Holiday color trends are all over the board this year. Instead of mega categories, trends in 2008 are micro-centered -- as electic and diverse as the fragmented U.S. consumer demographics. Some of the influencing themes and motifs are:

1. Concern for the environment
2. Retro-to-the-’60’s (peace and love)
3. Fair Trade merchandise
4. Old world opulence (Russia)

Earth-driven color tones dominate the environmental color trend. Sky blue, fern green, sand beige, bark brown, and vibrant wild flower brights; with copper and nickel as strong metallics. In the peace and love category, wild, vivid, visionary colors splash holiday theme merchandise. With the Russian and old world, think deep jewel tones and dazzling metallics. Fair trade color trends tend to reflect the dark tones of mahagony and ebony, with splashes of blackened primary tones (red, orange, green and blue), livened up with tropical blends.

It’s great to read about color trends, but with gift baskets, designers don’t have to think too much about it, since industry manufacturers and distributors have already stocked the latest for the holidays. Just open the catalogs, think about your own customer base, and order the trendiest packaging and supply colors in every style and motif!