Roll out a big piece of craft or butcher paper on the table or floor. Using pens, markers, paints, and stencils -- any art supplies you have -- design to your heart's delight! Cut kitchen sponges into fun holiday shapes, dip them in paint, and stamp the paper with holiday patterns. You can create snowy scenes with holiday characters, trace your hands and color them in, or concoct an abstract holiday masterpiece. Once the work of art is complete, cut it into appropriate sizes and wrap your gifts!
Create uniquely wrapped gifts by reusing paper items instead of traditional wrapping paper. Old maps, comic books, fashion magazines, or anything that strikes your fancy can make great gift wrap. You can make a collage of color-copied photographs, or use free posters from a bookstore or movie theater. And never underestimate the appeal of a gift wrapped in the Sunday funnies!
Nothing says "I got you a CD" like a small, flat square covered in gift wrap. Add an element of surprise to your gift-giving by disguising the real gift inside an oddly-shaped object. (The disguise isn't necessarily part of the gift, so it needn't be anything fancy or practical, just as long as it hides what the real gift is.) If you're giving a CD, wrap it, put it inside a small flower pot, then wrap the whole thing. Or wrap a book inside a bath towel, ball it up into a squishy bundle, wrap it in paper, and slap on a bow.
Instead of writing the recipient's name on the gift tag, make it a little more special by writing a brief description of the person -- "to the best dancer I know" -- or by jotting down a few clues to the recipient's identity -- "to someone who loves sleeping late and singing in the shower." In a group setting, read the tag aloud and let everyone know what you think of the recipient.
Add a little excitement to gift giving by sending the recipient on a present-finding adventure. Write clues on index cards and hide them around the house or, if you're giving more than one gift, include the clues with each wrapped item. Each card should provide a clue to the whereabouts of the next clue or gift. You might even write clues in the style of an old treasure map or make up silly rhymes.
When giving multiple gifts, especially to a child or other loved one, make the fun last all day. Instead of giving all the gifts at once, wake up with a gift first thing in the morning. Present another over lunch or as an afternoon treat. After dinner is a great time for opening presents, too. Finally, surprise them with one more gift at bedtime. Spreading it out like this allows time to explore and appreciate each gift -- plus the anticipation of the next gift makes the whole day exciting.
|
