Play: Fun Wrapping Ideas

It's nearly Christmas so that means we all have a lot of Christmas presents to wrap. And I love it! I'm not one of those people that begrudgingly wraps presents or that settles for gift bags (gasp! although in desperate times, I understand), I love the art of a good looking package. And I also love the art of keeping my family guessing as to what I have gotten them. And so let me share my number one way I love to wrap ordinary things, plus some tips on sprucing up packages in an easy way.

Learn how to do this below

First, my favorite way to wrap. This idea was actually first my mother's, but I have gladly stolen it and used it again and again. I love to do this wrapping whenever I have something ordinary to wrap, like a dvd, cd, or giftcard. Pretty much anything that is easily recognizable when wrapped, I like to do this treatment.

This idea is a play off of the treat in a cereal box or a Cracker Jack box. Only, instead of being some cheap thing, it actually ends up being a cool gift.

So first you start with you cereal box. I had Rice Krispies on hand, so that's what I using. You could customize it by using the gift receivers favorite cereal. It helps with the believability of the present if you get something they like. Then they really think you just got them a box of cereal. But you didn't. You're not a Scrooge. You're just clever.

Okay, so to get the dvd, cd, whatever into the box without them knowing, start by opening the bottom of the box. Most people open their cereal from the top, so they won't think anything is wrong if you leave that end intact.

Then carefully open the bottom of the plastic bag. Try to make the opening only as big as you need, that way there is less to seal.

Then remove some of the cereal to make room for your gift. If you want to get all technical, you can use a kitchen scale to make the weight exactly what it was before the gift was inserted. Otherwise, just estimate.

Stick the gift in the cereal bag. Use Elmer's glue (or hot glue if you're in a hurry) to seal the bottom of the bag. If you use Elmer's glue, use paperclips to help hold it in place while it dries. It will take a few hours to dry (unless you use the hot glue, then you have no wait time).

Stick the resealed bag back in the bottom of the box and use Elmer's glue or hot glue to seal the bottom of the box.

Then you have a cereal box ready to wrap. And if you want to get a little more fancy, you can add a sticker (or glued piece of paper) alerting the gift receiver that a prize is inside.

This idea works great with any kind of cereal or boxed or bagged item really. And from personal experience, it is so fun to see the disappointment on their faces when they see you got them a box of cereal, but then that disappointment turns into joy when you let them know they need to keep digging. So fun! You've got to try it sometime.

If you want a little less elaborate wrapping, you can try some of the ideas below:

Brown paper package tied up with string - You know you want to burst out in song. Just sing it. But really, this is a really simple way to wrap, but it is very effective. People get excited to get brown paper packages. And I think it looks quite nice, too. I got a roll of brown paper at my local hardware store, but you could always use cut up brown paper bags. For the gift tag, I actually used one of the one printed on the paper bags from Trader Joe's, but you could easily make your own out of scraps if you don't have one nearby.

Buy fun wrapping paper - I just had the share this wrapping paper I got at my local Hallmark store. They were having a special, so I had to get two. One naughty, one nice. This would be great if you are giving more than one gift to a person. Or if you have siblings you just have to tease. :)

Make your own wrapping paper - Using brown paper or butcher paper, decorate with markers, potato stamps and paint, glitter, or whatever else you desire. This would be a great activity to do with kids.

Candy wrapper - Using a toilet paper tube or a paper towel tube, make a "candy" out of your gift. This works great with gift certificates or small items. Roll up the paper and place it inside of the tube. Using wrapping paper or fabric, wrap around the outside of the tube, leaving overhang on both sides. Tie off the
sides to look like a piece of candy.

Inspired? Got some ideas of your own? I love to hear. Share, share, share!