Tips for Wrapping Odd-Shaped Gifts

Struggling to figure out how to wrap one of those odd-shaped gifts? Don't fret, a lifestyle expert is here to help you! My honest opinion...this lady has way too much time on her hands!

From jewelry to bikes, the 'Today' show had lifestyle expert Amy Goodman share some tips on wrapping dd-shaped gifts. I don't know about you, but I would just leave it unwrapped before trying to tackle any of these projects!

How to wrap a necklace, earrings and bracelet

Try using: toilet paper rolls
Flatten a toilet paper roll (you could also do a paper towel roll) into a rectangle. Using a plastic knife, serrate half moons along the edges at both the front and back. Fill with your gift contents. Then, bend the edges to make a cylindrical storage box. Lastly, wrap with paper and secure with touch of ribbon.

How to wrap sports balls

Try using: a paper cup
Create a fun character, like Santa, from your gift! Start with a medium-sized paper coffee cup. Weight it down with something like rocks or dried beans (keep these in a plastic bag, in case it tips over) from your pantry. Take the ball you are gifting and wrap, roughly is okay — as the sides can be the ears — in two sheets of tissue. Hint: keeping the inner sheet a darker color conceals any ball color and markings and the outer sheet can be the skin color of your Santa. Next, balance the ball on the cup and, using construction paper, cut out Santa eyes, cheeks and nose, and place on the face with glue stick or double stick tape. Make a beard by gluing white pom poms or cotton balls onto a Manila folder cutout in a beard shape, and tape on. Next, add a Santa hat. You can further decorate the cup by wrapping it in red construction paper and adding black construction paper as "buckles/buttons" for Santa's suit! So cute!

How to wrap a tennis racquet or golf club

Try using: Butcher paper
Using two sheets of butcher paper from a kid's painting easel, Goodman generously outlines the gift with a four-inch buffer around the racquet and cuts out the two sheets of paper. Using double-stick tape, she seals the racquet inside, making the seams as neat as possible (this helps keep the paper in place for the next stapling step). The paper will likely buckle in spots, but just do the best you can to keep the paper smooth and flat. Then, use a stapler at two-inch intervals to seal the racquet inside. You can cut down the "lip" beyond the staples if you wish or just it leave intact. Then, decorate using sporty red washi tapes to make a mod candy cane design. Fun and festive!

How to wrap large luggage

Try using: Patchwork design
Make a patchwork paper design using washi tape to connect the disparate pieces. Using left over pieces of wrapping paper, simply piece together your own gift wrap using washi tape to hold things together, and delicately wrap your luggage. At the spots where seams come together, you can put an ornamental design you make out of construction paper, like a little tree, reindeer, angel or ornament.

How to wrap a small bike

Try using: Fabric
Goodman was inspired by the Japanese tradition of wrapping called furoshiki, where you take a piece of pretty fabric to cover up a gift without the use of tape, pins, clips or other accessories — it's just knots and fabric! Once the gift is bestowed, the receiver actually gives the fabric back. This idea is great for most mid-sized gifts and bottles for the holidays, too. Try a clean dish towel for smaller items, and a sheet or a tablecloth can work for larger items like a small bike. Maybe start the tradition of furoshiki in your own home, and reuse the fabric every year! For a small bike, Goodman used a fair trade tablecloth that she had in her pantry.

However you wrap your gifts, have a Merry Christmas!