Go Au Natural

Using recycled paper or newsprint can be very festive when using pinecones, cranberries or holly leaves instead of traditional decoration. Raffia can be used as the ribbon. The brown paper with natural accents will appeal to the most eco-conscious friends and family members.

Is It Mine?

To keep kids from picking up every box under the tree to see which one is theirs, have them dip a hand in paint and mark each of their own gifts with a hand-print once they’re wrapped in plain brown paper.

Tissue Paper Solutions

Having trouble finding the right color for your wrapping paper? Using tissue paper allows you to get exactly the shade you want for the present. To make the color darker, add more layers of tissue. Create a mosaic affect by layering different colors at different angles to form geometric shapes.

Snowflakes and Sparkle

Light weight fleece or felt can be used to create snowflake-like designs on the outside of packages. It can also be used in gift bags with silver or white glitter for a little sparkle.

Oversized Gifts

For gifts in oversized packing boxes, don’t wrap the whole box. Try these ideas instead:

• Decorate the outside of the box with strips of wrapping paper crossing each other around the edges.
• Add bows and ribbons hanging from the sides to make the box more festive.
• Use a red laundry bag with some white pillow stuffing at the top to simulate Santa’s present sack.

ID Tags

Use pipe cleaners in holiday colors to create festive bows on top of presents. Shape them into reindeer antlers, stars or candy canes and attach to bows to mark gifts. Candy canes for Mom, stars for Grandma, etc.

Funnies

The comic pages from the daily paper can be used to wrap up gifts for the kids (or for the kids-at-heart!)