Wrapping gifts

Hi,

how do you wrap gifts?

Like most people, I’ve always used traditional wrapping paper, but at some point I realized
that it’s such a waste.
I started saving any paper I could find from packages and the
like. I used up the wrapping paper I still had and have been using only the
collected paper ever since—I’ve even used
newspaper. For ribbon, I use sisal twine or crochet a foundation chain from leftover yarn, which adds a little color.
At first, I wasn’t sure about gifts for the kids—after all, a colorfully wrapped gift is something really special for them. So I just add something colorful to the wrapping paper.
After all, it’s just going to be torn open quickly and the paper thrown away—it’s the contents that count.
For the money I put in their little piggy banks, I’ve also crocheted a little money pouch or a small bag.

How do you guys handle this? 

For about three years now, I’ve been sewing gift bags and pouches out of old table linens, bed linens, and worn-out clothes.

The first Christmas, they were still Christmas-themed table runners—I just sewed them together and tied them with glittery ribbon.

Now I appliqué designs from old tablecloths or bed linens. I browse flea markets; some of my friends have to clear out their parents’ apartments. There are often such beautiful tablecloths, but with stains that won’t come out—which makes them perfect for me. That way, it doesn’t bother me when I have to cut up wonderful embroidery.

People can either give the gift bags back to me (my kids do this at Christmas, so I can fill them for the next year). Many end up in the kids’ room as storage bags, or are passed on as gifts.

Great ideas—I’ve already seen the blue pouch in the gallery.
I think it’s really cool.

I think Petra's ideas are great. I know that a few other sewing-savvy people in the forum do it that way too. I find that very sustainable. And you never have to buy paper again. And it gives the fabrics a second or third life. Really wonderful! The idea is also something for me, but I'm still a sewing beginner and my things might not look soooo great. I can't appliqué at all yet, and just fabric might be boring. Oh well, one would need more time.

Of course I have already crocheted and knitted packaging. That always works if the gift isn't too big. Afterwards, the bags can still be used wonderfully.

Sometimes, though, I can't do without wrapping paper. If the person I want to give a gift to loves it lavishly wrapped, then wrapping paper with a lavish bow is a must. I tie the bows from whatever I have. For that I have a little helper tool, a so-called bow butler. It helps, so to speak, with piling up the different ribbons and tying them together. I've tied wedding bows that way too.

My mom also used to save all the wrapping paper and ribbons. Everything was carefully unwrapped and the paper smoothed out again, the ribbons ironed. In the former GDR, people didn't have that much and everything was thoughtfully reused. 

As promised, here are a few packaging ideas from me.

Best wishes from Ina

For vouchers, I always use calendar pages that match the theme and fold them into an envelope.



For children's gifts, there are crocheted bags, preferably a bit playful.





I also sometimes give chocolates without packaging, simply with a self-printed button stuck on top (a bit of ribbon underneath):



I give yarn in proper style in a crocheted basket



You can also fold little baskets from old wallpaper scraps (there are patterns online)

Those are really nice ideas, too. The bags are cute, and the little baskets are great—I’ll have to look into those.

It depends on who’s receiving the gift. For my husband, it can be something I made myself.
For others, though, I stick with regular wrapping paper.

I still wrap the gifts for my grandchildren in wrapping paper. We don’t exchange gifts among ourselves as adults.
Back in the day, we used to save used wrapping paper and reuse it, since it wasn’t always available to buy.

Wow, what beautiful gift wrappings you have, dear Ina and Petra.

I haven’t bought any wrapping paper in years—I’ve saved it all and reuse it. For small items, I sometimes crochet a little wrapper or fold pretty calendar pages, just like Ina does.

The kids always get their gifts in gift bags, which you can buy cheaply. I then place a pretty napkin on top so the gift isn’t immediately visible. I get the bags back if they aren’t used for toys.

I also have some new colorful kitchen towels lying around that I often use to wrap gifts. That way, the wrapping itself becomes a practical gift as well. You can tie them closed with colorful ribbons or a pretty decorative safety pin.

By the way, I always save ribbons and still have a good supply on hand.

I’ve always done the same with gift bags too, with a napkin on top. You can reuse the bags nicely as well.
I think kitchen towels are a nice idea too, because the recipient can still use them. A hand towel is nice too.

Yeah, I’ve also used pretty towels before. And kitchen towels, too. I’m always on the lookout for pretty designs. I just found one with hearts on it—I think it was at dm. I keep things like that in stock and use them only as “wrapping material.”

These days, I like to pick out a nice box or a great gift bag that can be reused. Or, if the gift doesn’t have to be “hidden,” I’ll use a pretty basket and decorate it.

It looks nicer that way anyway, because I’m hopeless with wrapping paper. When I wrap something, it looks like I had Leo—who’s 2 years old—do it :D

The recipients can then keep the packaging or reuse it for gifting themselves.

I also think it’s awful when big gifts like sleds or similar items are wrapped in gift wrap; in my opinion, that’s a huge waste. 

Here’s another idea. I also thought of using cardboard boxes. You can either paint them nicely or decorate them with pretty stickers—or crochet them, of course, if you like. There are also ready-made colorful boxes that you can buy already folded. These can then double as storage boxes for the recipient.

So many lovely ideas! I especially liked the bag with the hedgehog, but unfortunately appliqué isn’t really my thing—I’d have a hard time with the spines in particular. I’ve also decided to avoid buying new wrapping paper as much as possible; for my “soft” gifts, I’ll probably make little boxes again or fold bags out of old calendar pages. 

Another thing I’ve used for a crocheted shawl is one of those glass containers with a lid. It’s transparent, but you can just tie a pretty ribbon around it. I’ve also saved a few of those from gifts I’ve received. And you can always put a container like that to good use.

For small gifts, tin cans and decoupage work well, too.

Petra, that looks great! I would never have thought of that. Great upcycling. The idea with the glass containers is great, too. The packaging is also a gift.

The tin cans look great. You can also make really cool things using decoupage.

What exactly is a glass-lidded container? I can’t picture what that is at all.

Let me quickly look it up online.......ah, a container for keeping food fresh.... that’s a great idea, too—and practical. 

Petra, I’m not the only one! I couldn’t picture what a glass jar with a lid would look like either. Great idea!

A friend gave me these glass lidded jars last year. Since then, I’ve hardly used Tupperware at all—just these glass jars. I absolutely love them because everything stays so fresh inside. Giving them as gifts with something inside is, of course, also a lovely idea. For example, with homemade cookies. I also store them in there, which looks decorative, too.

The glass jars are great—I only use those now. I bought one to try out at first, loved it, and then got a whole set—even though I don’t need all of them right away—with the idea of giving some as gifts. I’ve phased out the plastic containers; now I use them to store all my craft supplies.