I have a home décor and gift giving expert who can provide frugal tips when gift wrapping this year’s holiday gifts without breaking the bank. Sandy Sandler, founder of non-profit Crafters 4 Kids (www.C4K555.org) and creator of the best-selling Bowdabra (www.bowdabra.com), is seeing frugal, green and time saving tricks as holiday trends. From decorating your home on a budget to using eco-friendly items in your holiday home décor, Sandy is sharing some easy to implement frugal and creative holiday ideas.
Here are 10 helpful hints to wrap your holiday gifts frugally and creatively by Sandy:
- Use scraps of fabric to wrap presents: Apply puffy fabric paint to give the present a rich three dimensional look!
- Paper bags or craft paper can be jazzed up as great gift wrap: First wrap the gift and then decorate. This is a great way to decorate grandparents’ gifts. Have your children place their hands in washable paint and decorate the package with their hand prints. *Helpful Hint* Instead of wrapping paper, recycle brown paper bags, when you wrap the present use double stick tape and work the extra seams into the pattern.
- Sweet wrap using an ice cream container: Decorate with rope, colored duct tape, ribbon, or silk flowers. Not only is this a great gift wrap, it’s a wonderful keepsake box!
- Don’t have enough of one wrapping paper to wrap an entire present? Make a mosaic of wrapping paper. Embellish the seams of the wrapping paper with ribbon, beads, or colored duct tape.
- Instead of buying pre-made bows make your own: Use the Bowdabra to make beautiful affordable bows! For an additional frugal element, you can even repurpose scraps of different ribbon to create a unique bow.
- Make your own gift tags from last year’s Christmas cards: Embellish the gift tags with buttons, candy, scraps of ribbon, or glitter.
- For a very large present purchase an inexpensive vinyl tablecloth or remnant fabric, or even a tied pillow case: During the holidays inexpensive vinyl tablecloths are very easy to find. Place your large gift in the center of the tablecloth and wrap the way you would a normal sized present.
- Wrap presents in children’s artwork: This is great gift wrapping option for children and young adults and is a gift in itself for those receiving the presents.
- Think ahead: Purchase holiday wrapping paper and ribbon after the holidays when it is discounted. Store the wrapping paper in a cool, dry space for the following year.
- Consider alternative sticking elements: Try using glue dots or colored duct tape.
“Gift wrapping does not have to be an expensive tedious process,” Sandler says. “A little imagination and love is all that is needed.”
Sandy is also providing free step-by-step project instructions at www.C4K555.org, complete with holiday decorating and gift packaging tips, as well as “green” holiday project ideas.
Sandler can also speak to the following frugal holiday topics:
- Homemade Gifts Kids can Make for Under $5 and in Under 5 Minutes
- Decorate Your Tree with Your Trash
- Homemade Gifts for the Hostess
- Frugal & Green Ideas for Holiday Decorating
- Mess Free Kid-Friendly Holiday Decorating
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