Malta Development Blog

Tired of the same old gift wrapping ideas year after year? Stuck for some new ways to brighten up your presents? Want to avoid the waste that wrapping all those carefully bought gifts entails? You’ll see lots of possibilities in the list that follows. We have eco-friendly ideas, too. Here goes...

If you’re giving a kitchen or food-related item, why not dress it up in a bright new kitchen towel? Use twist ties, a chip clip or a clothespin to hold it together. Or use a practical basket, lined with a kitchen towel, to display a few items.

How about folding up a new scent in a colorful scarf? Put some jewelry into a decorative coin purse. Tie a ring into a lacy handkerchief.

Hide a special soap in the folds of a luxurious hand towel.

A baby gift can be wrapped in a new blanket or towel.

Wrap a pair of new gloves in a matching knitted scarf or cap. Tuck a belt into a western bandanna.

Save the comic section of the newspaper to wrap children’s toys.

Hide large unwrapped presents and tuck a clue or riddle into a card for an entertaining holiday hunt. Pillowcases can be useful for larger or unusually shaped gifts.

Decorate plain paper with stamps, markers, cutouts (such as snowflakes), or original art tied to the theme of the gift inside. Kids will love to do join in this crafty project.

Repurpose wallpaper, road maps, grocery bags, or scraps of fabric for wrappers.

Ribbons can be made of yarn, twine, crepe paper, lengths of fabric, colorful shoestrings.

Small decorations can be tied into your ribbons to add a festive note. Use toys, live or dry greenery (such as mistletoe), tiny party favors, a small piece of driftwood, a shell, a cookie cutter, or bells for an interesting twist.

Instead of gift tags, write your 'to’s and from’s' directly onto the paper (if it’s plain.) If not, repurpose old holiday cards for gift tags (you can start saving them this year for next!).

What are your alternatives to traditional gift-wrapping? Share them in the comment area below!