes. But the store also offers something for the wrapping impaired: free gift wrapping for all items purchased there. Most people will be delighted to receive presents wrapped in two-toned tissue paper, tied with raffia, and finished off with a delicate flower. And really, does anyone have to know that you didn’t do it yourself?

But if drugstore quality is all you ask for in your wrappings, CVS does have a decent selection. It even sells a gift-wrapping kit ($9.99) that includes 60 square feet of wrapping paper, eight bows, six gift tags, and three reels of ribbon.

Where to get it:

• Art Store, 401 Park Drive, Boston, (617) 247-3322.

• CVS, various locations, www.cvs.com.

• Christmas Tree Shops, various locations, www.christmastreeshops.com.

• Sandpaper, 16 Birch Street, Roslindale, (617) 323-3610.

• Selletto, 244 Newbury Street, Boston, (617) 424-0656; 1356 Mass Ave, Cambridge, (617) 441-3636.