Gift wrap with punch

enhancing holiday packages

Dec 2, 2006

Do you want to do something a little different this year? Why use regular old ribbon to wrap gifts. Here are some different ideas to try.

You know the drill. You get out the paper and lay the box in the center. Cut off the excess. Wrestle with the tape to get it secure. Then you tape or tie the ribbon into place, add a bow and call it good. Now repeat this 50 times. Makes you want to run screaming into the night. It is good to do something a little different from time to time, just to retain your sanity.

How about using something other than ribbon. Sounds radical I know. I was recently at a local store in the Christmas department looking at all the different items they call garland. Remember when garland was green? Then they developed the shredded metalic stuff. It then went to metalic wire with stars in different colors. Now garland can be anything. It is fabric, beads, wire, plastic curls and swirls. It has fake candy and snowflakes, dangles and pip berries.

If got me thinking about how much garland has changed but the ribbon on the package has stayed the same. What about trying something different? Below I will list five examples. Come up with your own and e-mail me. I would love to hear your ideas.

To start with we will assume we have five very standard packages wrapped with you everyday Christmas wrap.

Add green garland just as you would ribbon. Hot glue in place. In the center where they intersect hot glue Christmas balls in a color that coordinates with the paper or pine cones for the earthy look.

Add beaded garland with dangles around the sides of the box in a draped pattern. Add a bow to the top. Hot glue beads into the bow and radiating from the bow outward onto the paper.

Add snowflake garland as you would ribbon. At the intersection hot glue snowflakes on end so they are standing up. Cluster them into a large snowflake.

Metalic rope with tassels on the end can be used as ribbon and bow. Tie the rope into a bow like a shoelace and let the tassels dangle off of it.

Using faux candy garland, hot glue in place as you would ribbon. Now instead of a bow, Hot glue actual individually wrapped candies in a cluster. The recipient will enjoy eating the decorations.

Many of the garlands are available at discount and dollar stores. You don't have to spend a lot of money to be creative. Have fun and find the joy of the season.

The copyright of the article Gift wrap with punch in Scrapbooking & Paper Crafts is owned by Mary Welling-Bonney. Permission to republish Gift wrap with punch in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.