Here are some original suggestions for inexpensive gift wrapping that is also more environmentally friendly if you dislike the wasteful nature of present wrapping.
Cut Leftover/Old Holiday Fabric Into Ribbons
According to this article, Living on a Budget, if you’re a quilter, seamstress, or another creative type and you happen to have any leftover old holiday fabric (or fun old clothing), consider cutting it into strips to produce inventive Christmas ribbon that is also recyclable.
Repurpose Oatmeal or Cereal Boxes
Looking for boxes to wrap gifts in, but don’t want to spend money? Scan your cupboards for cereal and oatmeal boxes that you can repurpose — just take out leftover food and keep it rolled up in its plastic interior packaging, and voila! Gift boxes.
Holiday Imagery From Magazines
Have some brown paper or brown bags lying around you want to repurpose as wrapping? Glam them up by cutting out holiday imagery from recycled glossy magazines. Little scissors and glue can turn recycled materials into a fancy package.
Plastic Tablecloth
Do you have a gift that’s too big to wrap in conventional wrapping paper, such as a bicycle or a giant teddy bear? Consider a plastic tablecloth, which will easily cover your item and be easily re-used after.
Reusable Fabric Gift Bags
According to Environment911.org, you may simply make your own cloth gift bags for very little money or buy them cheaply on websites like Etsy. If the bag is appealing, it can double as a present and prevent waste produced.
The Funnies
The colorful comics or “funnies” pages inside your newspaper make for fun gift wrapping if you can save enough. Even regular newsprint can make for an artsy feel, with a little gold, white or black ribbon.
Scarves
Scarves are often colorful, lengthy, attractive pieces of fabric that can be repurposed as gift wrap and serve as a gift, itself.
Glass Jar
You might be able to fit a small- to medium-sized gift into a recycled glass jar, maybe one that originally contained jams or jellies. Add a ribbon, some wax paper or fabric, and some flowers or leaves for decoration.
Baskets
From food to clothing items to gadgets and toys, baskets of all kinds and sizes make for great gift-giving containers. Throw a colorful napkin, cloth or towel over the top, and you’ve got an environmentally friendly and useful gift wrap package all in one.
Buy Old Wrap at Garage Sales
After the holidays are over, most people don’t want to hold onto extra wrapping paper that went unused. You’re likely to find it at a very big discount at garage sales in your own neighborhood for cheap, according to MoneyandBills.com
Maps
Have old maps or atlases hung around that you don’t use? These make for truly unique gift wrap that you can be sure no one else in the family will have used.
Old Calendar Pages
What better way to see the old year out on your calendar than repurposing those pages into holiday gift wrap? The blog I Do Have a Talent offers a tutorial for how to upcycle an old calendar page into a gift bag.
White Paper With Stamps
Have a bunch of printer paper and some stamps you can pilfer from your kids’ room? In fact, involve the kids in this fun activity of turning these two items into fun, colorful gift wrap that the whole family will appreciate.
Conclusion
If you are looking for Money-Saving Gift Wrap Ideas, try using brown paper bags as gift wrap. Cut them into squares and decorate them with markers or crayons if you have children at home. You can also use old newspapers to wrap gifts, which is an inexpensive way to recycle your newspaper subscriptions. Another option is to buy recycled wrapping paper made from post-consumer waste such as old magazines and phone books.