5 clever ways to wrap gifts without paper — and make a great impression

Gift wrapped in fabric
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Right now, you’ll probably have the task of wrapping all your gifts for the holidays. And if you've run out of paper, or you're looking for more sustainable ways of offering a present, you’re in luck. These clever, non-paper, gift wrap ideas will make a great impression!

Similar to knowing how to wrap a gift without tape, there are unique ways of packing a gift without using rolls of wrapping paper and sticky tape. In addition, these are great alternatives if you’re gifting multiple items of varying sizes.

So if you want to make your festive gift stand out from the rest, here are 5 creative ways to wrap gifts without paper.

1. Repurpose a shoe box

Giving a Christmas gift in a shoebox

Giving a Christmas gift in a shoebox (Image credit: Shutterstock)

If you have unused shoeboxes cluttering up your home, why not repurpose as a gift box instead? You can fill it with a selection of festive treats, which will also save you from individually wrapping.

And if you don't want your shoebox to look plain and boring, you can cover it with colorful, adhesive paper on the outside and lid. Or simply tie with a large ribbon or bow.

2. Wicker baskets

Wicker basket full of Christmas gifts

Wicker basket full of Christmas gifts (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Another creative way of showcasing holiday gifts is to place them in an empty wicker basket. These are relatively inexpensive, and can be bought in a craft store or online. You can opt to line the bottom with craft straw or material/shredded tissue paper to make it look more stylish.

Fill the basket with the larger items first, towards the back. Then place the smaller items into the gaps to make it look less cluttered. You can also group similar items together to keep everything organized. If you want to go all out, you can top it off with a clear cellophane wrap to cover the top, or add a pull bow.

3. Wooden crates

White wooden crate full of Christmas gifts

White wooden crate full of Christmas gifts (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Similarly, you can recreate this ‘hamper style’ inside a wooden crate. Simply arrange your gifts inside the crate ensuring it doesn’t look like a cluttered mess.

Then you can decorate the outside of the crate by wrapping a festive ribbon around it, or even adding a couple of Christmas decorations inside the crate. What’s more, these can be reused as storage and adds a rustic flair to any home.

Admired By Nature  Wooden Crates Storage Container (set of 3)
Admired By Nature Wooden Crates Storage Container (set of 3): $21 at Amazon

These farmhouse style, decorative crates are ideal for packaging gifts this season. Made from solid wood, it has a distressed white rustic finish to give it that vintage charm. It also comes with cut-in handles to make it sturdy and easy to carry around.

4. Transparent tote bags

Transparent tote bag with gifts

Transparent tote bag with gifts (Image credit: Shutterstock)

If you don’t want a standard gift bag, clear tote bags can look just as nice. If you want to get creative you can fill the bottom with shredded tissue paper or festive decorations.

Again, start with the largest items before adding the small items into the empty gaps and pouches. If you have glass jars, you can carefully stack them on top of the other to create more space.

5. Fabric wrapping (Furoshiki technique)

Wrapping a gift in fabric

(Image credit: Shutterstock)

If you really want to get creative, you can wrap your gift in fabric! Furoskiki is a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth that can be used time and time again. And if you have pieces of fabric lying around the home, this could be put to good use.

One easy method is to simply cut your fabric suitable for your gift size and place the gift in the center of the furoshiki. Fold one corner of the furoshiki over the item, doing the same with the opposite corner to create a triangle.

Next, take the two side corners of the triangle and tie them in a knot securely above the item. You can adjust the knot to make it more secure or not too tight. Another good idea is to use a baby blanket to wrap a baby gift! You can get as creative as you like and impress your loved ones this season.

More from Tom's Guide

Cynthia Lawrence
Content Editor, Homes

As the Homes Content Editor, Cynthia Lawrence covers all things homes, interior decorating, and garden-related. She has a wealth of editorial experience testing the latest, ‘must-have’ home appliances, writing buying guides and the handy ‘how to’ features. 

Her work has been published in various titles including, T3, Top Ten Reviews, Ideal Home, Real Homes, Livingetc. and House Beautiful, amongst many.

With a rather unhealthy obsession for all things homes and interiors, she also has an interior design blog for style inspiration and savvy storage solutions (get rid of that clutter!). When she’s not testing cool products, she’ll be searching online for more decor ideas to spruce up her family home or looking for a great bargain!

Read more
Wrapping festive gift
5 clever ways to wrap a gift without tape — and avoid holiday stress
Wrinkled blue shirt
5 ways to get wrinkles out of your clothes without an iron
Modern white living room with wooden features
5 quick ways I hide clutter around my home and make it stylish
Plastic bottles in a cardboard box
Don’t throw it out! 7 ways you can reuse plastic bottles around your home
Dog sitting in front of Christmas tree
This $3 hack will pick up pine needles without breaking your vacuum — and it's expert-approved
Glitter spilling out of tubes
How to clean up glitter — 5 hacks that actually work
Latest in Home
the baratza encore esp coffee grinder with a 200g capacity hopper, steel burr, with plastic black exterior
I just tested one of the most famous budget coffee grinders — and it lives up to its hype
the comandante c40 mk4 hand coffee grinder with a glass catch chamber and high nitrogen steel burrs
I tested this famous $300 hand-crank coffee grinder — and it's worth every penny
Cumulus Coffee Machine
I tried this high-tech coffee maker that makes nitro cold brew in seconds, and I'll never order an espresso martini at a bar again
Le Creuset Pokémon limited edition collection
You can now buy Le Creuset's Pokémon collection in the U.S. and I gotta catch 'em all
Cleaning with a mop in yellow bucket
Your cleaning tools are spreading dirt — here’s how to disinfect them properly
HomePod with display concept render
Apple HomePod with display now rumored for late 2025 launch
Latest in How To
Cleaning with a mop in yellow bucket
Your cleaning tools are spreading dirt — here’s how to disinfect them properly
ChatGPT on iPhone
I tried these 11 ChatGPT tips — and they take my prompts to the next level
Manus AI logo on smartphone screen
How to join Manus — the new AI assistant everyone is talking about
iPhone 16 Pro shown held in hand
You can disable those awkward AI message summaries on iPhone — here's how
Scottie Scheffler of the United States plays a shot from a bunker prior to The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass
The Players Championship 2025 live stream: how to watch the PGA Tour golf online
White bottle of bleach with cleaning products in blue box
How to get rid of bleach smell in your home — 5 quick tips to do now