by Raven Lebeau

Created on: February 10, 2010

Who doesn't have fond memories of the Christmas tree surrounded by beautifully wrapped gifts? Each exquisite package tempts us with its mystery, inviting the soon-to-be recipient to shake it and guess what may be inside. While there is nothing wrong with traditional holiday-themed paper and store-bought bows, creating your own unique wrapping can make that under-the-tree display unique and special. Here are a few ideas for making your packages as fabulous as the gifts inside them:

1. Wrap a gift in a gift.

Instead of paper, try placing a gift in a cute recipe box or decorative canvas tote bag. If the gift is a kitchen implement or appliance, wrap it in a colorful tablecloth or dish towel. A piece of jewelry or a fashion accessory can be wrapped in a scarf or bandana.

2. Go for a natural look.

Plain brown paper looks beautiful as wrapping when paired with natural bows made from raffia or twine. Add accessories like pine cones or dried flowers for an elegant touch of the outdoors.

3. Create your own printed paper with rubber stamps.

Buy a roll of plain butcher paper or brown wrapping paper, some red, green, silver, or gold ink pads, and a few holiday-themed rubber stamps. Cut the paper into appropriately-sized pieces and use the stamps to dress it up. If you enjoy calligraphy, you can also use a silver or gold Sharpie to add a message like “Merry Christmas” or “Season's Greetings”. Making custom wrapping paper this way is a terrific craft project to do with kids.

4. Fold your own origami gift boxes.

Square scrapbooking pages are ideal for making small, jewelry-sized origami boxes. For larger boxes, try using a square piece of newspaper or a large square of brown wrapping paper or gift wrap. If you have old magazines, you can use these instructions for making a box out of a magazine page.

5. Make a reusable box.

A shoe box, cigar box, or even the box from a block of Velveeta cheese will work to make a reusable gift box. Instead of wrapping the entire box with the gift inside, wrap the lid of the box and the bottom of the box separately so that you can open and close the wrapped box without damaging the wrapping. Alternatively, use decoupage glue and magazine pages or craft paper to make the outside of the box look cute and crafty. Glue on some embellishments like ribbons, buttons, or charms.

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