by Ruth Belena

Created on: November 18, 2010   Last Updated: November 29, 2010

It is wasteful to spend a lot of money on gift wrapping or paper packaging that is only going to be used once. One of the best ways to save money, and to be more creative with your gift giving, is to find the best ways to wrap gifts without buying printed paper or ready made gift packaging. Unlike traditional wrapping paper, handmade gift wrapping is not instantly disposable and can be reused.

When you want to wrap a gift in a way that will be unusual, eye-catching and environmentally friendly, options include the use of craft materials, recycled items and leftover pieces of fabric. Some of these can be turned into decorative gift boxes, bags and other forms of gift wrapping. Gift boxes, bags and alternative wrapping can easily be used again, and you can easily start making your own.

• Gift box

Making your own gift box is easy if you have any empty cereal packets, or pieces of cardboard that can be cut and folded to form a box. You can make a gift box in any size or shape you wish, and then decorate or cover it in any way you choose.

Be creative and paint the cardboard, or glue cut out pictures onto it to make a collage. You can cover a cardboard box with anything that  can be glued to fit over or around the cardboard, including felt, fake fur, foil, glittery fabric or shiny material.

• Gift bag

Ready-made gift bags can are usually made of paper or from thin printed card. A handmade gift bag can also be made from strong craft paper or thin card, which you can then cover with your own choice of pictures, stickers, glitter, or paint to your own design. A beautiful gift bag can also be created out of soft fabric.

Your unique gift bag could be made to fasten with a drawstring, or with handles made out of ribbon, decorative cord, strips of flexible plastic or braided string. Handles can either be threaded, glued or stitched into place.

• Alternative gift wrapping

Fabric can also be used to wrap a gift, in the same way that paper or foil is used as gift wrapping. Suppliers of craft materials or stores selling furnishing fabrics or rolls of dress making fabrics are good places to look for offcuts, remnants and end-of-roll offers. Reduced priced pieces are generally big enough to cover one or more gift items.

Plain or decorative fabrics can be made to look special with the addition of ribbons and glittery thread. Pieces of fake fur, netting or sequins would add style or glamor to any wrapped gift.

Choosing an alternative form of gift wrapping clearly shows how much you want to please someone when you give a gift. The recipient will be impressed, delighted or surprised that you have chosen a creative way to wrap your gift, without buying wrapping paper. Even before opening up your gift, that person will see that you have made a special effort. 

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