Christmas Gift Wrapping Goes Green

Tissue Rectangles with Cutaway Label Reveal

Combining bits of papers lends a personal artistic touch with surprisingly incredible results. Anything goes — from pieces of foam rubber to paper bags and even fake credit cards!

All you need are fragments of paper, tape, glue sticks, hot glue or double sided tape. For added interest, try making use of unusual materials not typically used for wrapping such as twigs. Go ‘green’ by using colored paper shopping bags that you receive while buying gifts and recycling pieces of ribbon.

The center of attention is the front of the package, so don’t worry about the back which only plays backstage — it’s perfectly OK for the back to be a little untidy. The wrapping usually gets ripped off in a frenzy anyway!

Add some dimension with contrast of colors, light and dark, texture or material, or contrast of line by using angled paper on rectangular boxes.

The examples provided here are merely the tip of the iceberg for the plethora of ideas that Wrap Art provides on their website.

Tissue Rectangles with Cutaway Label Reveal (above)

Either use a white gift box or wrap one first in white paper. Mount a computer printed label on center, and add tissue wrap. Place 2 bands of red and gold tissue ‘ribbon’ horizontally, created by folding a wider piece of tissue in thirds so the edges are folds, not cuts. Next add 2 strips of pale green ribbon. Make 2 cuts in an ‘X’ shape with scissors in the tissue wrap to reveal the label beneath. Lastly, apply a ribbon around the edge of the box, and create a ‘ribbon candy’ layered bow for the top edge.

Brown Wrap with Gauze Contrast

The contrast of rough brown industrial paper with white gauze ribbon creates an interesting balance of materials. Add a paper computer label with your favorite Christmas image and voila!

Shopping Bag Collage

A gray shopping bag was used for this package. The bag had a white label imprinted with the retailer’s logo which was concealed with a 3-piece collage with the recipient’s initials over the image. Next a piece of gauze ribbon was draped in a spiral around the package.

Banded Tissue-Ribbon Wrap with Triangular Neck Label

Wrap a bunch of tissue folded into puffy ‘ribbons’ around a small package and tape to the back. Add a red triangular label for interest and contrast.

Foreign Newsprint and Sculptural ‘Bow’ of Natural Objects

Using a foreign newspaper for wrap, add gold and red ribbon topped with a glued on carved twig and acorn to make for a unique wholesome appeal.

The Ribbon Sash

A white wrap of ribbon, scarf or scrap of fabric around the sides of a white package covers up the folded ends. The wrinkly gold ribbon adds a delicate contrast. The top is left bare for the tag.

Credit Card Wrap

Why not put to use all those fake cards that arrive in the mail from marketers hounding you to apply for credit? Glue flat at first, then cut and make an angular sculptural ‘bow’ of cards. The outer edge of the gift is a tissue frame with a red ribbon. The red bow is made by layering ribbon back and forth, adding a spot of glue on each pass.

Collage: Innovation

Beginning with a brown wrap, attach black paper panels on the front and sides, allowing the brown paper to peek through. Next add a veil of plastic sleeving, first with yellow to form the vertical band on the right, then a second horizontal band in red. Add a bright red label with gold paint marker.

Foam Wrap

First wrap the gift in red tissue, then green packing foam, holding it together with red tinsel-trimmed ribbon. Make a quickly glued bow of the same material and finish with a small wooden disk.

Tissue Burrito

Roll the gift up in tissue and cut the ends with scissors to create a fringe. Frilly gold ribbon brightens up and completes the wrap.

Ribbon Weave Two-board ‘Box’

Two boards were used for this parcel, but you can use cardboard, picture framer’s matt board, or anything decorative but flat. Your gift must be flat to do this, or use a small flat gift box. The hidden gift is wrapped around its edge in red ribbon or use a tissue ribbon. Tape the red and black ribbons onto the back board, then began winding and weaving the ribbons and tape the ends onto the back board. Make a large label and use double-sided tape to the back side of the package to cover up the ends.

Band Collage

With a silvery shopping bag for wrap, attach a ribbon band collage with angled placement of the bands, using both overlays and open space, revealing more of the under-wrap.

Bottle Wrap

Clear plastic labels can be removed from facial cream bottles for a unique wrap to keep those out that can’t help themselves from sneaking peeks before Xmas. Remove the neck from the bottle and cut almost in half to make a hinged container. The short ribbon hides the cut, and the gold ribbon is stuffed into the neck hole.

Two Fragments Contrast Cap

Using scraps of paper, take a smaller piece and wrap one end of the box, then wrap the remaining part of the box. The larger piece depicted here has a torn edge. Finish with ribbon and a bow.

Two Fragments Ribbon Join

Using 2 pieces of wrapping paper apply the striped piece first, then the 2nd piece along the angled edge of the stripes. Apply a ribbon along the edge where the two papers join, thus eliminating the need for perfect cut edges. If necessary you can use rolled-tape strips or glue gun to conquer challenges of ribbon placement.

Visit Wrap Art for an overabundance of further gift wrapping ideas — not just for Christmas alone — on their website. You can even purchase the Wrap Art book by John Boak of Denver, Colorado, filled with 40 pages of full color in hardcover or paperback. All images and ideas are property of Wrap Art.