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Vintage and handmade Christmas wrapping ideas

© Tamsyn Morgans

Read time:

9th December 2024

Thrifty and unique ways to wrap your Christmas presents

The holiday season is the perfect time to slow down and indulge in a little crafting and making. And that means wrapping your Christmas gifts with a little more thought. Instead of grabbing the nearest roll of shiny paper, get inspiration from our creative ideas – while at the same time turning unwanted scraps around your home into something beautiful.

© Tamsyn Morgans
© Tamsyn Morgans

Our columnist and photographer Tamsyn Morgans uses brown parcel paper (from Hobbycraft) to wrap presents, then decorates them with a different theme or colour each year. ‘Dried orange slices are so easy to make,’ she says. ‘They fill the kitchen with a gorgeous festive scent, and then the slices can be used to decorate gifts, table settings, the Christmas cake and floral displays.’

You can find more gorgeous Christmas crafting ideas from Tamsyn in issue 96, available now in print (single issue), digital or via subscription.

© Alice Roberton
© Alice Roberton

Tins are essentially what turn otherwise token items – such as toffees, biscuits, chocolates and sweets – into a more substantial gift, and vintage ones are especially lovely. Try choosing a gift around the colour or theme of your tin, then add a splash of luxury with a ribbon and maybe a vintage brooch for an all-encompassing present. Buy end-of-roll ribbon bundles from local haberdashery stores or online at The Old Haberdashery.

© Alice Roberton
© Alice Roberton

Wallpaper makes the most wonderful gift wrap; it’s on the roll and you’ll often get a design totally different from anything you’ll find on a classic wrapping paper. If you’ve recently completed some wallpapering and don’t know what to do with the leftovers, then this is a great way to waste not, want not. There’s something very nostalgic about wallpaper, so try accessorising your wrapping with lace and old photographs for a very personal gift.

© Alice Roberton
© Alice Roberton

Maps often take a battering when taken in and out of a bag or chucked in the back of a car and can become unfit for purpose. But with a bit of clever repurposing they make a wonderfully adventurous gift wrap. The modern-day road atlas has vibrant colours which look great teamed with fluorescent ribbons, and if you choose pages with locations relevant to the recipient, you’ll be taking bespoke wrapping to the next level.

© Alice Roberton
© Alice Roberton

Wrapping in fabric may seem a little indulgent, but not if you are using unwanted remnants. Just like paper, choose fabric which suits the taste of the person you are gifting and cut pieces to size – just add foliage to give a homemade look. Try local interiors and haberdashery shops for offcuts and old sample books, or look online at The Linen Garden.

© Alice Roberton
© Alice Roberton

We know that the maximalists amongst you tend to keep your favourite monthly magazine to read again and again (until there’s no more room under the bed to store them!); meanwhile, the minimalists do their reading, tear out their inspiration sheets and the rest hits the recycling bin. Whichever category you fall into, using old magazines as gift wrap is guaranteed to add satisfaction to the whole experience, with Reclaim’s pages offering up the perfect recycled wrapping option for small gifts.

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