'Tis the season to get crafty, clever or characterized! Well-wrapped holiday packages create immediate enthusiasm and somehow seem to make gifts more meaningful.
Whether going for shiny, vintage, colorful, rustic, playful or eco-friendly impressions, the following are some Do-It-Yourself gift-wrapping ideas to make the wrapping process even more satisfying. Simply applying jute twine to gifts provides a 'less is more' vibe.
Add Natural Touches to Craft Paper: For gifts with a rustic, organic feel, use seasonal accents, such as sprigs, pine cones and cinnamon sticks, tied up with twine, encircling recycled paper for the wrapping.
First Initial Decoration: In lieu of a gift tag, attach an oversized paper mâché letter of the recipient's first initial to the top of the box. The letter then can serve as customized décor, too.
Polka Dots: Wrap gifts in plain craft paper and then cut out big, multicolored polka dots to glue down. It's hard not to smile at big, bright dots.
Cardboard Box Snowperson: Wrap three or four boxes in white paper, with different gifts inside, and then stack them. Tape the boxes together, tapering to the top. Glue buttons on the bottom ones, create a snowperson's face on the top one, with carrot nose cut out of orange paper. Attach a real hat, if desired. Tie wider, festive bow around the snowperson's 'neck.' Add a real corncob pipe for a bonus finishing touch, if preferred.
Mini Tree Gift Wrapping: Pine needles and small tips of real tree branches make quick and easy mini Christmas trees that can be glued onto Christmas gifts. They will smell nice, too.
Book Page Wrapping Paper: Repurpose old book pages by cutting out shapes of dreidels, snowflakes, ornaments, candles or reindeer to paste on gifts.
DIY Stamp Wrapping Paper: Wrap gifts in solid colors of paper. Secure ink stamps and an ink pad in a themed color(s), and stamp the paper as much or as little as desired.
Unboxed: Apply other types of containers, rather than boxes or bags, for gift wrapping; examples: canisters, pillow cases, baskets, fabric scraps, maps, glass containers, towels, blankets, scarves, Bento bags (also called triangle bags or origami bags).
For stylized, different gift tags, consider stopping by one of two J's Hallmark Shop locations in Frisco: Preston Stonebrook Center, 7151 Preston Road, Suite 211, or Main Street Village, 3245 Main St., Suite 289.
To create a truly different type of gift container, consider checking out a DIY class being held on Dec. 4 at AR Workshop Frisco at 3231 Prestion Road, Suite 13. From 3-6 p.m., participants will make one of several wood projects, any of which can become a unique vessel for presenting a gift: plank wood sign, porch sign, bath tray, round lazy susan, centerpiece box, plank wood tray, cake stand, pedestal tray or wood photo frame. The workshop includes the opportunity to customize projects with the choice of designer paints and nontoxic, stain colors. Phone 214.614.8120 for more details.