Out of Holiday Gift Wrap? Try These Alternatives You Can Find in Your Kitchen!

The holidays are upon us once again, and with them, comes a common last-minute problem, being short of gift wrap!

Sure, we've all heard the obvious ideas such as newspaper, fabric, or re-using gift bags and boxes (duh!), but assuming you don't have any of those, what do you do?

Well, whether you've simply run out of wrapping paper, or you are just feeling crafty, these creative gift wrap alternatives will get the job done.

#1 Aluminum Foil - Foil you say? Sounds tacky! But surprisingly, when done neatly, foil makes a great alternative to gift wrap, and is commonly found in many homes. The key to a smooth presentation when wrapping with foil is to makes cuts cleanly and fold the edges under before you tape them, to avoid tearing.

If your brand of foil has a matte side, as well as a shiny side, you can turn the matte side out to achieve a more subtle and tasteful look. The matte side is also more resistant to wrinkling and indentations, and better conceals them if they do occur.

A great thing about foil is that its silver, which is neutral and goes well with just about any color of bow or ribbon you pair with it.

#2 Napkins/Paper Towels - Perfect for smaller gifts and stocking stuffers, Christmas napkins or paper towels are a cute, thrifty, and frequently overlooked gift wrap alternative. For example, people that use paper towels on a regular basis often have holiday printed ones, without even thinking about it, as paper towel companies often update their prints to reflect upcoming holidays.

Do you only have regular white napkins or paper towels? Don't fret! After wrapping, tie them with a bit of red or green yarn, a piece of ribbon, or even a colored pipe-cleaner wrapped around the gift and twisted into a bow, and you have a perfectly simple and serviceable package.

#3 Wax paper - I know what you are thinking - but you can see right through it! This is true, but used in the right context, wax paper actually works quite well as a gift wrap. For smaller gifts, simply wrap them in multiple layers.

For gifts such as clothing, that often come in plain brown boxes, wrap it in wax paper, which lets a bit of the brown show through, then tie it with a twine ribbon for a rustic look.

Need to conceal logos or print when wrapping the gift? Use the foil or napkins mentioned above, or even multiple pieces of printer paper, to cover the item, then wrap it in a layer of wax paper to pull it all together and make it look more polished.

Expand on this idea by cutting out simple stars or paper snowflakes out of printer paper or foil and taping them onto the gift box. Then wrap the box with wax paper to make a frosted design effect as your designs show through!

And yes Virgina, tape WILL stick to wax paper =)

Happy Holidays!