Make gifting presents personal this year and try out these simple wrapping alternatives
1. In fabric
With scarves currently trending and some gorgeous versions readily available in shops, these make the perfect, stylish wrapping. Find a small box and place your voucher inside. Fold the scarf into a triangle shape and place the box in the middle. Fold the bottom, pointy end up over the box, bring the top side down, then fold the two outer ends towards each together and tie in a knot to secure.
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2. Brown paper with painted patterns
Buy a big roll of brown paper and it won’t only last you this Christmas but it will also be ideal for wrapping birthday gifts and creating your own flower arrangements.
Cut your piece of brown paper to the required size and then use a paintbrush and paint to create a pattern on the paper. This can be done with can colour of paint, or even a thinned-tipped black pen (if you don’t want to use paint).
3. Delivered by lion
Kids will love this cute idea. Take some plastic animals and give them a coat of paint using a testpot. Tie the wrapped gift to the back of the animal using ribbon or twine.
Paint the toy in the same colour palette as the wrapping paper you have selected for a modern, cohesive look.
4. In a tin
Tins or canisters are great for presenting foodie gifts such as meringues and homemade biscuits or small items like jewellery or a beautiful ceramic ornament or candleholder (all carefully wrapped in tissue paper, of course). Kitchen canisters are easy to come by at homeware stores or keep an eye out at your local op-shop for ones.
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5. White paper with foliage or flowers
This look is fresh, minimalist and oh, so chic. All you’ll need is a roll of white paper, brown twine and a bunch of fresh green foliage (or flowers) picked from the garden. As white and green is a timeless combo, any type of green leaf will do the job.
6. In a mug or reusable coffee cup
This is basically two gifts in one. Find the appropriate smoothie cup, reusable coffee cup or giant mug and tuck your gift inside and finish it with a ribbon.
7. Fabric bag
Making fabric gift bags is a little more expensive than paper ones but they look amazing and we guarantee the receiver will not throw them away. They’re also great for awkward-shaped presents that might poke through wrapping paper.
If you have some basic sewing skills, whip up a few voucher-sized bags. They can be made in minutes and decorated with a mini bell, tag or tassel. Use some leftover fabric or buy a pre-cut square of fabric (called a ‘fat quarter’) from your fabric shop for around $5. You can get three bags out of one fat quarter, so this is a very cost-effective option.
8. Tea towels
Tea towels are a great way to present a gift as they are easy to wrap with and double as an extra present. You don’t have to spend up large; look for specials and multipacks at homeware stores. A couple of bottles of craft beer wrapped together makes a nice gift.
For a wine or Champagne bottle, place your bottle on an angle at the corner of the tea towel and simply roll inwards, folding the bottom up as you go, like fish-and-chip wrapping. Secure with some ribbon or string at the top.
For beer bottles, place your bottles end-to-end at the corner of the tea towel, leaving about a 5cm gap between them.
Roll them up in the tea towel until you reach the opposite corner.
Stand the bottles up side by side and tie the tea towel ends together in a knot, creating bunny ears.
9. Newspaper
Reusing newspapers is a great way to do something a little different with your wrapping as well as being kinder to the planet. Plus, if you don’t like what’s going on in the world, give it a whitewash!
Collect old newspapers or ask your local cafe for their leftovers at the end of the day.
Lay the newspaper sheets flat on a protected surface and give them a good whitewash with watered-down white paint. Let them dry.
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10. Big Christmas stars
For this one you’ll need a sewing machine. Create a star template (size will vary depending on what your gift is) and cut out two for each present. Sew the two stars together, leaving one side open. Fill the star with the present (and confetti or tinsel, if desired) and then sew up the open side.
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