Gift wrapping saved Michelle Hensley's side hustle — and turned it into a full-fledged business. Her gift basket business, called Nifty Packaging Co., had a small profit margin. In 2018, after three years of running it, she started posting photos of her meticulously wrapped boxes on Instagram. Brands and celebrities — including Kim Kardashian — flocked to hire her for her 'blind-edge' wrapping style, she says. Since then, Hensley has grown Nifty Packaging Co. into a full-time job.
The business brought in over $466,000 in sales last year, and gift wrapping — at a minimum of $180 per hour — makes up roughly 70% of its revenue, she says. Gift wrapping is just one example: Plenty of holiday-themed side hustles use skills that anyone can learn and get paid for. Perhaps more importantly, some of them are relatively easy to step into for just a few weeks every year. CNBC Make It spoke with people who earn money from easy-to-learn, holiday-themed skills, including house decorating and gift-guide curation. Here are the side hustles they recommend picking up to earn some extra cash during the holidays. Hensley, 60, who still works as a part-time financial coach, now manages nearly 70 Nifty employees between corporate staff, contract workers and wrappers she's trained across the U.S. Her company's profit margins hover around 18%, she estimates. Individual gift wrappers have the potential for more cash flow, says Hensley, who is in the process of franchising her business. But you have to have a sought-after style and understand how to reach clients on local or social media platforms, but you have to do the right things,' she says. Gift wrapping and running a business are different, she adds: 'It's not about whether you love it. It's about whether the client loves it.'', but you have to do the right things,' she says. Gift wrapping and running a business are different, she adds: 'It's not about whether you love it. It's about whether the client loves it.'earns up to $21 per hour, according to job search site Indee