Unique and Creative Gift Wrapping Ideas That Are So Easy

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From elegant fabric wrap to how to make the perfect bow, these beautiful gift wrapping ideas will help make your gifts look extra special this year. The best part? These gift wrap ideas are inexpensive and easy to recreate!

When we put Christmas presents under the Christmas tree, we tend to leave the gift bag and tissue paper style of wrapping behind and go for something a bit fancier. However, the personal touch of a creative gift wrap idea and thoughtful gift tags is something you can bring to your gifts all year round! Whether you need some great ideas for wrapping a birthday gift, a small thank you, or anything else, I’ve got some unique gift-wrapping ideas to help you out. While most of these ideas came about at Christmas time, I chose a simple and muted approach to my Christmas gift wrapping on this particular year so with the right little tweaks and additions, you can make them all work for any time of year! All of these are so easy to do, and most use recycled or recyclable elements. Let’s get started!

These beautiful gift wrap ideas are inexpensive and easy to recreate!

How much gift wrap do I need?

It’s not always easy to give exact numbers and measurements when using wrapping paper, especially because some of these ideas involve wrapping materials that aren’t even paper! You will have to read on to choose a method that you want to try and then you will be able to see which supplies and how much are needed.  I will say that for the “traditional” wrapping methods, I use brown kraft paper and try to use a proportional amount for the size of the gift I’m wrapping.

How do you wrap a gift creatively?

After reading this far, maybe you’re worried that wrapping a gift creatively takes a lot of time, money, and skill. I’m here to tell you that just isn’t true! By choosing special wrapping materials, thoughtful embellishments, and unique (but easy!) wrapping methods, you can creatively wrap a gift without taking the whole weekend or a bunch of money.

These beautiful gift wrap ideas are inexpensive and easy to recreate!

How do you wrap a gift without a box or bag?

Speaking of being creative, in these first two ideas I’m going to give you methods of wrapping your gifts that don’t require boxes or bags at all!  Although paper, boxes, or gift bags are usually the only options we think of when we go to wrap a present, there are other ways to do it. These ideas are great for fancier occasions or for small or awkwardly shaped items. They are also great if you run out of wrapping paper and need a last-minute solution! See what you think of these methods.

Furoshiki gift wrap

I absolutely love this idea because it puts those small pieces of fabric you have laying around to good use. For a simple, reusable gift-wrapping idea, forget traditional wrapping paper and use a square piece of fabric that’s finished on all sides instead! You could use a scarf or a napkin as I did here, or you could even quickly stitch the edges of some fabric scraps that you think would be perfect for the occasion.

Lay your gift in the middle of the fabric at an angle. Wrap the top and bottom of the fabric triangles around your gift, and then pull up the other sides and tie them in the middle. You can embellish with a eucalyptus stem like I did, or you could add different natural elements like spring or summer foliage or red berries, or a lollipop or candy cane if your gift recipient is a kid! You get the idea. And what’s really nice about this method is that it is perfect for any gift of any size. If you have a small piece of fabric laying around, you can use it to wrap gift cards or a small gift box too.

These beautiful gift wrap ideas are inexpensive and easy to recreate!

Wrapping paper roll pillow box

We have all had this situation happen. You have a tiny little gift that is special and meaningful but impossible to wrap. It looks silly wrapped in paper, and there is not a gift bag in the world small enough either. The good news is, I have found a simple solution: Don’t throw your cardboard wrapping paper rolls away!

Cut them into sections to use as pillow boxes for small gifts like jewelry and stocking stuffers. Score each end of your cut roll in half-circle shapes. Next, place the gift inside the roll and push the ends in. Tape the pillow box shut and embellish it with scraps of wrapping paper, pom poms, and string or washi tape. Since the cardboard is plain, you can set the mood by choosing whatever theme of wrapping paper and ribbon or other embellishment that you want! This is such an easy way to elevate a small gift. And these little pillow boxes make good gift toppers for a larger present too. A dot of hot glue will nicely keep it in place for a great addition to your beautifully wrapped gift.

These beautiful gift wrap ideas are inexpensive and easy to recreate!

What is the first thing to do in wrapping gift items?

If you decide that traditional wrapping paper is the way to go for your particular gift, you have some decisions to make. First, choose a paper! Choose something that’s on-season (no Christmas wrap for a baby shower! Ha!) and a pattern or print that you think your recipient will appreciate. Then, pick an embellishment that will really make your gift pop and stand out from the others. See what you think of my favorite wrapping idea below!

Brown paper package with a gorgeous twist

There is something so lovely about a simple gift wrapped beautifully, isn’t there? Maybe it’s because during most holiday celebrations, Christmas or otherwise, there are so many colours and busy patterns and noise that it’s just nice to look at something simple. Besides that, I love using plain kraft paper to wrap gifts because it’s easy to recycle! When you’re using plain wrapping such as kraft or butcher paper or plain white paper, it’s nice to make the gift stand out in other ways. So instead of wrapping your gift the classic way, try this beautiful pleated method instead! This is easier for me to show you in a video, so watch the video below to learn this method plus 9 more gift wrap hacks. Then, you can embellish the paper in a way that makes you smile and that is appropriate for the season at hand.

These beautiful gift wrap ideas are inexpensive and easy to recreate!

What can I use instead of ribbon?

Ribbon is a nice option for finishing off a traditionally wrapped gift, but sometimes you just want to be different! If you’re looking for a way to add that extra “something” to your wrapped gift other than just plain old ribbon, check out this idea!

My favorite wired bow method

In my video, you’ll also find my ultimate favourite fluffy wired bow method for gifts! No matter what type of paper or style of wrapping you choose, this bow is a great way to finish off your wrapping presentation. First, I tie some wired ribbon around my gift and leave about 3″ in the middle to attach my bow with. Then, I loop more wired ribbon back and forth, pinching it in the center and leaving long tails. When I have three loops on each side of my bow, I tie the bow to my gift. Watch my video to get the step-by-step tutorial for this gorgeous, full ribbon bow.

These beautiful gift wrap ideas are inexpensive and easy to recreate! There you go! I hope you have enjoyed my favorite ideas for wrapping gifts. These are the best gift wrapping ideas when you want to give your family members or friends something memorable that shows you put some thought and effort in. They don’t have to know how easy all these methods really are! Creating custom paper and beautifully embellished brown paper packages will go a long way to making the recipients feel special.

These beautiful gift wrap ideas are inexpensive and easy to recreate!

I hope you try these simple but beautiful gift ideas! Which one is your favorite? Do you have your own unique wrapping ideas you’d like to share? Put your answers in the comments!

Happy wrapping!

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Today’s blog post is in collaboration with some of my favorite blogging friends. If you want more inspiration, have a look at their gorgeous creations:

30 Minute DIY Crafts

Happy Happy Nester | Make Your Own Wrapping Paper

Make your own wrapping paper this year. This pretty glittery paper is such a quick project and only takes a couple of minutes to make. And even your kids can make this fun gift wrapping paper. It’s that easy. And by the way, there are a few important tips about glue and glitter that are key to creating a successful paper. Trust me. I did a bit of testing. Personalize your paper and have fun with this crafty project.

Tatertots and Jello | Baking Soda Clay Gift Wrap Embellishment DIY 

Creative gift wrap ideas using simple baking soda clay and natural elements. Using only two pantry ingredients and foraged items from your yard, you can create gorgeous gifts that will look stunning under your tree. 

My 100 Year Old Home | Creative Pet Gift Wrapping Ideas

Sport and I had some fun shopping for gifts this year. We picked out items for everyone in the family which are thoughtful and hilarious. We even made our own gift wrap paper and can’t wait to share our creative pet gift wrapping ideas.

Thistlewood Farms | Last Minute Gift Wrap Idea

Make your own personalized ribbon in minutes. A simple step-by-step tutorial on how to create beautiful ribbons and bows for your packages.

More DIY Christmas inspiration

Need more Holiday DIY ideas? Click on the links below!

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7 Comments

  1. I love to wrap with items that you can reuse. These are great ideas. You look fab in that green dress or top! Merry Christmas!!

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