At this time of year, using wrapping paper is a given. However, after the gifts have been wrapped, there are always leftover bits and pieces. You may consider that these pieces aren’t worth saving, but I have discovered that they can be useful to help complete your Christmas to-do list. 

So, don’t throw out small pieces of gift wrap after you’ve finished wrapping presents. Here’s how to make use of leftover Christmas wrap. 

A few fun solutions for you to consider:

What to Do With Leftover Christmas Wrap

Idea No. 1 – Make a Wine Bottle Sleeve from Leftover Christmas Wrap

 

Instead of buying a bottle bag, make a sleeve wrap for that bottle of wine. Just cut the leftover Christmas wrap the length and width needed and tape at the back. Then add a bow and a tag and your gift is ready to give.

Idea No. 2 – Wrap a Gift Card

 

Instead of buying a box made for a gift card or using the store’s card sleeve, wrap a gift card in a bit of scrap paper, tie with some curling ribbon and add a sparkly sticker.

Now pop it into a stocking or add a ribbon hanger and attach your gift to the Christmas tree.

Idea No. 3 – Leftover Christmas Wrap Wall Art

Use wrapping paper scraps to make Christmas wall art. In this example, an eight by ten artist’s canvas was wrapped as though it was a present using gold coloured paper. Cut the paper so that just enough is left over to tape or glue to the wooden frame. 

Then finish the ends as though you were wrapping an actual gift. Contrasting strips of striped paper were added as ribbon to the package. A picture cut out from wrapping paper adds to the wall art. Finish by taping a bow at the intersection were the “ribbons” meets.

In this example of Christmas art, I used a smaller flat artist’s canvas and wrapped it in solid red paper. Then, I glued a Christmas card onto the centre of it. Easy-peasy!

Idea No. 4 – Make Gift Tags

You can use leftover Christmas wrap to make gift cards for packages meant for under the tree. Cut out a pretty design to fill the front of your tag, and glue it onto some cardstock. Cut it into a tag shape and write “to” and “from” on the back of the cardstock. 

Easier still, start with a pack of ready-made tags from the dollar store. Use a glue stick to attach the section of gift wrap you want to a tag, trim off the excess and add some twine or ribbon to attach it to a package.

Idea No. 5 – Use In Scrapbooking

If you like scrapbooking, cut-out pictures from old wrapping paper could make your pages more meaningful.  Use samples from the wrapping paper scattered around the floor on Christmas morning. Write names or short descriptions of the album pictures onto the leftover Christmas wrap or use it to fill in bare spots on the page.

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