How to Wrap Presents Inexpensively

A trip to your local card shop or stationary store for wrapping paper and ribbon can be a shocker. You may even find that you need to spend more on the wrapping than you did on the present. However, the good news is that not only are there plenty of ways to wrap presents without spending a lot, those inexpensive wrappings may bring you all kinds of compliments.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

How to Wrap Presents Inexpensively

1. Use rubber stamps to decorate butcher paper with an allover design.

2. Have little ones dip their hands in paint and make colorful handprints all over butcher paper.

3. Let kids “design” wrapping paper by decorating plain butcher paper with markers.

4. Using bright markers, write the recipient’s first name all over butcher paper in cursive, printing, funny lettering, etc.

5. Apply “dot” stickers all over butcher paper for cute polka dot wrappings.

6. Top plain butcher-paper-wrapped packages with a little extra gift, like some silk flowers or lollipops.

7. Wrap sporting goods in sports section of the newspaper.

8. Wrap a package in the want ads section of the newspaper, with certain ads highlighted. Make a card for the top of the package that says “All the stuff I’d buy you if I won the lottery.”

9. Wrap gifts in paintings and drawings the kids made in school.

10. Wrap a gift in a pretty but second-hand scarf.

11. Place a gift inside an attractive tin that once held cookies or candy.

12. Present a gift in a basket lined with a tea towel or cloth napkin.

13. Cut out a niche inside an old book buy cutting all the way through the pages with a sharp knife. Insert a small gift. Close the book and tie with ribbon.

14. Wrap up a gift in a fabric remnant tied with a remnant of lace or trim.

15. Set aside a special drawer or packing box for supplies you collect for wrapping. --Buy butcher paper and stickers from a business supply store.--Check out thrift stores for scarves, tea towels, cloth napkins, baskets, old books, tins, silk flowers and other package toppers.--Save children’s large paintings and drawings--Go to fabric stores in search of fabric remnants as well as remnants of ribbon, lace, and other trim.

How to Accumulate Wrapping Supplies

16. Set aside a special drawer or packing box for supplies you collect for wrapping.

17. Buy butcher paper and stickers from a business supply store.

18. Check out thrift stores for scarves, tea towels, cloth napkins, baskets, old books, tins, silk flowers and other package toppers.

19. Save children’s large paintings and drawings.

20. Go to fabric stores in search of fabric remnants as well as remnants of ribbon, lace, and other trim.

[Moonstone]

on 12/14/2008 Really helpful. Lots of ideas plus tips on getting supplies. I sometimes wrap with the sunday comics- they're colorful and fun.