Gift Packaging
        & Wrapping Ideas  

One of the fun things about Christmas is seeing all those presents under the tree and trying to guess what is inside of them.  The bright colorful paper that we buy each year is not the only way to wrap a gift.  Gifts come in all shapes and sizes and not all of them are suitable for the traditional wrapping paper.  Some things are oddly shaped and need a bit more creativity to get them wrapped.  This year investigate some other ways to surprise those special people on Christmas morning. 

For anyone that loves to sew, gift wrapping is a wonderful opportunity to show your stuff.  For instance, think about a bottle of wine.  We’ve all seen the pre-made bags to hold them, but let’s save some money and have more fun by making a cloth bag.  Have you ever seen the bag that Crown Royal comes in?  A drawstring bag can hide a bottle of wine, a bottle of bubble bath, or other accessory items you want give as gifts.  The bag itself doesn’t have to be festive.  It can be of a solid color and decorated with bows, string, beads or anything else your heart desires.  Best of all, the packaging can be used as a carrying bag at other times of the year. 

What’s wrong with paper bags?  We all have some hanging around the house so let’s recycle them this Christmas.  Carefully cover large and small boxed gifts with the brown bags.  Decorate the bag wrapping with glittered Christmas shapes.  Use glue to create the shapes of stars, ornaments, reindeer, and snowmen; then add glitter.  This is a great way to get kids to help you with your decorating for grandparents, family and friends.  Let them decorate the bag with anything they choose, making the gift even more personalized. 

Make use of that gift wrap you are about to throw away.  This idea won’t take effect until next holiday season, but it is a good idea.  Save the areas that are not crinkled beyond recognition.  Those pieces can be used to wrap stocking stuffers and small gifts like jewelry boxes next year. 

If you’re like me, you save empty boxes from electronics and other things you purchase just in case you need them.  Since “just in case” doesn’t seem to come, use them for odd shaped gifts that need to be packaged.  A great example is a stereo box which is perfect for wrapping up several pieces of clothing.  If you don’t want to wrap those odd shaped plastic packages, make it easy on yourself - put them in a box.   

Take up the tradition of European countries when Christmas was newly celebrated.  Leave several smaller gifts in everyone’s favorite pair of shoes.  Place the shoes in front of the fireplace or at the foot of their bed.  You may want to line the shoe with tissue paper since they probably aren’t new “unscented” shoes. 

There is more than one way to present a gift.  If you have an idea, try it to see if it works.  No one ever turned down a gift because it was in a shoe box or wrapped in brown paper.  Besides, it’s the thought that counts remember.