1. Use comic section of the newspaper to wrap the gift. Cheap and fairly easy to find comics make great wrapping paper and are sure to get a laugh.
2. Use a pillowcase as a gift bag. These are not terribly expensive and will hold items that are quite large. You can get a solid color and decorate yourself or get a nice pattern for a ready-made gift bag. Just pin shut and add a bow.
3. Put gift inside a garbage can and put a bow on the lid. Unique idea for presenting a gift and also gives the recipient a practical household item to use as well.
4. Cut fabric to use as gift-wrapping. You can use flat sheets, tablecloths, old clothing items, or fabric from a bolt. If you are crafty you can sew on appliqués or other ornamentation like lace, bows, buttons, etc. Otherwise just wrap, pin and present.
5. Use bumper stickers, or decals to cover the box the gift is in. Give your gift a theme wrap job by adding stickers, decals and other adhesive labels to cover the box and keep the gift a surprise until it is opened.
6. Use a plastic storage box as a gift box and decorate with ribbons and bows. These boxes are quite handy and come in a variety of sizes. You can decorate the outside if you wish or leave them as they are. Bulky items with odd shapes can be concealed easily in these to maintain the intrigue of what’s inside.
7. Wrap aluminum foil around the gift item and add a bow. Not too expensive and will form fit to nearly any size or shape of your gift. Make your gift outshine the rest in this cool wrapping idea.
8. Use a quilt to wrap around the item. A warm way to present your gift is to wrap it in a quilt. The quilt can be handmade or store purchased. By wrapping and pinning the gift item you are actually giving the recipient two gifts in one.
9. Make your own gift box from a cardboard carton and decorate. Save an old copy paper box at work or grab a carton at you local grocery store and then decorate it to your taste. Contact paper works nicely to cover cartons as it is wrapping that doesn’t have to be removed. You may also use spray paint with stencils.
10. Decorative hamper style baskets make unique gift presentation wraps as well. Many of these have themes like barns, houses, picnic baskets, etc. You can add your own special touches if you wish by adding silk flowers, bows, etc.
11. Paper or plastic tablecloths are easy to use as wrapping paper since they can easily be cut and taped. Usually these are quite large and inexpensive. Some come in solid colors while others have a print or pattern on them.
12. Use a garment bag as a gift bag for some large items. They are usually sturdy and have a zip closure for easy opening. Unusual but practical gift-wrap idea that is moderately priced. This is ideal to wrap large winter coats or other bulky clothing items.
13. A suitcase can be a nice gift box idea. They are a bit pricier than some of the other ideas on the list but can make a distinctive impression.
14. A toy chest, steamer trunk, or cedar chest could hold a large gift and also be a useful item to keep the item in as well possibly.
15. Homemade wrapping paper can be made from rolls of art paper, brown paper, or similar paper. You can apply designs by dipping precut sponges in paint and stamping them on the paper or by having a child color the paper with crayons and markers. The possibilities are endless for the kinds and designs you can create with this idea. You can also glue on embellishments such as jewels, beads, buttons, silk flowers and more.
