Christmas Crafts Made from Wrapping Paper

After all the Christmas gifts are unwrapped, you are left with a pile of Christmas wrapping paper. Instead of tossing all that paper out, fold it up and put it away. Then a month or two before the next Christmas holiday, take out that pile of wrapping paper and turn it into some fun Christmas crafts!

Christmas Wrapping Paper Ornaments

These Christmas ornaments are very easy to make, so they are great craft for kids. Start by cutting out shapes from poster board or cereal boxes. You can cut out stars, circles, triangles, or any shape you want.

Add glue to one side of the cut out shape then lay the piece on the back side of your wrapping paper. If your paper has a print, such as a Santa face, be sure the face is in the center of the ornament. Let the glue set for just a minute then trim the paper so it's even with the sides of the ornament. Add paper to the other side in the same manner.

Punch a hole in the ornament so you can pass an ornament hook through the hole to hang the ornament. Or, you can glue a loop of ribbon or yarn to the top of the ornament instead of using a hook.

Christmas Wrapping Paper Bows

You can make some beautiful bows to use on your Christmas gifts. By making the bows out of wrapping paper, you will never again have to buy a bag of bows!

Start by cutting your wrapping paper into strips about 1 inch wide and about 8 inches long. Then turn each strip into a loop by taping or gluing the ends together. Make about 10 such loops.

Gather all the loops and scrunch them up in the center. Then tie the center off with a piece of ribbon or yarn. Pull the loops apart a bit and you will have a nice, full bow.

Vary your bows by making some with narrow strips of paper and some with wider strips. You can also vary the lengths of the strips to make different length loops. Just play with it and you will soon have an addiction to bow making.

Christmas Wrapping Paper Garland

Making garland out of wrapping paper is a fun craft to do with the kids. You can quickly make yards and yards of garland. You will have enough garland to decorate your Christmas tree and to decorate the doorways in your home!

Cut all your wrapping paper into strips 1 inch wide and 6 inches long (you can alter that size to your liking). Tape or glue the end of one strip to form a loop. Pass another strip inside that loop and tape or glue the ends of that strip to form a loop that interlocks with the first loop. Continue adding new loops, or links in the chain, until the garland is the length you want.

If your wrapping paper is white on the inside, you can cut your strips 2 inches wide, then fold each strip lengthwise before making the loop. This way each loop will be as colorful on the inside as the outside.

This garland does not store well and will usually flatten out, no matter how hard you try to keep it looking good. So, it's better to just toss out the garland after the holiday and plan on making new garland for the next year.