When it comes to wrapping gifts, I would rather just give the gift in the bag it came in than actually go out of my way to wrap it. Gift wrap and I just don’t get along. However, when I get in the mood to actually wrap a gift, I find it’s tons more fun to think outside the box than to just wrap a gift in plain old gift wrap. Here are some ways that I have found to wrap a gift, super fun!
Small gifts, like a pair of earrings, can be wrapped in a dollar bill (or, if you really like the person, a five or ten dollar bill). This is fun especially for younger siblings or college kids, and the bills fold easily and are sturdy enough to withstand tearing when they are taped. You can tape a bunch of dollar bills together to wrap slightly larger gifts, like a book, or you can tape dollar bills randomly to an already wrapped gift to make the gift more exciting.
I like to use the colorful pages of magazines to wrap gifts because of the shiny appearance on the pages. Plus, it gives me something to do with all those excess magazines I have laying around. Same goes for old sheet music and comics- they all make great gift wrap.
If you don’t have bows, why not make your own with garland for Christmas trees? When I have excess Christmas ornaments, I tie them to the gift as well, to act as another little bonus gift. Plus, little ornaments (like the little multi-packs you can get at thrift or dollar stores) just look really cute! Christmas lights that no longer work make great bows or ribbon as well, and create fun contrast to an otherwise boring gift.
Playing cards that aren’t complete and puzzles missing pieces also make great additions to a gift as well. Simple school glue can adhere these odd and ends pieces that would otherwise be thrown away. They add great dimension to a gift, and can make wrapping a gift a lot more fun. Same goes for old jewelry which can be used to top gifts.
Perhaps my favorite item to use when wrapping gifts is brown paper bags. Not only are they easier to use when wrapping oddly shaped gifts, but they can be decorated beforehand with markers, glitter, glue, buttons, and stickers. Then place the gift inside the bag, staple it shut, fold the bag over the seams, add a gift tag, and done!