That’s a wrap! 5 creative ways to wrap those gifts

By / Life / December 5th, 2019 / 13
Wrapping paper alternatives

Running around preparing for the holidays is a juggling act of mistletoe and missed parking spots. You can save some dollars for the donation boxes with a little ingenuity in the wrapping department! Look around and you may find you have wrapping material already at home. When you’re ready to start wrapping, reach for these wrapping paper alternatives.

Newspaper, Comics, Junk Mail

Don’t put all the extra bulk mail to the curb just yet. Start saving the best and most colourful flyers, papers and comic pages. If you wish to go that extra mile, you can add your own Christmas stickers or paint once wrapped.

Old T-Shirts, Linens or Tablecloths

Make some room in your closet for the new clothes or linens that will be under the tree by clearing out older ones that are past their prime. A little imagination and a few stitches can turn a dish towel into a wine bag. Fabric is a great alternative for those oddly shaped gifts that are hard to wrap with regular paper. Topped off a with a big bow, you can cross off cleaning out your closet AND wrapping gifts all at once.

Tin Foil

Who doesn’t love a little sparkle and shine! Add tin foil to your wrapping tool kit, either to wrap smaller items with a colourful bow or as the bow itself. For those smaller boxes, or if you need to wrap fast and have no paper in the house, tin foil can be the perfect substitute.

Reusable Containers

Talk about doing double duty. If you are delivering something edible, treats or even bath supplies, these plastic containers (Rubbermaid or Ziploc, for example) will keep the contents from getting wet if accidentally spilled on or dropped in the snow, and can be washed and reused again and again. Line the container with colourful tissue, foil or comics to keep the contents a surprise.

Paper Maps

Now that everyone has some form of GPS on their mobile phone or in their car, paper maps are sitting around looking for a purpose. Colourful and fun to look at, they look very cool as a wrapping. Not to mention you can make them relevant to the gift or the recipient. Use a map of a city you discovered together, or one for the sunny destination where the recipient can wear the flip flops inside.

With these wrapping alternatives, you will be able to wrap last minute gifts with items you may already have around the house. Save the extra waiting in line or never worry about running out of wrapping paper by thinking “off the roll”. And that, as they say, is a wrap.


Looking for more holiday season tips? Read Laura Dicker’s tips for going green this holiday season.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Freelance writer and lifelong learner, Rebecca Hinchcliffe loves the art of storytelling. Swapping stories over meal prep and making new memories by dessert, she enjoys the simple pleasures with good friends. Cooking and creating are her two favourite past times. Sharing experiences via the written word a close third.

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