Gift Wrapping Ideas

Old road maps. I love maps as wrapping paper! They're colorful and fun, and they're a good size for most packages. This is an especially good choice if your gift is travel-related.

Newspaper. Newspaper pages are large and cheap and do a good job of screening what they're covering. You can use pages that have mostly text for a black-and-white motif, or use the funnies for a more colorful, light approach. Another fun idea is to use the fashion pages if your gift is something fashion-related, or the travel pages if the gift is travel-related, etc.

Old books. Gift wrapping ideas are all around you. For instance, pages from old books, particularly children's books, can create a sophisticated and/or whimsical look. Pages that have illustrations are especially fun.

Brown paper. Brown paper gives the look of a parcel, mailed from afar. You can cut up old grocery bags or use parcel paper. Use twine to tie it up instead of ribbon, and address it to the recipient like a mail parcel. For the stamp, use a bow or get creative - glue a photo or draw something fun in that spot.

Your own artwork. Gift wrapping ideas that come from your own creativity have a personal touch. White drawing paper or colored construction paper is a great canvas for creating your own art-paper. You can decorate it yourself or make it a project for your kids. Decorate the paper with drawings, handprints, etc. before you wrap, or wrap the gift and then decorate with glitter, stickers or other add-ons.

Tissue paper. Whenever I get a gift that contains tissue paper, I save the paper. I use it in my own gift bags, but I also occasionally layer several pages to wrap a present. It's a little more fragile than other kinds of papers, so you have to be careful not to tear it, but creates an appealing, soft look for a gift.

Recycled gift bags and paper. Before you rip open your packages this year with abandon, consider saving the paper so you can use it for your own gift wrapping. Gift bags are particularly easy to save and reuse.

Fabric. Departing from paper entirely opens up a whole world of possibilities. All kinds of fabrics can be used to wrap gifts, and fabric is particularly good for covering unusually shaped packages. Just a few gift wrapping ideas for fabric: scraps leftover from projects, old blankets, baby or dish cloths, and canvas or cloth bags. If you are giving kitchen items as a gift, consider giving a dish cloth as part of the gift, and wrapping the gift items in the towel. It's a gift and wrapping in one!

If you want an alternative to putting your gift in a box and then wrapping the box, consider these suggestions:

Gift bags. You may have leftover gift bags from gifts you've received, or you can make your own. Just decorate plain paper bags (white is best) and run some string through the top for a handle.

Food tins. Every year, either I or my office receives a gift of cookies or popcorn in a decorated tin. The tins are an easy and perfect container for gifts. Just rinse them out thoroughly, and they're ready to be filled and put under the tree - no wrapping required!

Decorative boxes or baskets. Many pre-packaged gifts come in boxes or baskets that are already decorated and don't require wrapping. You can save them and use them for future gifts. Another option is boxes that have unique decoration, but aren't necessarily holiday themed. If a box has an artistic aesthetic, it doesn't have to be specifically made to house Christmas presents.

Glass jars. Glass jars are great for holding small items, like jewelry, or food gifts, such as homemade cocoa (see my Homemade Gifts page for more ideas about gifts you can make yourself). you can line or wrap the jar in cloth if you want to conceal the contents, or you can just decorate the jar with ribbon around the lid and a bow on top.

What do you use to wrap gifts?

Got a cool idea for a unique way to wrap gifts? Tell us about it (and show us a picture)!

Homemade Gifts

Christmas Decorations

Christmas Ideas

Frugal Holidays

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