Christmas is coming up quickly and, like everyone else, you start to think of gifts to get certain people in your life. Sometimes, you don’t have enough money to get everyone on your list an expensive gift, so you opt out and get something inexpensive, and more in your budget. So, now what? You can wrap it up and call it a night, or do a little more. There are many ways you can add a little extra effort to wrapping and presenting your gifts.
Stamp It On
Give inexpensive Kraft or butcher paper an artistic update with a woodblock stamp and white ink. Add the recipient’s name with a white paint pen, and tuck a bit of fresh greenery under the bow for a woodsy scent.
All In the Family
Layering gift wrap and toppers in various patterns featuring the same color family, like the cool blues and greens here, is a foolproof trick for creating great-looking gifts.
Stenciled Paper
Sturdy, white, butcher paper creates the perfect blank canvas for stenciled-on holiday designs; the paper’s thickness ensures that it won’t pucker and wrinkle from the moisture in the paint. To get this look: Cut paper to the size you’ll need, and plan the stenciled design’s location. Position stencil, then apply acrylic craft paint using a stencil brush or pouncer. Allow paper to thoroughly dry flat before wrapping the gift.
Outdoorsy Gift Wrap
Trendy menswear-inspired red flannel ribbon and a few fresh sprigs of greenery give this gift a wintry, woodsy feel. To make the rustic topper, cut a small and medium circle out of upholstery webbing, and pull on the outer fibers to create a frayed edge. Use an upholstery needle to stitch the two layers together, then sew on a single glass bead. Glue an alligator clip to the back, so the topper can be easily clipped onto the gift then later reused by the recipient as a hair or scarf clip.
Pretty as a Posey
Patterned red cardstock, folded in half, then cut into basic flower petal shapes is an easy way to create a beautiful stand-in for a poinsettia. Use your completed posey, as a gift topper, or make several and string them together as a colorful holiday banner.
Kids’ Craft: Potato-Stamped Paper
Instead of purchasing a roll of wrapping paper at the store, bring your kids around the table to make custom hand-stamped paper with potatoes and paint. This old-school craft project is a great way to get kids involved in the season of giving.
Fabric Trim Bow
Use leftover fabric trim instead of ribbon to use to give your gifts a fashion-forward finish. Tuck in a few sprigs of fresh greenery or glittered pinecones before presenting to the recipient.
Think Beyond Red + Green
Our friends at HGTV Magazine swapped regal purple shades for red to create this sophisticated twist on the traditional red + green pairing.
Kids’ Craft: Yarn Pom-Poms
Colorful yarn pom-poms are easy to make and are a playful substitute for a traditional bow.
Go for the Glam
Don’t limit playful colors, like hot pink, to spring and summer use; this happy hue will add just as much kick to your holiday packages. Paired with fashion-forward black, white and gold, the look-at-me color is gorgeous, not girly.
Rustic Meets Luxe
Packages wrapped in inexpensive brown Kraft paper get a high-end update when topped with small bits of leftover fabric, twine, fabric trim, and a wax paper pom-pom.
Monogrammed Gift Topper
Forget traditional ribbon bows, and top your gifts with a yarn-wrapped initial instead. Older kids and crafty teens will want to try this easy project to create personalized packages that stand out from the pack.
Create a Layered Effect
Layer organic elements and textured ribbon to create wrapped gifts that are a step above the rest. Create pretty packages using items you can find around your house and in nature. Petite pinecones and sprigs of greenery embellish layers of ribbon while vintage sheet music is the perfect custom wrapping for a small gift.
Try a Playful Palette
Cheery colors, like pink, coral, and turquoise, are sure to add some pep to your presents. Top with holiday items like candy canes or unbreakable ornaments in coordinated colors for a seasonal finishing touch.
Bring On the Glitz
What are the holidays without a little sparkle? Top Kraft-paper-wrapped gifts with a glittered paper doily, self-adhesive rhinestones, metallic rick-rack, and a glittering mini pinecone.
Cookies To Go
Homemade holiday treats are even more thoughtful when they’re packaged creatively. Cleverly wrap cookies in inexpensive paper CD sleeves; bundled up with baker’s twine and a cute tag, they’re the perfect way to surprise coworkers and neighbors with a sweet treat.
Mod Gift Wrap
Give your gifts a hip, retro vibe with inexpensive jewelry findings and vintage ornament cut-outs.
Repurpose an Old Sweater
Let’s face it: We’ve all accidentally shrunk at least one wool or cashmere sweater. It’s a painful learning experience: wool + hot water + agitation = a felted sweater that, on the down-side, is now too small to wear but, on the plus-side, felted fibers don’t fray when cut. So, turn those felted gems into a clever way to package jar candles by sliding a candle into one of the sweater’s felted sleeves then marking how much you need and cutting it off. Embellish with a coordinating ribbon, bell, or ornament, and your gift is complete.
Game Tile Gift Tag
Repurpose Scrabble tiles and twine for this playful gift tag. To create it, simply loop a long piece of twine then attach the tiles to the twine loop with glue, leaving enough room above the tiles to act as a hanger and a bit of twine below the letters for attaching a tassel. Make the tassel by cutting six small pieces of twine, gather them together in the center then knot onto the bottom of the twine below the tiles.
Add the Finishing Touch with a Topper
When wrapping a gift for someone extra special, don’t stop at just tying on a bow — add a topper. Good choices are candy canes, fresh greenery, or an ornament — like this easy-to-make fabric ornament.
Paper Sequins
Using a round paper punch, cut two sizes of circles out of three similar colors (we used orange, red and pink) of cardstock. Stack punched circles together, and pierce with an awl or nail. Using a needle and thread, string paper circles together, alternating colors and sizes, to create a colorful strand. Finally, wrap around the gift, securing ends to the bottom with tape.
Chalkboard Gift Tag
Though no longer the crafting new kid on the block, chalkboard paint remains popular, especially when used in a clever way, like this chalkboard gift tag which is painted directly onto the Kraft paper wrap. Thanks to Kraft paper’s thickness, you can paint it, and the wrinkles will flatten out as the paint dries.
Eraser Snowflakes and Snowman
A great kids’ craft, this fun gift wrap can be created with materials you probably already have on hand. First, wrap gifts in blue construction paper. Dip the eraser end of a pencil in slightly thinned-down white craft paint, or tap it onto a white ink pad, and stamp dots onto paper. Create snowflakes by starting with a center dot then working your way out in symmetrical lines and rings. To create the snowman, overlap white dots to build up his body and embellish with an orange paper carrot nose and a black marker coal mouth, eyes, and arms.
Roll It Up
Rather than attempt to disguise oddly shaped gifts with wrapping paper only barely secured with layer upon layer of tape, simply place the gift inside a cardboard tube, and cover the tube in colorful fabric, and secure the ends with ribbon.
Christmas Light Garland
Kids can help craft this gift wrap that’s as easy to create as it is cute. First, wrap the gift in newsprint or butcher paper. Then, create a lightbulb-shaped stamp from a wine cork by cutting away the sides with a craft knife to leave just a pointed oval shape. Brush a light coat of paint onto the lightbulb portion of the stamp, then firmly press it onto the wrapped gift. Continue adding stamped bulbs in a line, alternating colors, until you’re happy with the design. Allow paint to dry, then add the string with a permanent marker.
Raid Your Fabric Stash
Put leftover bits of upholstery fabric to good use as fashion-forward gift wrap. Because standard clear tape isn’t strong enough to secure the ends, use fabric glue. Upholstery trim takes the place of ribbon, and clip on a flowery fabric hair barrette instead of a bow — so the beautifully wrapped package is actually two gifts in one.
Organic Embellishments
Bring the outdoors in with this stylish (and free!) pinecone ribbon and bow. Take a stroll outdoors to gather large and small pinecones, then spread them on a baking sheet in a warm oven to release the sap. Once pinecones have cooled, use hot glue to attach small pinecones in a ribbon fashion on the gift’s top and sides. Construct the bow by gluing larger pinecones in a star-like pattern.
Repurpose Pretty Paper
As an experienced gift wrapper can attest, wrapping gifts create a lot of waste — but don’t toss the scraps. Instead, use strips of patterned paper in place of ribbon and bows on solid colored gifts.
Tissue Paper Pom-Pom Topper
Instead of a traditional ribbon bow, top gifts with a flouncy pom-pom. Create them in a variety of sizes by varying the dimensions of tissue paper you use. Cutting the paper to 5″ x 5″ is a good starting point for your first try, then enlarge or shrink the dimensions once you get a hang of the technique. To start, stack 15-20 sheets (the more you use, the fuller it will be) of tissue paper, and cut a square in your desired dimensions. Fold the stacked paper back and forth accordion style, folding, and creasing the paper every 1/8″ to 1/4.” Secure the center with wire, then fringe the paper’s edges with scissors. Finally, carefully unfold and separate sheets till you have a flat-bottomed pom-pom. Attach to ribbon with wire.
Keep It Simple
Purchase brown Kraft paper or Chinese take-out boxes from your local craft store, and fill them with excelsior or tissue paper and small gifts. Wrap with jute twine, and top with pine greenery and pinecones for a pretty package that comes together in a snap.
No matter how you decide to wrap your presents this Christmas, it will be a fun and creative way to put the extra effort into your presentation.
(Photos courtesy of hgtv.com and pexels.com)