Wrap Star! Creative and Appealing Gift Packages Without Pricey Papers

When you present someone special with a gift, the packaging can be as much fun as the actual contents. Creative wrapping is big business these days. Shoppers can spend even more on the presentation than the actual presents they purchase!

Certainly, gift wraps are costly to the pocketbook, but they also take a toll on our planet. Pretty papers, which are quickly crinkled and tossed in the trash, can require the felling of plenty of trees!

Folks freely confess to recycling festive gift bags, and some may even admit to reusing wrapping paper. What other ways can you make gifts special before giving them away?

How about wrapping gifts more creatively?

Here are several possibilities for packaging presents without buying and using costly designer disposable papers and contributing to the world's overflowing landfills. Most of these ideas require very little artistic ability.

Brown bag it!

You can recycle brown-paper grocery bags. Use lunch sacks for smaller gifts. Fold the tops down neatly, and punch a few holes through the creases. Tie them with ribbon, colorful shoelaces, raffia, or yarn. Stick a few bells, pine cones, silk flowers or berries on with twist ties or craft wires. You've created a crafty country-style gift bag!

Find fun fabrics.

Buy bold printed fabric by the yard. Fold it in half, with printed sides together. Stitch up two of the open sides, and add a folded casing for a drawstring on the other one. This makes a fashionable and reusable tote to accompany your gift. A larger drawstring sack can be a super laundry bag for school, camp or travel.

Of course, you can select solids, sheers, satins and other luxury fabrics for fancier gifts. Add a shiny or silky bow!

Great news!

Grab some clean newspaper from the recycle bin, and use it to package gifts. The colorful Sunday cartoon pages make wonderful wrappings, especially for children's gifts!

You can use colorful yarn or rubber bands to fasten and adorn your packages.

Lap lovely linens!

Purchase baby blankets, cloth diapers, dainty dishtowels, fuzzy fleece throws, or even tartan tablecloths to wrap larger items. Fold linens over gift items, and fasten with twine or yarn. The packaging becomes part of the present. This is ideal for a baby or bridal shower. For an added flair, you might stick a rattle, a pacifier or kitchen tools through the bow.

Pick a pillowcase.

How about sponge-painting a basic solid-colored pillowcase? Embellish it with sewn-on or glued-on decorative trims. Place your gift inside, and tie it shut for a sporty surprise.

If you're not feeling crafty, you might pick a printed pillowcase, slip your gift into it, and snap the parcel closed with a big barrette, a hair scrunchy or a jaw clip. How perfect for a preteen girl's birthday or even a slumber party!

Print your own papers!

Cut up brown paper grocery bags, and lay them flat on a counter or table. Cut vegetables into interesting shapes, and use them to stamp prints on the blank side of the paper.

If you wish, you can even iron the paper bags to smooth out the folds and creases. Just be careful, and keep that hot iron moving!

Scarf it up!

You can easily tie small items in a colorful scarf, bandanna or handkerchief. Lay the square flat on a table or counter. Place your gift in the center. Gather all four corners together in a hobo's knot or a bright rubber band. So simple!

Wallpaper works wonders!

Have you recently redecorated? Got wallpaper remnants? These make excellent gift wraps! Why waste your leftovers? Just be sure to keep enough on hand for possible future repairs.

No waste! It's a wrap!