Shipping a Gift? Create a Surprise in a Box!

By Jan K., The Proofer

© Copyright 2007 to present

 

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Whether you are shipping a Mother's Day gift, a birthday present, or just a thoughtful gift to a friend in need of one, you can make the whole box be a delightful surprise for the recipient! You don't have to even really be "creative" to put together a box that is colorful and will be fun to open and explore. Using these tips, you will be able to send the most simple of gifts in a box that looks like it was packaged by Martha Stewart. And the best part is that you can find all you need at your local dollar store, outlet mall, discount department stores (like Wal-Mart), or my favorite place to find inexpensive gift items: Walgreens (I love their weekly coupon flyer!).

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It's always fun to send a really colorful gift! You can achieve this by using several different colors of tissue paper (my favorite wrapping paper), curl ribbon (you can never have too much or too many colors), and some inexpensive artificial flowers (which work best for gifts for gals, but think greens for a guy). In addition to tissue paper or regular wrapping paper, be creative! Here I show a kitchen towel, and as you'll see below, I use it as gift wrap.

Browse through your local dollar store, thrift shop, second-hand bazaar, discount department store, and Walgreens to pick up neat little gifts.

Sending a unique mug is one of my favorite gifts. I look over what's available at the dollar store, outlet stores, and even stores like Ross to find something special that suits the person I'm buying for (or just suits me, depending on the reason for the gift). I like to supplement gift mugs with a little something special, like this can of Suisse Mocha instant coffee. You can pick up herbal tea or regular tea in different blends and flavors.
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Now you'll need to assemble the materials you'll need to ship the package:
  • Box (I recycle boxes I've gotten in the mail or UPS)
  • Bubble wrap (I likewise recycle)
  • Packing peanuts (despite being styrofoam, there's really nothing like them---just be sure you recycle!)
  • Shredded paper (or excelsior)
  • Sealing tape and address labels (not shown)

For this project, you'll need a pair of wire cutters.
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Using the wire cutters, snip apart the picks of artificial flowers so that you have individual spikes of flowers.

Be sure to snip off all the way at the bottom of the individual spikes. You may need to trim them later, but better to cut them long now and shorten later (you can't do it vice versa!).
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Wrap the gift items.

Here, I'm using the kitchen towel to wrap up the mug. Both are "palm tree" themed, which is a nice plus.
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As you can see, the kitchen towel makes a colorful gift wrapper!
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Wrap the other gift items in single or double layers of tissue wrap. If you need to double-layer, then use two colors for gaily wrapped gifts!

 
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I like to alternate curl ribbon colors.

You can also use multiple strands of curl ribbon in several different colors.

Use the flat edge of a scissor blade to "curl" the ribbon.
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Now, you've wrapped the gifts. Next is putting together a creatively memorable surprise box!

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Begin to box up the gifts by first laying in bubble wrap. Use long enough pieces so that you can lay one piece top to bottom, and then another piece side to side, with long enough tails that you'll be able to fold them over the very top of the wrapped package (see below).

I make a cushion of packing peanuts. Rather than put them in loosely (which is always just such a mess when you open a box), I put several handfuls in a plastic grocery bag. Loosely knot together the "handles" of the grocery, and then "spread out" the peanuts (in the bag) so that it covers the whole bottom of the box.
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Put the wrapped gifts in the box. You might want to "burrow down" into the cushion of packing peanuts to better cushion anything that is potential breakable.
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Using one or more colors of shredded paper, stuff the box around the gifts.
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Push the flower spikes down into the box. I try to push them all the way through into the cushion of packing peanuts. Depending on the height of the box, you may need to shorten the flower spikes.

Arrange the flower spikes at the corners, in the middle, just haphazardly throughout the box.
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Now, add more shredded paper to fill the box.

 
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Fold the tails of bubble wrap to close the interior of the gift box.

If you are shipping something that is fragile, make another packing peanuts "cushion" (several handfuls of packing peanuts in a plastic grocery bag) and lay over the bubble wrap.
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As an added festive and colorful touch, tuck a sheet of tissue paper over the top and down the sides. Use curl ribbon to make a bouquet of flowers (leftover from what you cut off the flower spikes) and add to the top. You might want to use a piece of tape to secure the flowers to the tissue.

Although these flowers will likely get crushed, it will still be a very pretty presentation of your gift when the box is opened by the recipient!

Seal the box, and add shipping labels as needed to ship the gift.
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If you are looking for other Mother's Day gift ideas, and don't need to send the gift, here are some fun Mother's Day gift ideas that use the free printable Mother's Day gift bags that are available at Mom's Break Mother's Day.

 

Mother's Day Gift Bags

For more Mother's Day Gift ideas offered by Jan's Reading Room, go to

Mother's Day Index 

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 Get more Mother's Day free printable cards on Mom's Break Mother's Day.
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