It only takes a few minutes …
… for that pile of perfectly wrapped gifts to become a chaotic sea of crumpled wrapping paper on Christmas morning.
Even before I had my “crunchy” transformation, hauling garbage bag after garbage bag of wrapping paper out to the dumpster always kinda bugged me.
Not to mention the price of the stuff. Have you strolled down the wrapping paper aisle lately? It’s expensive! Especially for something that ultimately ends up in the trash.
I love those little reusable gift baggies–and I keep them in my rotation until they are pretty ragged. But in case you are looking for something a little more creative than the run-of-the-mill gift bag, check out this list of fun wrapping paper alternatives.
15 Alternatives to Wrapping Paper
1. Baskets. Everyone loves a gift basket–so instead of hiding your gift under wrapping paper, display it proudly in a coordinating basket. My local thrift shops usually have piles of baskets in all shapes and sizes, or check yard sales in the summer. Gift baskets are especially handy for packaging all those homemade essential oil gifts that you plan to make.
2. Wallpaper. You know those leftover wallpaper scraps you have hanging out in your garage? Put ’em to good use!
3. Newspaper. I recently asked The Prairie Homestead community on Facebook about their favorite alternatives to wrapping paper, and I think newspaper had to be the #1 answer. Use the black and white stuff–or grab the comic section for more colorful wrap.
4. Tissue Paper. Yeah, I’m one of those folks who likes to save the tissue paper that comes in the gift bags. If it’s not too crumbled, you use several layers to wrap a gift–and even decorate it with stamps or colored pencils.
5. Tins, Cans, or Jars. You all know about my love affair with mason jars–so in my mind, they make the ultimate gift container too. Or grab a reusable tin or can with a lid–they work especially well for food gifts.
6. Paper Grocery Bags. Most grocery stores seem to only offer plastic bags these days, but if your grocer still uses the brown paper bags, they can be cut up, and turned inside out to use as wrapping paper.
7. Reusable Fabric Bags. There are a ton of tutorials online that will show you how to whip up fabric gift bags of all sizes. Here are 15 free gift bag patterns to get you started. (Reason number 542 that I need to learn how to sew…)
8. Fabric Scraps. Not handy with a sewing machine? (I’m raising my hand–can you see it?) Then use fabric scraps instead. Gather the fabric around your gift, and then tie it off with a piece of ribbon. Burlap is especially rustic and charming.
9. Plain Brown Paper (or Butcher Paper, Freezer paper, or Newsprint Ends). OK, so I supposed it’s technically still “wrapping paper,” since it’s paper that you wrap with, BUT, using plain brown paper is much more budget-friendly that the sparkly stuff, plus it makes good fire starter afterward. I think a classic brown paper package tied with red and white baker’s twine just might be my most favorite way to wrap a gift. It’s classy and rustic, all at the same time.
Check with your local newspaper to see if they will let you purchase (or maybe even give you) the ends of the rolls of blank newspaper.
I bought this ginormous roll of brown paper for only $25–it should last for-ev-er. (affiliate link)
It’s especially charming when finished with red-and-white baker’s twine or jute twine works too. (affiliate link too)
10. Reusable Shopping Bags. They are everywhere these days and cuter than ever. It shouldn’t be hard to find one that fits your recipient’s style, and they can use it to pack their groceries around once they open the gift. Here’s a set of ten reusable bags on Amazon that I thought were pretty darn cute. (affiliate link)
11. Pillow Cases. Add a drawstring, or just tie ’em off with a ribbon.
12. Maps. Have a pile of old maps laying around? (Like the ones that come in National Geographic magazine?) Use them to wrap a gift for the world traveler on your list.
13. Towels, Blankets, or Scarves. If you are giving a kitchen-themed gift, wrap it up with a set of dish towels– or nestle baby gifts inside a soft, new, baby blanket. Vintage scarves from the thrift store also make a unique wrap.
14. Feed Sacks. Perfect wrapping for the homestead folks on your list.
15. Old Calendar Pages. It sure beats tossing them in the trash at the end of the year.
I’m not entirely against regular ol’ wrapping paper, and sometimes it’s still the best fit for the job (especially when you can get it for clearance prices). But, at least there are some other options for the crunchy folk out there, like me. 😉
Rustic Gift Embellishment Ideas:
- Dried orange slices
- Bits of greenery or tree trimmings
- Burlap bits or burlap ribbon
- Cinnamon sticks
- Wooden spoons or utensils (for kitchen-related gifts)
Cool Homemade Gift Ideas to go with Your Cool Wrapping Paper:
- Whipped Body Butter Recipe
- DIY Hand Lotion for Hard-Working Hands
- Peppermint Citrus Sugar Scrub Recipe
- 21+ Gifts You Can Make with Essential Oils
- Yummy Homemade Peppermint Patties
What are your favorite alternatives to wrapping paper? Share your ideas in the comment section below!
Bonny says
December 13, 2013 at 6:09 amI purchase wrapping paper at end of season sale for the following year. Last year i paid a whopping $0.50 for more than enough to do christmas this year. I hate throwing it out too, so make sure to get paper wrapping paprr to reuse it as fire starter.
i also purchase my christmas cards for the following year at the end of season clearance sale at a steep discount. Last year i got a huge pack for $5! I like this because i have alot of family that live far away so i sent them a card with a home done portrit of the kids every christmas.
Mari says
December 13, 2013 at 6:11 amGet a group of friends together and buy a package of cloth diapers. Each person then has a wrapping for their gift, and after the gifts are open, the new mom-to-be has a pile of diapers for the new little one. It is fun to see how each different gift package is accessorized. I like to decorate my package with baby items such as pacifiers, rattles, baby sockies, and such, attached to the diaper wrap with baby diaper pins. They are so much fun and everything is reusable. The most fun of doing it is to see if you can wrap the entire gift without using anything but reusable items.
Jill Winger says
December 13, 2013 at 1:07 pmExcellent idea!
Kylie says
December 13, 2013 at 7:13 amI use aluminium foil. I have the commercial size roll and wrap everything up in that. and then tie colourful ribbons and bows
around them. The presents always look so bright and cheerful
Jill Winger says
December 13, 2013 at 1:07 pmShiny. 🙂
Colleen says
December 13, 2013 at 8:41 pmThat would be more expensive then wrapping paper
Amy says
December 13, 2013 at 8:03 amI love all these ideas! I also hang on to old maps that might be tossable, and use them for wrapping. I like to clip rose hips and other dried vegetation for pretty add-ons to the gifts that I wrap. Chicken and guinea feathers are also very pretty and unusual additions!
Mari says
December 13, 2013 at 8:58 amChicken feathers! What a great idea! My mind started churning and I decided that I could glue a 1/2 circle (as in 1/2 ball) of Styrofoam on the top of the package and pack it full of my chicken feathers I have saved in plastic containers for…I didn’t know what in the world I was saving them for, but now I know! Each gift can have a full crown of chicken feathers and everyone will know exactly who that gift was from! Me! Chicken Mama!! (That’s my name to all who know me. Yep, I am Chicken Mama!)
Jill Winger says
December 13, 2013 at 1:07 pmI’ve never thought of using chicken feathers–that’d be the perfect homestead touch!
KK says
December 13, 2013 at 9:23 amI save the dust jackets from hardcover children’s books and use them to wrap smaller gifts. They are colorful, beautifully, designed, and fun; and if I leave them on the books, they inevitably get torn and eventually need to be tossed, anyway.
Jill Winger says
December 13, 2013 at 1:06 pmBrilliant!
Sherri Cotten says
December 13, 2013 at 9:23 amI bought a roll of white freezer paper from Sams in 2005 for wrapping gifts. I love the look of a clean white package. Then I use different strings/yarns/tags to tie it up with. I dry oranges/apples and use them as decor on the package. For kids, I draw fun stuff on the packages. It’s easy and cheap and I’m still using the same roll of paper! 8 years later!
Jill Winger says
December 13, 2013 at 1:06 pmI love the idea of dried fruit on the package–so creative!
Holly S. says
December 13, 2013 at 10:01 amI love these suggestions. You just inspired me to make a load of fabric bags to wrap my Christmas gifts!!! Thanks for that link too!
A mix of 2 of your suggestions would be to make grocery bags (like this one; just tie the handles to close: http://www.burdastyle.com/pattern_store/patterns/charlie-reusable-grocery-bag–2) and use them to wrap gifts. If you wait until after Christmas, all of the holiday fabric will go on clearance, then you can stock up for the next year!
Sara Joy says
December 13, 2013 at 10:15 amI have a special needs adult son who loves to paint. He isn’t able to paint pictures, though will “try” to paint in the lines of a predrawn picture. But he loves to just paint, dab different colors here and there. So whenever I get a package with large sheets of paper for stuffing, or buy a roll of freezer paper, or use newspapers, or whatever is available, I save enough paper sheet type supplies to start around Thanksgiving, having him paint one big sheet a day. Sometimes it will have little “kind of” designs, sometimes its totally abstract. Occasionally its just completely covered with one color. At any rate, I save his painted sheets, and we use those for wrapping paper. He is so proud that he “made” the wrapping paper – and truly, he did! Sara
Jill Winger says
December 13, 2013 at 1:05 pmI LOVE this idea Sara! How special!
Stable Road Homestead says
December 13, 2013 at 1:46 pmWonderful ideas! And, ya, you’re right: commercial wrapping supplies are really expensive. I too like to use the “brown paper” that comes in shipping boxes. I save it throughout the year to use for gift wrapping of all kinds. I also save the colorful twine from our hay and alfalfa bales to use to tie up the gift boxes. The plain brown paper gives us a “canvas” on which we can personalize our gifts with art or a message. Decorating the gift boxes makes wrapping (which I find tedious) to be a lot more fun. Merry CHRISTmas!
farmmom says
December 14, 2013 at 8:57 amI reuse the larger pieces of used gift wrap (birthday, holiday, etc.) to line our dresser drawers. Cheaper than shelf paper and lots prettier. Plus it makes me clean the drawers out.
Sheep Lady says
December 7, 2016 at 11:51 amLove this!
Heather says
December 14, 2013 at 12:05 pmI use fabric remnants that are in Christmas colors and ribbon. Some of the fabric I’ve sewn into bags and some I just use like wrapping paper. It is cheap at the fabric store and I save it from year to year. After we are done unwrapping I just fold it all up and put it away until the next year. It is really beautiful under the tree with fancy ribbon and silk flowers.
Joan Q Horgan says
December 14, 2013 at 5:22 pmI used to ask my son to do potato printing on white pattern making paper. He was willing to comply until he was 14!!! And each person got a different stamp. That way all their paper was the same and we didn’t need tags. He would draw the stamp, I would cut it out with a knife and he would go to town with watered down acrylic paint. I miss this (he’s 22 and too old for this stuff anymore!)
Ardis says
December 14, 2013 at 7:23 pmIn leu of regular tissue paper, old dressmaking patterns are a great alternative, and they are inexpensive IF you can find them at yard sales!
Jill Winger says
December 16, 2013 at 1:24 pmGood idea Ardis!
Taylor-Made Ranch Homestead says
December 15, 2013 at 12:33 pmI love this, a subject matter near & dear to my heart. I use brightly-colored bandanas to wrap smaller packages and I fold them after Christmas is over & store them in my Christmas boxes to use year after year. I also use the brown liner of our cattle-feed bags to wrap when paper is more appropriate. I decorate with fancy ribbons and use past-year Christmas cards cut with pinking shears or other decorative edge to use for my gift tags. The packages look very festive under our tree and what wrappings aren’t fabric can go into our fire on Christmas morning since they’re just brown paper. Thanks for sharing this post for fun ideas of other decorative package touches.
~Taylor-Made Ranch~
Wolfe City, Texas
Jill Winger says
December 16, 2013 at 1:33 pmLove the bandana idea! And the cattle-feed sack liners too! 😉
Janine says
December 16, 2013 at 5:21 amWhen my husband was a flight student, we loved to use the charts for wrapping. That was original stuff there!!
Julie says
December 18, 2013 at 7:35 pmIf you have a kid who loves to paint (and you can convince them to part with them), old art projects make wonderful wrapping paper, especially on gifts to grandparents or other relatives who will appreciate the art as much as the present inside. When my supply of that runs low, I use newspaper or packing paper (I saved a bunch of it from our last move) to wrap and then let the kids decorate it.
Dr. Rex Williamson says
December 7, 2016 at 3:55 pmWe have assisted Santa…ahem….by wrapping our daughters’ Christmas gifts in plain brown paper. One girl has packages with pink bows, the other had purple bows (favorite colors) The heavy brown paper protects the packages in Santa’s sleigh! 😉
Jill Winger says
December 13, 2016 at 3:31 pmPerfectly logical reasoning! 🙂
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Cynthia says
November 30, 2017 at 6:07 amI love to use kitchen hand towels to wrap packages. Two gifts in one and who doesn’t love new towels for the kitchen. Kohl’s has such cute ones! I use twine to secure package and double side tape.
Carol Edmiston says
December 6, 2017 at 1:56 pmI could not find the “affiliate link” to where you bought your brown paper!? Help please! Thank you!
caren gittleman says
December 6, 2017 at 2:59 pmlove these ideas and I am happy to say I have already used newspaper, baskets, tissue paper, paper bags, cloth shopping bags and others that you mentioned! Some of them I have been doing for years!
Beka says
December 12, 2018 at 11:05 amHave you tried saran wrap?
Karla Hardesty says
December 12, 2018 at 7:34 pmBeen using newspaper as a gift wrap for years. If I have time, I make a flower out of the newspaper to tie on for my bow using twine or ribbon.
Jill, re: Christmas trees, the delema of real vs fake. I bought a small tree in a pot and have it as a house plant ad well as Christmas tree at Christmas time. I have heard of others who have a larger tree in a planter that they keep outside, but bring in at Christmas to decorate. That means a BIG planter and muscle to move. But it is a green alternative. ?
MotherEarth says
December 12, 2018 at 9:02 pmJust wondering why its called a “Crunchy” lifestyle…? I’ve seen this adjective before but never did understand why it was called that. Perhaps you can clear that up for me? lol…thank you and LOVE your blog!!
Jenny says
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