<p class="box">

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet consectetur adipisicing elit. Voluptates neque iure atque perferendis harum, excepturi, amet laboriosam nam quidem et eligendi reprehenderit similique eius maiores animi voluptatem error ab in.

</p>

html {

  --box-bg-color: var(--gradient, yellow, orange);

}

​

.box {

   background: linear-gradient(var(--box-bg-color));

}

​

​

​

/* etc. */

.box {

  padding: 1em;

}