As the countdown to Christmas draws near, so should your gift buying. But buying gifts is one thing and wrapping them is entirely another. We’ve all been guilty at one time or another of having gifts wrapped as if they came straight from the factory. And who wants that? Of course, we want our gifts to look as personal and as special as the person you’re giving them but without the major fuss that usually goes with it. After all, let’s face it. We’re no Martha Stewarts here, but we can certainly try.
So we came up with a few alternatives to the store bought gift wrappers that show you really care.
1. A wrap of a different kind. There are a lot of wrapping papers in the market these days, so don’t feel limited to the usual Christmas gift wrappers with the Santa prints. Handmade papers, usually available from craft stores, are pretty good options. They come in different sizes, colors and textures-from plain to embossed with leaves and other patterns. Just tie them up with a neat bow and you’re good to go!
2. Alternatively, you can make your own giftwrap using old newspapers or music sheets, old maps (just photocopy them in black and white). For added interest, stain them with coffee or tea to give an aged look to it. Another cheap (but equally nice) is to wrap your gifts using brown or kraft paper and with a gold poster or acrylic paint, give it a good painting or rub to add glimmer and sheen.
3. Give it a good punch. Accentuate plain wrapper by using craft punches (available in craft stores), and punching out shapes on a strip of paper with a contrasting color to that of your wrapper. Wrap the strip onto your first wrapper and the color underneath will show through the punched-out patterns. Another option is to create patterns on your paper using a stamping or embossing tool to create visual and tactile interest on plain wraps.
one-two punches galore!
from marthastewart.com
4. You may even want to do away with wrappers entirely, and use decorated gift boxes instead to save time and effort. All that’s left for you to do is to add small ornaments and embellishments to add pizzazz.
5. Take a bow. Don’t know how to make those fancy bows. Don’t fret, even a simple one will do, but experiment with different textures and materials. Depending on the look you’re going for, try raffia, twine, rope, silk, brocade…the choice is up to you.
6. Embellish it with your choice of ornament. Nylon butterflies such as those shown here is a wonderful and whimsical way to add style to your gifts. Even found objects such as twigs, flowers, and leaves will do.
embellish your gift boxes with these nylon butterflies
These are just a few tips to help you on your way to being a giftwrapping maven, but as we say here on Drunk on Design, only your imagination is the limit. So free your imagination and just fly with it! Happy Holidays!
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