by Susan Ow

Created on: December 13, 2008   Last Updated: March 03, 2009

So you have gone through all the shopping for perfect gifts for your love one, friends, and family. Your thought cash will stop flowing out from your wallet. Wait a minutes, it is time for you to wrap your presents. Here comes another round of spending. Wrapping papers can be expensive; add on bows and other silly craps, just the wrapping decorations on a gift can cost a few bucks and the costs can add up to hundred. But if you are the type, who does not want to fore go gift wrapping and look for ways to save money, here are a few tips to save and Christmas wrapping paper and the add-on items on gift wrapping.

Gift tag A simple gift tag costs around a dollar each and an elegant and specially designed gift tag can cost more than three dollars. This year, without spending any cents, you can have a personalized gift tag on each gift. Instead of throwing away the discs you received from advertisers, you can reuse the discs by writing wishes on them with a correction fluid or marker pen. If you do not have discs, you can also visit http://www.freeprintablegifttags.net/. This website provides free printing for gift tags.

Christmas wrapping paper A plain and simple Christmas-patterned wrapping paper runs from $3.00 to $5.00 per roll, and this is considered in expensive. What makes Christmas wrapping paper a waste is: it makes its way to garbage within a few minutes of the gift being opened. So, why spend more money on Christmas wrapping paper? Isn't it a ridiculous spending? This year, think something unique and there are numerous options there.

If it is a fairly small item, you do not really need to "wrap" it. Reused jam-jars, hot cocoa boxes, plastics bottles, glass bottles, etc. Put the item inside and paint the outside using poster paint. For glass bottle, dip the melted candle wax on top of it. By mixing various colors, it becomes a special handmade bottle. You can also personalize the boxes or bottles by decorating them with pictures that matches recipient's style.

For an extremely inexpensive and flexible gift-wrap, try brown papers. The brown paper can be either old paper grocery sacks, or old shipping papers. To make your gift stand out among other gifts, you can use poster paints, water colors, and crayons to decorate on the paper. You can also personalize it by drawing a theme or doing some paper art with the recipient name on it.

Do not forget! Some department stores also give out boxes when you shop in there. Ask for the boxes or never refuse to take the boxes. Those boxes can be stylish, and sometime, you do not have to wrap the gift again.

Gift bags Gift bags are expensive, especially if you buy the heavier and larger bags. Add on the tissue, the cost runs from $4 to $10. Make your own whenever you are free, so you do not have to be rush whenever the next Christmas is coming. There are only a few simple extra steps you need to take. Whenever you go grocery shopping and you are asked, "plastic or paper", take the paper. This will give you enough paper bags to make gift bags. For a larger and stronger gift bag, you can use boxes or basket. If you use box, take off the top part, wrap it with brown paper, and use ribbon to make the handle. Again, you can also personalize the gift bag by painting on it.

With glue, scissors, and some old papers, all it costs is approximately $5 and you can personalize gift wrap for each recipient. Use your imagination and what is available around to you as gift-wrapping, gift-wrapping can be fun and save your pocket. Enjoy wrapping and Merry Christmas!

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