Every December, both before and after Christmas, my craft drawers seem to be dominated by wrapping paper.
It feels like you can simultaneously never have enough and always have too much. There are those little bits you end up with after wrapping that I can never figure out what to do with. And there’s the leftover paper you get from unwrapping presents on the day, which seems like such a waste to throw away.
Well, I have the solution for all your excess wrapping paper woes. Try one of these paper crafts to decorate your tree, accessorize your gifts, and spruce up your home.
Bunting
Once you’ve finished wrapping all your Christmas presents, use the leftovers to make easy Christmas décor. Bunting is one of the easiest things to make with leftover wrapping paper. Plus, as long as the patterns aren’t too Christmassy, you can use it for decorating at other special occasions throughout the year.
To make bunting, draw a template of a long triangle onto cardboard. Cut it out and use this to outline triangle shapes on the back of your leftover wrapping paper. Use scissors to cut each piece out and staple them at even intervals along a piece of ribbon. Don’t forget to leave some extra ribbon on both ends for tying.
Depending on the type of wrapping paper you’re using, the edges of the bunting might curl after cutting. To keep them flat, I stacked them under a book after cutting. You can also stick the wrapping paper to a stiffer card before cutting. But since you’ll probably be hanging your bunting against a flat surface, a little curling can normally be fixed after hanging.
Pinwheels
Whether you’re looking for festive wall décor or a way to spice up your wrapped gifts, pinwheels are the answer. They’re an ideal craft for kids, only requiring your leftover wrapping paper and some glue to complete. Attach a stick to the end and you can even stick them in the garden, pot plants, or use them as handheld fans (not that you’ll need those in the middle of winter).
You can make pinwheels from one type of wrapping paper for a uniform look, or a few different patterns for a patchwork effect. Start by cutting the paper into equal-sized rectangles. The size of the rectangle should be the same as the diameter you want for your pinwheel.
Create alternating folds in the paper as if you were folding a fan. Once you have three or four pieces, fold them in half to create a v-shape and glue the ends together to create your pinwheel. Glue a string or stick between one of the edges, depending on how you want to display them.
Lining Drawers
Add a festive surprise to the inside of your drawers by lining them with leftover wrapping paper. You can also use this on your open shelves if you want the patterns to be more visible throughout the holidays. Or go all out and glue paper to the backing of your shelves, similar to wallpaper.
You’ll need a large piece of paper for this, which is ideal for the last end of the wrapping paper roll you don’t know what to do with. Measure out your drawers and cut the piece to size, laying it inside pattern-up. You can also spray the paper with a festive room spray to make your cupboards smell like Christmas.
If you want this to be a long-term solution, I would stick with neutral colors and patterns. As cute as that Santa wrapping paper is, you probably won’t want to look at it all year long.
Gift Bows
To spruce up your gift wrapping, use the same wrapping paper to create a paper bow to glue to the top of your gift. They may look complicated (which is why I used to give up and buy mine), but they’re actually easier to make than you think.
Start by cutting your leftover wrapping paper into strips around two inches in width. You need three long pieces, three shorter pieces, and one small piece. Loop each of the pieces (except the one small piece) into a figure eight shape, gluing the ends together in the center. For the small piece, loop the ends together to create a circle.
Lay the three longer pieces on top of each other to form a star shape and glue together. Place the three smaller pieces inside in the gaps. Then, fill the hole in the center with your single loop to create a complete bow.
For more elaborate bows, make your strips thinner and create four layers instead of three. For simpler bows, use two pieces for each layer.
Gift Tags
Even if you’re not a card person, you still need a way to label and identify your gifts. With so many gifts going around at Christmas time, a simple ‘to’ and ‘from’ label stops yours from getting lost in the chaos. Add that personal touch by creating your own gift tags from the same wrapping paper to match.
Since most wrapping paper is not stiff enough to create a rigid tag, glue your paper to a piece of plain stiff card or cardboard (leftover delivery boxes from your gift purchases are the perfect place to look). Make a hole in the end to attach a piece of string and draw label markers on the back to create your finished gift tag.
Envelopes
If you are a card person, a matching envelope made from leftover wrapping paper is a great companion to your gift. You can fill this with your purchased cards, or a handmade card (I have more ideas later if you need some inspiration). This is great for cards with irregular sizes because you can build the envelope around the card size.
Use your card as a template, drawing around the edges with about an inch of extra room to create a rectangle. Draw a faint line from the center outwards in both directions, beyond the borders of the envelope. Then, use a ruler to draw a square around the envelope base, connecting the lines together to form triangles from each side.
Cut out the shape and fold the edges inwards, leaving the top triangle open. Glue the other edges together to create the envelope shape and fill with your card. When you’re ready, use a dab of glue or a wax sealer to close the envelope.
Packaging Stuffing
Scrap paper is great for filling boxes to protect fragile gifts, an eco-friendly way to recycle paper without purchasing any packing materials. Leftover wrapping paper adds a festive flair that’s great for Christmas gifts.
This does work best if you have a shredder at home. Simply shred your paper and bundle it up to fill the bottom and top of gift boxes. If you don’t have a shredder, you’ll have to cut the strips by hand or use a ruler to rip off bits in a straight line. Since it’s just going to be stuffing, your cuts don’t have to be pretty.
Confetti
If you’re hosting a Christmas party and want to create a festive atmosphere, you can’t go wrong with confetti. Sprinkle it over the table, stuff handmade crackers, or fill clear bauble ornaments—the options are almost endless. You also have plenty of choice in how you make your confetti, depending on what you have at home.
The most uniform confetti comes from using a hole punch. If you don’t have one on hand, fold or roll your wrapping paper and use scissors to cut a fringe into the end. Cut the little fringes off horizontally to create your confetti. You can also rip it by hand. Although this is the easier option and requires literally no tools, the resulting confetti isn’t quite as magical as the previous two methods.
Angel Ornaments
Is your tree looking a little bare? You can use your leftover wrapping paper to create adorable angel ornaments. These are super easy to make, a great craft to complete with your kids. All you need is your paper, a bead or fluffy ball, and twine for hanging.
Cut your wrapping paper into two rectangular shapes. Fold the papers into a fan shape (in the same way as the pinwheel). Bend both pieces around a third of the way along the fold into a lopsided v-shape. Glue the ends of the bottom two-thirds together and fan the edges to create your angel shape.
Glue the bead or ball in the middle to create the head of the angel. Attach the string to the back and hang the angel from your tree.
Christmas Trees
If you’re short on decorations, these mini Christmas trees are a fun way to repurpose your leftover wrapping paper. They’re easy to make and look great as part of a tablescape or a festive windowsill display.
Start by cutting a triangular shape out of cardboard—this will be the form for your tree. Cover the cardboard triangle with a piece of leftover wrapping paper, securing it firmly with glue or tape. Once wrapped, mount it onto a skewer and place the skewer into a small block of scrap wood to create a stand. If you have foam cones from a previous craft (like pine cone Christmas trees), those look even better.
You can paint the wood base green or cover it with more paper to keep with the theme. Add a few small details like ribbons, mini pom-poms, or star-shaped stickers to finish the look. These paper trees also look great grouped in different sizes and patterns.
Christmas Cards
If you still have some cards to give out, why not make them from your leftover wrapping paper? This is a quick and personal touch that stands out from your regular purchased Christmas cards.
Start with a blank card (either store-bought blanks or a simple folded card) and cut a shape out of your wrapping paper. It could cover the whole card or add a pattern, like a star or Christmas tree. Glue it onto the front of the card and add other decorations like beads or glitter if you’re feeling creative.
Write your message on the inside and you’re all set. Pair these with your homemade envelopes for a fully coordinated gift guaranteed to wow the recipient.
Scrapbooking
For the scrapbookers out there, you can never have too much leftover wrapping paper. It’s great for creating colorful accents in your scrapbooks or photo albums. For a holiday theme, the patterns and colors will bring a festive touch perfect for Christmas.
Cut decorative borders from the wrapping paper, create photo frames, or craft journaling cards by gluing the paper on plain card. If you’ve saved special pieces from gifts that meant a lot, incorporate them into pages dedicated to those holiday memories. You can also use punches or stencils to cut out fun shapes, like stars, snowflakes, or Santa hats, and layer them throughout your scrapbook.
Save it for Next Year
Finally, if you’ve run out of crafting time, there’s nothing wrong with just saving your leftover paper for next Christmas.
Roll it back up or fold it neatly and store it, ready for next year’s gift wrapping or other crafts. Knowing you already have leftover wrapping paper on hand can save you time when next December rolls around, particularly if you’re someone who leaves gifts to the last minute. And you’ll have plenty ready if you get inspired to try another one of these crafts in the future!