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8 Ways To Wrap A Gift If Your Elves Are Out Of Wrapping Paper

by Rachel Chapman

You found the perfect Christmas gift for your bestie, and are so excited to see the reaction on her face when she opens it up. The only problem is, you may have gotten a tad too excited and left the store without getting wrapping paper. Oops! If you're feeling too lazy to turn around and go back, don't worry, because we have you covered — literally. If you're wondering exactly how to wrap a gift without wrapping paper, put your creative cap on and consider using something you already have in your apartment.

You don't have to be a DIY guru to master these wrapping skills. These eight tutorials are super easy to follow, and they don't use any wrapping paper whatsoever. Some of these techniques are also great for those oddly shaped presents you bought that would just be a total nightmare to wrap with paper. These methods also work if you bought all of your gifts online and don't want to brave the crowds at the store to purchase wrapping supplies. No stress at all. Be the lazy queen you are, and just take a look around your apartment at what you can use.

Your friends will be so impressed by your creative wrapping job, they'll think it's professional. You'll be known as the genius who wrapped her gifts perfectly. Move over, paper, we don't need you this holiday season, because we've got everything all wrapped up.

01Foil It Up

West Elm on YouTube

There are a few smart wrapping ideas in this video — for example, using maps or a scarf — but the foil idea is super fun. Since foil is shiny, your present will stand out from the rest under the tree. This idea also doesn't require tape, so that's another thing you won't have to stress TFO about.

02Give Your Newspaper A Second Life

MadeByMarzipan on YouTube

You don't need store-bought wrapping paper to wrap your gift in paper. Get thrifty by reusing that old newspaper you were going to recycle anyway. If you have fun markers, pens, and stencils, you can color on the paper to create a whimsical design.

03Construction Paper With A Bow

Helsy Flores on YouTube

If you happen to have some colorful construction paper at home, you can follow this tutorial to wrap up your gift. You can even top it off with a cute bow made out of paper, which comes in handy if you also forgot to stock up on ribbon at the store. If you don't have construction paper, any paper you have around the house will get the job done just as perfectly.

04Create A Cool Gift Box Out Of A Cereal Box

Wengie on YouTube

This is for all of the cereal lovers out there who have an empty box or two lying around. You don't even need tape for this tutorial. Your friends will be super impressed that you made your own gift box out of a cereal box, and you'll start a trend.

05Wrap It Up With A Scarf

PureWow on YouTube

If you have a scarf that you've been meaning to donate, you can instead use it to wrap up your gift. Or, if you're gifting your friend a scarf plus another gift for Christmas, you can use the scarf to wrap the other. It's as simple as that, and your gift instantly becomes two gifts in one.

06A Brown Paper Bag

Sarah Tran on YouTube

Go green this Christmas, and use recyclable paper that you have in your home. You can use one of those brown paper bags from the store by cutting it to make wrapping paper. You can even get creative with the brown paper by painting on a design or coloring it up with markers.

07A Paper Cup

DaveHax on YouTube

This is a great idea if you have some extra paper cups in your kitchen. You can also snag a few cups from your office's break room — we won't tattletale. This is the perfect option for the smaller gifts on your list that would be a waste to buy a whole roll of wrapping paper for, anyway.

08Wrap It Up With A Map

SaraBeautyCorner - DIY, Comedy, Makeup, Nail Art on YouTube

Using an old map for paper is a cool idea, especially for the friend who is passionate about traveling. If you live in a place like NYC, you can use a subway map. This tutorial also mentions using a poster from a magazine if your friend is into that.