A gift can be personalized for the holiday or special occasion. Another way is by using the recipient's favorite colors or by using wrapping materials that reflect a hobby or special interest.

By using innovative ways to wrap gifts, you can save money as well by using materials that are readily available at very little cost to you.

Create an attractive wrapped gift by choosing unusual wrapping paper or other materials. Use sheet music for the music lover, maps for those who enjoy traveling, or newspaper for anyone who keeps up with what's going on in the world. Use specific sections of a newspaper such as the sports pages, comics, etc. Other paper products that are usable are the pages from telephone books, magazines, coloring books, or comic books. Paper doilies, decorative paper napkins, aluminum foil, crepe paper, or brown craft paper are unique paper products that work well for wrapping gifts.

In addition to paper wrapping materials, delicate fabrics such as tulle, netting, organza, and chiffon are lovely for feminine gifts. Color coordinate the gift box with sheer fabric so the color blend nicely if the box shows through the fabric. Add a satin or sheer organza ribbon and loosely tie the ribbon into a bow. When using fabric, wrap gift boxes as usual or wrap as you would a gift basket by pulling extra fabric over the top of the gift with enough fabric to tie with a ribbon. If desired, tie a pretty silk flower in with the ribbon.

One of my favorite wrapping papers come from purchased shopping gift bags. My local dollar store has hundreds of different designs for one dollar each. The paper used in these bags in heavier than purchased gift wrap and many of the papers have a shiny finish. Simply cut them into the size you need for wrapping your gift and don't forget to use the matching gift tag.

Coordinate the color and type of ribbon used with the gift wrapping. Raffia and twine are better for gifts that are not feminine in content. Satin, sheer organza, or grosgrain ribbon in patterns or solid colors are lovely for feminine gifts. Ribbon with wire on the sides is easier to tie in a structured-type of bow than ribbon without wire. Curly ribbon is always nice and the easiest to work with. You can combine several colors or add a fixed bow or allow extra curled ribbon to cascade onto the gift.

Adding small items is a great way to dress up your gifts as well as to tie in the theme of the gift. Choose a rattle or small toy for a baby gift. Add small white wedding bells to a bridal shower or wedding gift. Tie candy canes or small ornaments into the ribbon on Christmas gifts. Small toys, decorative cookie cutters, silk flowers, and any other small unbreakable items that can be tied with ribbon will be nice additions to complete your gifts.

Cello bags are inexpensive, keep your gifts dust free, and make gifts easy to transport. These bags are also used to wrap gift baskets, but they are wonderful for potted plants as well as for unusual shaped gifts. They are available in clear, many colors, as well as many decorative designs. You can purchase these bags in some card stores as well as party stores.