Wrap it up

Dec. 20, 2006

Wrap It Up!
Creative ideas for presenting your presents
By Kristi Kates


It’s several days before Christmas, and, believe it or not, you actually have your holiday shopping complete on time for once. But now the conundrum is - how will you wrap those presents, packages, and packets that you’ve so carefully picked?
Sure, you can have the merchants wrap your gifts for you - but isn’t that rather impersonal? You can purchase store-bought paper and do the traditional corner wrap, haphazardly plopping a sticky bow on top. But - well, we know you can do better than that.
So here are a few suggestions on how to make your gift wrapping stand out - and remember, if you’re short on funds, a little extra care with some snazzy wrapping on the outside can make even a small but thoughtful gift into something really fun and impressive.

MAKE YOUR OWN
Store-bought wrapping paper is available in abundance, of course - everything from Dollar Store versions to the more upscale (and much more expensive) brands such as those designed by the Martha Stewart clan. But making your own paper is not only fun, it’s also easier to personalize, and will give you an added holiday project to enjoy.
Rolls of white paper (used for presentations) can be bought at office supply stores, newsprint roll-ends can sometimes be purchased from your local newspaper office, and brown or white paper can be purchased from your local butcher, usually for just a small fee if you don’t need much. Get out the markers, watercolors, or glitter glue, and go crazy with holiday-themed decorations.
You can also cut holiday shapes out of construction paper or origami paper to glue right onto your wrapping paper, or use rubber stamps to make more uniform designs. The effort you put into making your own wrap will be appreciated by even the least artistic among your friends and family.

USE THE UNUSUAL
Who ever said that wrapping paper has to be... well, wrapping paper? There are plenty of other papers that make for great, creative wraps without having to purchase the “official” stuff.
Giving a gift to someone who likes to travel? Wrap their gift in a map, perhaps one specific to a destination you know they’re headed to next. Gifting a sports fanatic? Try the sports page from your local paper, or maybe the comics section for a child or for a funnies fan.
Your local paint/wallpaper shop might have some large wallpaper samples books that they wouldn’t mind getting rid of, and you’ll suddenly find yourself with a whole book of patterns perfect for wrapping smaller gifts.
Another approach for small gifts would be to print something from your computer onto 8 1/2 x 11 or 8 1/2 x 14 paper - you could use a design you’ve drawn yourself, or even multiply a photo, or several photos, to make an even more personal wrapping paper collage.
And, you can make a paper bag into terrific gift wrap by cutting some festive shapes out of the sides, and then taping colored cellophane behind the shapes (inside the bag, of course) to make a kind of stained-glass gift bag that’s uniquely your own.

AVOID PAPER ENTIRELY
There are plenty of other options to make your gift stand out even more - and one of those is to eschew paper completely. Fabric gift bags are a terrific idea, as the bags themselves (usually drawstring-type bags) can then be reused for the recipient’s other storage needs, making your gift two gifts in one.
Fabric scraps or remnants all on their own make great gift wrap, too, and of course come in just about any pattern you can think of, from festive plaids or polka dots to glittery lamé. If you’ve saved up any big leaves from fall, they can be used to wrap tiny gifts, or you can tape several together to make a very unique nature-y gift wrap. Plastic bags from various stores can be cut apart (on the seams) and used for gift wrapping, too - so many of the stores have great seasonal pop-art on their bags, it’s a shame to just throw them away.
FOLLOW A THEME
Another eye-catching way to wrap is to keep the wrap itself in with the theme of the gift. For instance, if you’re gifting kitchen items, wrap all of them in a kitchen towel and tie with a color-coordinated ribbon.
A receiving blanket can be used to wrap a baby’s gift, while a camping blanket can be used to wrap up camping gear. Multi-layer gifts are fun, too, such as a scarf or mittens wrapped in a hat and tied up on top like the aforementioned drawstring bag.
If you’re giving tools, just put all the tools right in a tool box, and let that be the wrapping, with a big bow on top. You get the idea - it’s only limited by what you can think up.


ADORNMENTS AND ACCENTS
You’re not limited to just bows on top of these gifts, either. It’s great fun to think up coordinating accents to either take the place of a traditional bow, or to be added along with it for extra pizzazz. Small Christmas ornaments are a given - they look great tied onto just about any gift, and can of course be added to the recipient’s holiday tree. Punch a hole in the top of a photo of you and a friend, and tie that on to the gift instead of a written gift tag. Silk flowers, leaves, or even real or dried greenery (beware of berries, though, as they can harm pets if the pets try to eat them) are very pretty used as part of a bow arrangement.
And, you can personalize your gift more by tying on something pertinent to your giftee, such as a charm for a charm bracelet, a pair of earrings, a keychain, or a small toy or even a collectible if you’re aware of something the recipient collects. Thin scarves make great bows and can be reused later, as can hair ribbons and men’s ties; belts and beaded necklaces can also be fastened around a gift to make for a great effect.