Fun Gift-Wrapping Alternatives!

Before you run out and buy another roll or sheet of wrapping paper for that ONE gift or occasion, stop and take a look around. There are a lot of cute and fun alternatives to purchasing gift-wrap that can be made with common household items. Get out your crayons, markers, paints, rubber stamps, construction paper, and glue - then get creative!!

Newspaper

Newspaper and circular ads are found around most houses and can be used as gift-wrap. Be a little creative and add some drawings or decorations in colorful markers or crayons that will contrast the newsprint on the paper. No one is going to sit and read the paper that you used to wrap the gift and it's not as common as it used to be, so your creatively wrapped gift is sure to stand out. Hint: make sure you DO NOT use the obituaries to wrap your gift!

Brown Paper Bags

Brown paper bags make great gift-wrap. I'm not talking about the ones you carted your groceries home in as they will likely be tattered or stained. Look at brown paper lunch bags. They are easy to find, inexpensive, and screaming for a makeover! If you have children, you can have them decorate the bag with drawings, handprints or something similarly inspiring!

Shoe Boxes

Yes, I said shoeboxes. What exactly are you saving them for, anyway? You can decorate the shoebox with plain colored paper or you can glue a collage of pictures to the box to completely cover the outside edges. Cut out your own shapes, use magazine cutouts, or use photographs. You can easily personalize the box to match the occasion, and your recipient will have a lovely keepsake as well as the gift you put inside.

Photo Boxes

You can go to most arts and craft stores to buy a photo storage box for only a dollar or two. If you're like me, you've received more of these boxes as gifts than you can use, so why not pass them along? Put your gift in a photo storage box and tie a nice ribbon around it. The work has already been done for you!

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