Gift cards instead of actual presents seem to be gaining in popularity as they are less expensive to mail and provide the recipients with freedom of choice. To add a personal touch, wrap the gift cards so as to give a hint as to the contents.

To do so, you will need to save the cardboard tubes from the centre of toilet tissue rolls. Flatten a tube and tape one end shut. Insert the gift card. Tape the other end shut. (If you are doing several at a time, jot the names of the recipients on the outside so as not to get mixed up when wrapping!) Now comes the fun part.

If the gift card is from a jewelry store, for instance, wrap it in some paper from a coloured advertising flyer showing necklaces, rings, etc. Tie with gold metallic ribbon. If the card is from a garden centre, recycle a page from a seed catalogue and tie with green ribbon. For a youngster getting a gift card from a toy store, use a scrap of Christmas wrap showing Santa’s bag of toys. And what child hoping for a pet wouldn’t be thrilled to get a gift card from a pet shelter where he can go and choose his very own puppy or kitten? (Check ahead of time with Mom or Dad first, though!) The card could be wrapped in paper showing pets of all kinds.

If you plan to hang the gift cards on the tree, tie them so as to have loops for hanging.

Some other ideas for wrapping paper:

Forthebackyardmechanic–apagefrom a hardware catalogue showing tools.

Forthecarpenter–flyerpaper from a lumberyard advertisement.

Forthesportsman–symbolsof his favourite game such as bats, balls, etc.

Forthefast-foodjunkie–paperfromcoupons showing hamburgers.

You get the idea. It’s one that can be applied to other occasions besides Christmas, when to send a gift card is a practical way of remembering a birthday, anniversary or other milestone. – Alma Barkman writes from Winnipeg