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Culinary

What are Some Uses for Leftover Christmas Wrapping Paper?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated May 17, 2024
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Like many, you may find yourself with lots of Christmas wrapping paper left over after the gifts are wrapped. Some people use plastic storage units to keep paper until the next year. This is quite economical, but one can also find many other uses for Christmas themed wrapping paper throughout the year.

First off, when you are taking down the tree, you can use wrapping paper to wrap delicate items, and to provide cushioning between ornaments. This can help quickly use leftover paper. Also, when you open up your Christmas ornament boxes next year, you will have festively wrapped ornaments, which is often appreciated.

If your wrapping paper pattern is on one side only, it can be ideal for a number of children’s crafts throughout the year. It can be used on its plain side as wrapping of boxes for dioramas, or school projects. Also the patterns may work well with children’s projects. Winter scenes could be cut out and used in collages about the seasons, or in numerous other applications.

Some wrapping paper is so pretty, it’s difficult to part with. If the paper illustrates a particular scene, you can cut out a small portion and frame it, either for next Christmas, or for year round use. Alternately, scenes on wrapping paper can be inspiration for next year’s Christmas cards. A pretty scene can be pasted onto a plain card, making the card unique, and saving you money. This is also a nice project for kids when the next year’s Christmas season rolls around.

Some people shred their wrapping paper and use it at the bottom of gift baskets. Paper made of gold, silver or green works very well for Easter baskets. Also,it can be shredded and used to protect items you have to ship.

Wrapping paper rolls provide lots of craft opportunities and play opportunities. Children may enjoy practicing fencing with the long rolls. Alternately, the rolls can be cut to varying lengths for building robots, providing wheels for cardboard cards, or in many other kid’s crafts. Check with teachers at kids’ schools to see if they have any use for these craft materials too.

WiseGEEK is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen , Writer
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGEEK contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.
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Discussion Comments

By heath925 — On Feb 11, 2011

Wow, I had no idea I could use my leftover holiday wrapping paper for so many things! I really like the idea of using pretty scenes on the paper to make my own Christmas cards. My kids would love it too. I'm always trying to find projects we can do together, and this is going on the list for sure.

I think their grandparents and aunts and uncles would love to get these cards from the kids. Thanks for the idea!

By mulinlin7 — On Dec 09, 2009

One thing I did with some of my left-over wrapping paper was make a fun wreath out of it for a Secret Santa gift. It turned out pretty cute, so I thought I'd share.

I'm not very good at explaining things, but here goes:

1) Make a circle out of pipe cleaners however big around you want the inside of your wreath to be. (I found only one pipe cleaner to be too flimsy, so I braided three together.)

2) Cut a strip of wrapping paper a couple inches longer that the circumference of the circle and about three or four inches wide (wider if your circle is large or if you want the wreath to be bigger). Cut the strip width-wise about every half-inch, leaving an uncut half-inch on one long edge to connect it (sorry, I know that's confusing).

3) Tape the end of the uncut edge to the pipe cleaner circle. Make a small fold in the edge so it continues around the circle. Tape that to the pipe cleaner as well. Continue until you have covered the entire circle. Cut off the remaining paper.

4) Make another strip the same way, same length but an inch or two narrower. (I used a different wrapping paper to make it interesting, but you obviously don't have to.) Repeat step three with this strip over-top the last one. Continue creating however many layers you want your wreath to have, making each layer a little narrower than the last. (I only had two layers because it was a small wreath.

5) Tape another pipe cleaner to the back of the wreath to hang it by. You're done! ^^

Tricia Christensen

Tricia Christensen

Writer

With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a WiseGEEK contributor, Tricia...
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