Wrapping gifts can be fun for you and for your recipient when you look beyond purchased gift wrap and ribbons. When you want your present to make your recipient smile before he even opens it, try personalizing the paper you use. Add unexpected touches to your packages by thinking about your recipient's interests and using decorations that reflect them.
Fun Wrapping Paper
Instead of buying gift wrap, use the Sunday comic's pages. If the gift recipient has a favorite, be sure that comic strip is on top of the package.
Buy a roll of butcher paper or finger painting paper. Use rubber stamps or stencils to create your own gift wrap design. Write messages with a pen, outline them with glue and sprinkle glitter on them.
Use aluminum foil as gift wrap. Use an orange stick or a pen to emboss messages on the foil. Draw pictures freehand, or trace designs using stencils.
Cut a brown paper bag open, press it flat with a dry iron and draw pictures on it using felt-tipped markers or colored pencils.
Other Wrapping Materials
Use fabric as gift wrap. For a baby gift, use a piece of nursery-print flannel. Choose a pretty red and green plaid or a jolly Santa print for Christmas gifts. You'll be able to find a pattern or design to suit just about any gift recipient, from hunting prints to sewing motifs.
Use a scarf to wrap your gift. Find a pretty scarf with a seasonal theme for a female, or use a wool scarf for a male.
Wrap gifts in kitchen towels or hand towels, or even bath towels if the present is large. Use a receiving blanket for a baby shower gift or a tablecloth for a bridal shower gift.
Package Decorations
Make paper flowers from your gift wrap, or use tissue paper in a variety of colors. Attach them to your gift in place of a bow. For a really fun effect, cover the entire package with paper flowers.
Fold simple origami figures to top your package. Use a folded crane for a wedding present, create an animal or flower, or fold holiday ornaments.
Attach small gifts as package decorations. Tie a rattle or pacifier to a ribbon on a baby gift. For a person who likes to sew, use a cloth tape measure instead of ribbon and a pincushion in place of a bow. Choose a toy car to decorate a little boy's present or a tiara for a girl.
Use recordable labels, such as those used for people with low vision, to make your package talk. You can record a message up to 20 seconds long to greet the recipient of your gift.
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