All Wrapped Up for Christmas

Unwrapping Christmas gifts never fails to delight people of all ages. The fun and excitement in discovering what lies inside are not lost beyond those layers of wrappers, ribbons and bows. However, these days, it seems that wrapping gifts has taken a new level and is perfected by gift-giving people who believe that a gift is judged by how it is wrapped.

It’s not hard to believe that the outside of the gift is just as valuable as what is inside. After all, the wrapping is the first thing that is seen so it’s understandable why some people would go an extra mile to make the wrapping shine and stand out under the Christmas tree. Whether you want to surprise a loved one with something she always wished to have or give out little objects of thoughtfulness, you’ll want to present your gifts in wraps that make a statement before they are even ripped opened.

Here are five great gift-wrapping ideas to make an impression to the lucky recipient of your well-thought Christmas gifts.

Recycle old pages. There’s more to store-bought gift-wraps. Magazines, newspapers, old calendars, books, and anything that is made of durable materials and has bright colors are great alternatives to commonly used expensive gift-wraps. You’ll be giving Mother Earth a big favor by recycling these interesting materials. Comic pages are great for gifts meant for children with fondness for cartoons or anime series. The no-frills Kraft paper is perfect to hold precious and delicate items such as dinnerware. Just embellish it with luxuriant ribbons in the color of Christmas. Aside from the gift itself, the recipient will also find use for the wrapper that conceals it.

Stamp a personal character. Transform an ordinary-looking piece of paper into a canvas that speaks about yourself or the recipient. Make your own gift wrap by drawing some designs on plain paper using built-in graphic programs from the computer. There are several websites offering free templates. Just follow the user-friendly steps, choose a design, personalize it with several options, and print out your very own creation. You’ll also find that online party supplies shop offers items that can help you build gift-wrapping ideas. For example, clear cello gift bags or paper cups can be collaged with shape cutouts or lined with Christmas red and green dinner napkin. Making this simple yet elegant gift bag guarantees your effort doesn’t find its way in the trash.

Wrap with fabric. Hone your sewing skill by assembling pieces of beautiful fabrics to create amazing gift-wraps. This is a wonderful eco-friendly idea eliminating the use of materials containing substances harmful to the environment. The big trend now is to frame fabrics of interesting design to form a gift bag into which you can conveniently slip the gift inside. You can get many fabrics with fun designs at a cheaper price than ready-made gift-wraps. Get a pattern that best suits the recipient’s personality. He or she may find that the fabric bag is inherently useful as the gift. You may also consider dividing an old fabric table runner into several cuts to wrap your handy type of gifts.

Mix Match the Color Wheel of Christmas. Christmas is a season that calls for vibrancy, cheers, glitters, and everything that reminds about festivities. During this time, you can forget about being too formal with things and get away with it especially when it comes to pleasing people important to you. Thus when you choose to wrap your gifts, you have the excuse to be uncoordinated with the color or pattern combination thing. You can present your gift in a blue polka dot noodle box lined with gorgeous red cocktail napkin to evoke the Christmas spirit. Wrapping your gift in dark purple paper with gold metallic curling ribbon effectively makes the recipient curious to know what’s beyond the rich colors. There’s endless possibilities to wrap gifts in colors that completely contrast or complement each other.

Top it to a T. Oftentimes, the thing that catches the most attention is the embellishment on top of the gift. Moreover, that’s exactly what the mother-in-law will notice when you give her a set of spices wrapped and tied together with a sprig of dry thyme. Surely, your little girl will be delighted to open her gift wrapped with a mini pinwheel tucked in the ribbon. Imagine how enchanted the wife will be to see the small Tiffany box with a beautiful butterfly cutout nestled on top. She doesn’t even have to open the gift to know what’s in it.

The art of gift-wrapping does more than to hide a present. Aside from the content, you’re giving a little of yourself by adding a personal touch on your unique packaging. With these wrapping ideas, you’ll give Santa a run for his gift-wrapping station. Enjoy a fun gift exchange and a table full of scrumptious food this Christmas!