by Debbie Gillotti

Created on: January 22, 2009

With the economy on a downturn, people are constantly looking for ways to be thriftier. Some of us have had to cut back on our gift purchases, but it has also allowed us to become more creative and thoughtful in our buying. There hasn't been much spared expense where gift wrapping and ribbon are concerned until the more recent interest in "green" living. Recyclers seem to be crawling out of the woodwork.

The upsurge of people interested in scrap booking has shown many of us just how easy it is to make greeting cards and gift tags. Why not keep going with gift wrap? The cost of paper has risen greatly and the quality of gift wrap you get for your dollar is not as good as it used to be. If you dare enough to think outside the box, it is amazing what you can come up with to make that special gift look fabulous.

One tip is not to throw anything out. This is not to say that you should become some sort of pack rat but you should find a place to organize tins, containers, brown paper bags, magazine pages, tissue paper and a few other craft items that will come in handy. An inexpensive alternative to your standard gift wrap are rolls of craft paper. (Like the kind they use in schools). It comes in brown or white and can easily be purchased from a larger art supply store or any one of the many suppliers on line. Smaller rolls of this paper can be purchased at most department or drug stores. Decorating is a snap. A bit of paint, rubber stamps, some markers, even decoupage can make your gift pop. Gift bags can be made from old pillowcases for larger gifts or scrap fabric pieces tied with a piece of decorative rope to hold a bottle of wine or some other beverage.

Newspaper, comic strips can easily be used as gift wrap but it tends to be messy, leaving smeared ink prints all over everything. It works great in a pinch and the paper is light enough for children to work with so it is an option. Small gifts can be wrapped in small boxes made out of card stock or heavy weight paper. Simple origami folds (directions can be found on line or at the library) create various shapes and sizes. Thick magazine pages with jewelry, wrist watch ads, are excellent for such similar gifts. A small piece of lacy ribbon or fancy scrap fabric, you have a winner. No cost other than the gift, with the exception of some time and thought.

Save your paper towel and toilet tissue rolls. They can be easily painted, decoupaged to disguise small gifts of socks, neck ties, candy items and even cash. The roll ends can be capped off using a heavy paper or card stock and some glue. Wrap some ribbon around the edges to hide them. There are endless uses for coffee cans, oatmeal containers, any boxes with lids. Two litre bottles can be used for various small items by cutting a average sized slice vertically in one area, filling it with confetti or shredded paper, placing the gift inside and then wrapping a piece of decorative paper around the bottle (where the original wrapper was).

The bottle cap can be painted or wrapped with ribbon to form a bow or decorated with glitter or beads. This is a fun way to wrap a gift for a child.

Alternative gift wrapping is something we're going to see a lot more of. Be one of the first to impress your friends and family. The extra effort will most definitely be appreciated by the receiver.

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