As much as unwrapping a present is part of the delight of receiving a gift, wrapping one can be an enjoyable part of the gift-giving experience. No matter what holiday you are celebrating, these handmade gift-topper ideas — from a fancy bow to a quick-snipped holly leaf — are relaxing and meditative undertakings.
And what’s more, you’ll be using newspaper. While gift wrapping is a lovely tradition, fancy paper often ends up on the floor within moments, and many wrapping papers are not recyclable because of inks, glitter or plastic linings. Using unpainted newspaper means you can recycle your upcycled wrapping after it has been enjoyed.
Newspaper Holly Leaf and Berry Gift Topper
Cut out a holly leaf shape and fold at the center.
Make a berry by tightly wadding up some scrap newspaper to your desired size. Cut a circle of paper for the berry and place the ball in the center. Gather the circle up and around the ball. Twist it closed and snip off the excess paper. Squeeze some hot glue onto it and press to close (Tape can also be used to close).
Hot glue or tape the berry and leaf to a package.
Simple Newspaper Bow
Step 1.
Cut seven 1 inch-wide strips: three nine inches long, three eight inches long, and one four inches long.
Step 2.
Fold a nine-inch long strip in half to make a center crease and then unfold. Curve one end of the strip around and under to create a cone shape at the top and tape the end at the middle crease. Repeat on the other end of the strip to create a figure eight loop.
Step 3.
Repeat on the remaining nine-inch and eight-inch strips. Roll the short strip into a loop about one inch in diameter and tape closed.
Step 4.
Use a loop of tape or some double-sided tape, to stick two of the large figure eights together, then add the third. You should have a six-pointed star.
Step 6.
Make a smaller star using your eight-inch strips. Then tape that star on top of the bigger one with a loop of tape or double-sided tape. Tape your one-inch loop in the center.
Tape or hot glue to the top of your package.
3-D Snowflake
Step 1.
Cut a rectangular piece of newspaper measuring 6 by 10 and a half inches. Accordion-fold the paper along the short side, creating pleats that are three-quarters of an inch wide. Keep folding until you have 6 pleats. Trim any excess paper.
Step 2.
Fold in half and staple at the center
Step 3.
Draw decorative shapes on your pleated paper, and then cut along them, making sure not to cut all the way through. (Use the ones above as a template or come up with your own.)
Step 4.
Fan open and tape ends together on both sides.
OPTIONAL: Add a twine loop, threaded through a hole in the snowflake, to turn your topper into an ornament.
