4 Ways to Wrap an Oddly Shaped Gift

1. Light It Up

When your item is just too big to cover with paper (a dollhouse, a rocking chair, a bike), “wrap” it with strings of holiday lights. Cover the entire exterior, securing the cords with standard twist ties, ribbon, or fishing line. Don’t worry which way the bulbs point—the haphazardness is part of what makes it feel so festive.

2. Make a Sampler

Want a more personal way to give money? Arrange the cash like an assortment of sweets in a tissue paper–lined plain white box. (Find boxes in all sizes at containerstore.com.) Fold or roll the bills and tie with twine or ribbon, then nestle them in cupcake liners in various shapes and shades (a great way to use up any leftovers, by the way). Sprinkle in a few random trinkets—candy canes, mini tree, reindeer figurine—for even more surprise and delight.

3. Supersize a Christmas Cracker

Take a cue from the classic party treat and insert larger gifts (stuffed animals, instruments) into oversize DIY tubes. Roll a 24-by-36-inch piece of poster board into a cylinder, securing with duct tape. Cover with a sheet of wrapping paper, adhering it with double-stick tape. On each end, tape crepe paper about 3 inches in. (Try metallic crepe paper from castleintheair.biz.) Slip in the gift, gather the paper at each end, and cinch with a ribbon bow.

4. Just Roll with It

You need something malleable to wrap a gift with curves. Enter crepe-paper streamers, which, like an elastic bandage, have the flexibility to conform to any form. Start anywhere and overlap the layers until your gift is covered, then secure with clear tape. If you end up with spherical shapes, it’s simple to turn them into a snowman: Using hot glue, adhere the spheres to one another and add construction-paper accents (eyes, mouth, nose, buttons), then tie on a streamer scarf.