Now You Have to Wrap the Gifts, Try Something DIfferent

Maybe you've started Christmas shopping, maybe not, you still have plenty of time. I've gotten mine done only because we do Christmas in November with my New Jersey family and then again with the Florida clan closer to Christmas. After years of giving gifts I've gotten sort of bored with the wrapping paper,gift bag method. It's easy but I 've come up with some fun, clever , easy alternatives. Making the presents appear in a new form makes the gift giving more fun.

If you're giving gift certificates it's great to match them with a little something that co ordinates with the theme of the gift certificate.
Kitchen items, cutting boards, kitchen tools, herbs and spices, cook books can be presented wrapped in a cute apron, if it's just the tools you can wrap them in a cute kitchen towel. You can add a magazine subscription card to the ribbon tie off or stick a few Cinnamon sticks in the ribbon area and then add the gift certificate.

Coffees can be put in a large mug or you can fill a mug or travel mug with flavored sugars and tie a little envelope with a Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts gift certificate. Starbucks offers little felt gift certificate envelopes. A French Press is great add on with coffee gifts.

A serving knife or some candles would go nicely with a gift certificate to a store like William Sonoma.You can wrap these in a nice tablecloth to complete the theme.

Target sells lovely chocolates in pretty boxes you can tie a Target gift certificate to this.

If your gift recipient is sports minded give him or her a gift certificate attached to a package of tees, golf balls, tennis balls. The tees, and balls can be wrapped in one of those microfiber towels which are great for the gym or the golf course, or tennis court. They can be picked up for $1 at Christmas Tree Shops andp laces like TJ Maxx for a bit more money.

You can pick up clean, empty Chinese food boxes at Jo Ann's or Michael's. Great for giving anything.

All those mismatched mittens can be super for putting a gift certificate in. You can string some cording thru them and tie them to the Christmas tree. if you have no singleton around hit that Dollar Store again. For a gift certificate to a local Movie rental store to a movie theater for the kids put this in a popcorn box. Cute presentation and goes with the theme. These boxes are also available at craft stores.

Spa gift certificates can be tucked or tied to a great body lotion or tucked into a loofah mitt. The Dollar stores carry Loofah mitts or put the gift certificate in a pair of fuzzy slippers.

You can do great pictures of a memorable event and or a favorite pet and put into a Christmas frame ornament . These can be found everywhere from Walgreens to Target. or TJ Maxx. You can get pet portraits done this way as well, reduced in size for the ornament of regular size and make a frame. Buy a Dollar Store frame and glue dog biscuits to it. Wrap this in a doggy blanket and tie dog biscuits to the ribbon. Now you have a super gift for a friend's pet.

The clear ball ornaments that are two pieces can be purchased at Jo Ann's Fabrics and you can put money in this for kids, put a photo of someone in this and use it as a tie on for a gift, fill it with candy or put a gift certificate in it or roll up that tie you're giving and put it inside the ball. . You can fill it with iridescent glitter and put a piece of jewelry in it for your beloved. You can insert money into a clear balloon or that piece of jewerly, tie it off with red or green cording and you have a special presentation.

And all of these gifts look so much better if you tie them off with great ribbon. Buffalo plaid ribbon is wonderful and seasonal, wire with stars on it is sold in the craft stores and makes for easy attractive packaging, thick roping can look nice, French ribbon always gives a gift a professional look and is easy to use.

Pick up terra cotta planters and fill them with a bag of planting soil and a couple of bulbs and it's a gift that keeps on giving. You can also fill it with a bag of muffin mix that can be baked directly in the planters. Again, make sure you tie this off with a great ribbon, you could add a gift certificate to a local Garden Shop or just put the gift certificate in the terra cotta planter and tie a packet of seeds to the planter. Great for a gardener.

Clear cellophane is wonderful for wrapping and presentation This can be picked up at close out stores and crafat stores. All you need to do is gather and tie. Some versions of these work like shrink wrap so they look very professional.

You can use canning jars or pretty glass jars to give bath oils or herbal vinegars that you've made if you're the creative type. Add a little scoop to the salts or a spout that you can pick up in any kitchen supply store for the oils or vinegars. These are also great for quick hostess gifts.

A mixing bowl can be the packaging for a gift of cooking utensils. Just throw a ribbon on this and your'e done. A great plate works the same way, great for a hostess gift, great for a seasonal gift with or without a sample of your coooking.

Take a knit hat and put mittens and a rolled up long scarf in it. Slap on that ribbon and you've skipped the wrapping paper part.

Everyone can use a throw to snuggle under this is a super easy wrap. Just roll it and tie on that great French ribbon. This is another way to present a hostess gift.

These are all super ways of wrapping and without dropping a bundle and yet making a lasting impression. These are fun to do and simple different super Holiday wrapping ideas.