By Elizabeth Barr
@elizabethbarr

‘Tis the season for gift giving and gift wrapping.

There are so many different and unique ways to wrap a gift that can make a huge impact on the holiday excitement. So instead of stuffing your present in a gift bag or getting it gift-wrapped at the mall – try some of these new ideas this year.

First, gather your supplies.

What you will need:

• Paper & fabric (different colours and styles – I use a lot of butcher paper, which you can find basically anywhere!)
• – Tape and scissors
• Gift boxes to wrap all the presents in!
• Any accents that you would like to add to the gift (floral, twine, ribbons, gift tags – really anything you’d like that’s the fun part!)

Gift Wrapping Option 1: I love the idea of wrapping your gifts in fabric. When you are choosing your fabric make sure that it is a bit bigger then your box so you have extra to make a bow.

How to wrap a gift in fabric in 3 simple steps:

• Lay out your fabric on a flat surface on top of the fabric
• Tie two opposite corners together over the package
• Pull across the other two corners to meet together in the middle and tie together.

See, that wasn’t so hard! I added a small gift tag that I attached with a clothes peg and a few sprigs of greenery that I had left over from the DIY wreath that I shared with you last week!

Gift Wrapping Option 2: I use a lot of butcher paper; you know that brown paper that is all over Pinterest. I love the way it’s a blank slate for any design you have in mind.

Add a cute little tag and your are good to gift! With Butcher paper you can also go the “rustic” route and add some burlap and greenery sprigs – I am so happy with how these ones turned out- How beautiful is the blush velvet ribbon?

I also decided to paint my own paper (which is quite simple to do) and just add a few different yarns and some DIY tissue tassels.

Gift Wrapping Option 3: This one was a lot of fun! I love somehow adding gifts to the wrapping paper itself. I took a simple brown box, and cut up some old scraps of wrapping paper. This is a great idea for using up all those little pieces of paper that would just be thrown away. Take the paper and cut out some cool designs – I made a fringe by cutting little strips down either side of the paper, then pulling it apart with my fingers to make it a little less perfect looking. Tie on a ribbon and some ornaments or what ever you would like and your gift is ready to put under the tree.

That’s it! Keep in mind that these are all personal touches. It’s all about having fun and being creative. The wrapping doesn’t need to be perfect, I mean it is what’s inside that counts anyways… am I right?

Elizabeth is a planner for Sweetheart Events, a calligrapher and a lover of all things caffeinated and creative.