How2Day: Clever Gift Wrapping Ideas

Between birthdays, holidays and weddings, there are a variety of occasions each year that require the need to wrap a gift for someone special. Wrap the presents you give in a variety of clever and creative ways so they stand out to the recipient and look almost too good to unwrap.

When wrapping multiple presents, create an eye-catching "tower of presents" by wrapping the items in coordinating colored wrapping paper and stacking the gifts from large to small. Lay out two long, wide ribbons, in a criss-cross design, on a flat surface and place the tower of gifts on top of the ribbons where they cross. Pull the ribbon ends up to encase the tower on each side and tie in a big bow on the top to secure the gifts together.

Use unique embellishments on your wrapped gifts for an eye-catching look. Instead of traditional bows and plastic ribbons, use yarn, strips of fabric or lace. You also can secure a large ornate flower, a special photo, a cut-out from a magazine or large colorful buttons on the present. For a fun holiday look, wrap a gift in white wrapping paper and tie long strips of red yarn or fabric ribbons around the package multiple times, for a festive peppermint candy cane appearance.

For a spouse, child or special someone, purchase 12 small presents and wrap each one in a different theme from "The 12 Days of Christmas" for a festive holiday presentation. Use pictures printed in holiday magazines, such as golden rings, geese and turtle doves, and tape them onto red or green wrapping paper. You also could print the images from your computer into large sheets of paper to use as wrapping paper.

Skip traditional wrapping paper and use things such as newspapers, magazines and brown paper bags to wrap your gifts in an eco-friendly way. Use pages from a friend's favorite magazine to wrap their gift. Children, especially little boys, would enjoy getting a present that's wrapped in comics from the newspaper.

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