That's a Wrap

So you have finished your holiday gift list (you checked it twice). Make sure the thoughtfulness of your gift is not lost in boring Christmas wrap.

You’ve found the perfect gift but it is not quite complete. Looking for a way to add a little something extra to your gifts this year? Get creative with your wrapping and make each gift extra special, give it a personalized touch with unconventional wrapping techniques.

Wrapping paper is especially important at Christmas, when presents sometimes sit under the tree for several weeks before being opened. Beautiful gift-wrapping might seem difficult to achieve, but many simple tricks can make any present look more alluring. Before you get started on your gift wrap session be sure you plan ahead and gather all your supplies. For the gifts pictured I used brown craft paper, white butcher paper, sheet music, a potato chip can, scrapbook paper, and miscellaneous embellishments. For the holiday treat packages (which will be one of the last gifts you wrap) I used empty coffee containers, a potato chip can, scrapbook paper, and a tumbler. Customize each gift’s packaging to the personality of it’s recipient. Another tip to try is to have the packaging go along with the gift itself. The tire marked wrapping paper with racecar adornment is the perfect gift wrap idea for a racetrack or vehicle accessories. Many household items can be recycled to make beautiful gift wrap. An old map and a broken toy compass made the perfect wrap for a GPS, and for the fisherman in the family, you can incorporate part of the “gift” into the name tag or add as a trimming. A potato chip can wrapped in scrapbook paper makes a creative container for any type of small gift, or for homemade treats. Empty coffee cans can be decorated using wrapping paper scraps or with decorative papers. One major coffee distributor pre-made templates on their website for each holiday occasion that will cover it’s labels.

Before I throw out an incomplete game board or any type of toy sets I hang onto the small pieces to use as decoration for a later time. You never know when they will come in handy (like they did in my Creative Crafting project!). Personalizing your gift presentation helps making the present more memorable and special. Monogrammed ornaments or key chains can also double as a gift tag.

Another tip when it comes to gift packaging is wrapping in an item that can be used again at a later date. Our Magic Elf, Annabelle, happens to love peppermints. We package some for her in a plastic tumbler that will be perfect for drinking hot chocolate out of. We used scrapbook paper to print ‘Happy Holidays’ from the computer, and attached it to the cup with adhesive. We created cones from pretty Christmas papers, punched two holes for string and created an ornamental gift. Fill with your favorite holiday snack and hang on your tree until it is time to give your gift.

One thing to remember during your Christmas present exchange is to be mindful of our environment. Use recycled wrapping paper or items that would typically be considered trash to “dress up” your gifts. Reuse as many “wastes” from this Christmas that you can for next season.

Merry Christmas and Happy Wrapping!