Wrapping Paper Alternative-- recycle some clear plastic soda or water bottles instead

ajrsmom · #1 (**permalink**) 10-09-2004, 10:34 PM

Wrap Your Gift Inside a Plastic Bottle!

Perfect gift-wrapping for children's gifts!

This is a great way to recycle some clear plastic soda or water bottles instead of a using gift bag. For a fun idea, mail the bottle with a gift or party invitations inside.

For each gift bottle you will need:

A clean 2-liter clear soda bottle
Craft knife (or a box knife)
Acrylic paint, permanent markers or stickers
Curly ribbon or raffia
1 1/2-inch wide ribbon or torn fabric, optional
Use the knife to cut a slit in the bottle that is large enough to squeeze your gifts inside. You may need a bit of patience to get your gifts inside the bottle. It's going to be a tight fit!

Decorate the bottle!

For a baby shower gift, you might paint hearts, lambs, baby bottles, or any other baby items. For little boys, you might add cars, trucks, blocks or some sports related pictures.

If you need it quick, just add some stickers and use permanent markers to decorate.

Attach curly ribbon to the top. You can use the ribbon for a bow on top to hide the cap or just cover the cap with the wide ribbon and tie the curly ribbon around it.

Use your imagination!

These bottles can also be mailed:

Slip an envelope or index card inside with the mailing address and tape it to the inside of the bottle. Pack the bottle with the gift, plus brightly colored confetti or crumpled tissue paper. Use clear postage tape to seal up the slit.

Another fun idea! Use empty plastic water bottles to mail a gift or party invitations.

A very cute gift presentation!

AnnaInOhio · #2 (**permalink**) 10-12-2004, 10:28 AM

Tami

what a cute idea.

Anna

beckri · #3 (**permalink**) 10-13-2004, 06:55 AM

Thanks! This is a perfect idea for my grandma's gift. She recently commented (ie complained) about all the wasted paper at Christmas. We've been discussing how we should wrap her gift- newspaper, aluminum foil, used notebook paper, etc. I love this idea better and I know she will, too. She won't see it as us making fun, which of course I wasn't.

She doesn't understand that I buy my paper after the holidays for a little change.

ajrsmom · #4 (**permalink**) 10-13-2004, 07:16 AM

I just found this idea stuck in one of my folders and thought that I would print it ( probably again). Im glad you like it.

I used this a couple of years ago to wrap a gift for my son. As a filler, I used curly crepe paper strands ( for lack of a better description). I dont remember what I added for the gift but he liked it.

Im always looking for unusual ways to wrap gifts. I think that's half the fun of getting presents!

Tami

beckri · #5 (**permalink**) 10-15-2004, 06:25 AM

Not sure if this qualifies as wrapping or not... But for Halloween for the kids I always give them a treat from Mom and Dad. Usually I go out and buy gift bags. This year I bought two little plain pine wood boxes with a latch at the dollar store. I spray painted them gold (as they often say they need a "treasure box") and applied some stickers and modge podged over them. Then I put their treats inside. No waste. They can reuse their boxes for secret treasures and it didn't cost me much at all.

Just wanted to add that I will be picking up a couple more to make for my niece and nephew for Christmas.

ajrsmom · #6 (**permalink**) 10-15-2004, 08:22 AM

I like that idea!!!

My son would love a treasure box like that! HHHMMM....lots of ideas for this swirling around......

this could also become a tooth fairy box

ajrsmom · #7 (**permalink**) 12-08-2004, 09:49 PM

This bottle idea is featured in this week's edition of Woman's World magazine.

BuddyBeanieBaby · #8 (**permalink**) 01-31-2007, 12:33 PM

We all know how expensive wrapping paper,ribbons and bows can get when wrapping a birthday gift,Christmas,anniversary or any occasion that calls for wrapping...An inexpensive way to wrap your gifts for a child's birthday is to use the colored comic section of your newspaper,or a plain brown paper bag,add your own touches to it,examples:at the dollar store pick up a kazoo or a small car or truck,attach them to the package with string...for a girl do a feminine looking package,cover the gift in white paper first and add balloons,flowers or butteflies cut out of newspapers or magazines...add the child's name to the top of the package...

For a wedding...check your newspapers or magazines for pictures of brides/grooms/wedding cakes/wedding rings...wrap the gift in brown paper and add the cut out pictures you found for a wedding gift...for a baby shower...do the same thing...wrap the gift in a brown paper bag,check out the newspapers or magazines for pics of baby items...attach them to the gift...

One year I ran out of wrapping paper at Christmas,and decided to use the colored comic section of my newspaper to wrap my son's gifts...he loved it and continues to do this for his own children now...

Make your own cards....some card stock,cut outs from magazines and newpapers will add to the cards...even cut out words from the newspaper/magazines to write Happy Birthday on the card...or Baby Shower...or Wedding...or Anniversary...or even Christmas...

Bilby · #9 (**permalink**) 10-31-2009, 09:35 PM

I have recently seen that bottle idea on youtube and wow I love it, I'm going to give it a go for my nieces with lollies and chocs for christmas.
They cut a small 3 sided door rather than a slit.

ajrsmom · #10 (**permalink**) 10-31-2009, 11:20 PM

How did they close up the little door -- with tape?

I'm not sure how our post offices would react to mailing those types of bottles now. I still love the idea for presents.

My daughter has a birthday party to go to in a couple of weeks... for a little boy that is just smitten with her..lol! I don't have a gift in mind for him but if we could buy something to fit within a bottle, I think that this would be such a cute way for her to wrap it.

Thanks for bumping this one up again!