Recycle , Repurpose , Reuse
Luckily , gift wrapping doesn ’ t have to be expensive . I like to use remnants of stuff I already have to help make a gift unique . Some of the stranger things I ’ ve used were wallpaper scraps , paper bags , fabric remnants , newspapers , and even handmade papier-mâché . One time , I was wrapping a going away gift for a friend who was heading off on a road trip to college and I used pages from an oversized road atlas . Other things you can use include pictures from outdated wall calendars , sheet music , patterned shopping bags , or pages from books you ’ ve read . And rather than buying a new box to put the gift in , consider presenting it in an old glass food jar . The best part is that when you use something you already have , you ’ re helping the environment by recycling and reusing .
Make It Personal
A unique and memorable way to perk up your packages is by embellishing them with a favorite family , pet , or other meaningful photo . Another option is to make the decoration interactive for the recipient by creating a customized crossword puzzle or word search using seasonal or topical words and phrases . For instance , if your tween is having a birthday , you could adorn their present with a crossword puzzle you created using words relating to some of their favorite things ( pizza , skateboarding , reading , etc .).
Another way to add a personalized touch to your wrapping is to order custom paper . On Etsy , for example , you can usually find vendors who ’ ll add monograms or initials to your custom-printed paper , or you can even upload photos to be printed on the paper , like the wrapping paper with the picture of my friend ’ s puppy on it that I mentioned earlier . Name tags can also be customized . Say , for example , you ’ re bringing several gifts to a gathering . Wouldn ’ t it be fun to have everyone find their present by looking for their face on the tag rather than their name ? A downside to ordering custom paper is the cost and trying to correctly calculate how much to order . You ’ ll also need to factor in the time it will take for the custom paper to get there .
Themed Gift Wrapping
If you want to add a more sophisticated touch to your gift giving , themes can be very elegant . One of my favorites is monochrome , where you choose a matte paper of a certain color and then use a shiny ribbon in the same color . This tone-on-tone is very pretty yet understated . If you want to add some glimmer , use the matte paper and a metallic ribbon of a different color , such as navy blue with silver or black with gold . It ’ s still elegant , but more festive . Using an all-white theme is reminiscent of the winter snow , and putting lace over a simple colored paper gives it that Victorian look .
I hope this inspires your creativity and your desire to put a little more thought into your gift giving this season . If you have small children , no one will begrudge you for getting the cheapest paper possible , because your kids will pay no mind and just rip it off in two seconds flat . But for all the adults on your Christmas or other gift list , consider putting some thought and effort into your gift wrapping , because it will really make your friends and family feel special . After all , sharing how much we love and care for each other is what special occasions are all about .
Jennifer Almand is the owner of Almand Specialty Painting & Design . She and her husband , Rick , live with their two dogs in Kingston , GA . Find her on Facebook , or call 706-346-1590 . nwgeorgialiving . com | 33