Creative Christmas Gift Wrapping

Why not have 'santa' leave the gift they share, and any accessories you can wrap and open on christmas morning, labeling them for one or the other evenly if possible. You could also, if you don't like the sparse look under the tree, wrap little things like hair accessories, nail polish or lip balm, stationery and pens, little calenders, etc. For them to open. You could likely think of lots of small items for a buck or less to fill out the look of the tree and get the anticipation for christmas morning high...

How about hiding it wrapped..then leave clues for them to find it..racing from room to room....leading them from room to room,,,until finally leading back to the Christmas tree!

I am not the crative one one wrapping but I can tell you the Wii will be a hit!!!

We've had our about 2 yrs or so, got it when they first came out and we still use is as a family, with friends, etc.

how about a scavenger hunt around the house? wrap little packages, each with a clue for the next box. that way you don't put the main gift under the tree and give it away ahead of time.

One year my parents had gotten my sister a jacket which she had hanging in the closet but she had put a box with pennies in it wrapped under the tree with a clue. So my sister had to go find each clue that was wrapped in a box. You could even use marbles in the boxes. Good luck finding a creative way to wrap the present.

Our girls, 18 months apart get alot of duplicate gifts...so in past Christmas': each child gets their own wrap (one blue,one green), then presents together are a different wrap (red) and those together that are biiigggggg gifts as a Wii, wrap it, place it in a bigger box, wrap it, and so on (like at least 4 boxes worth), so that the GIFT that they are sharing...can be opened together.
Also, we have left hints, like an envelope on the tree with their names on it, which leads to another clue, then...it could be hooked up to the TV already set up and ready to play (even a TV in their room or your room. Good luck.

How about having both of them opening the present at the same time or not wrapping it at all. Then with the accesorries, make it where there are enough for both of them to have their own. Like 2 or 3 or however many each so that way they each have the same amount. Just my thoughts!

two words scavanger hunt

I was going to suggest a scavenger hunt...I see someone else already did! My sister and I used to love the excitement of a good hunt. You could wrap little boxes with a clue inside, leading to the next. That really prolongs the excitement versus opening a present or 2 and being done.
Good luck!

Haven't read the other responses, but we did a scavenger hunt sometimes as kids for our presents. THose were always fun. Even if they were the present for just one of us. It's always fun to have to search the house for a gift. It keeps the suspense/anticipation going a little longer (which is what I find fun about recieving gifts as well as giving them)

Packages wrapped separtly and a scavenger hunt to find them is fun. Be sure and write down everywhere you hide them. Hehe
Also, long string attached to the boxes and each girl goes to find there gifts, possible wrapped in a color for each girl so there is no mix-up of who it is for.
One year, my Mom wrapped all our gifts and put my brothers name on all of mine, and my name on all of his. We examined them, shook and tried to guess. Then afetr everything was passed out, we were told to get up and exchange places! We were so surprised.
Have fun-V. B.

i think you should do one of those scavenger hunt type games with the gift, where they find clues that lead them to more clues. the first clues could just be wrapped up boxes with a riddle that suggests where to look next, then eventually they find some of the games and accessories and then finally the wii itself. they could have a lot of fun with it that way, too.

I have seen many times where children are sent on a scavenger hunt around the house to find the gift. You might wrap each of these clues and have them around the house. Even have a separate set for each child. Send them on a hunt and each girl's clues are wrapped with a certain style of paper so they don't pick up each other's clues. Coils be lots of fun for the whole family. Good luck.

When our boys were in grade school we bought them bikes, and "hid" them under a sheet in the utility room, behind the ironing board -- which was always up. Then we send them on a treasure hunt. We gave clues in envelopes to look various places
1. Next see the big cold white box where creatures who once mooed are now in white paper. (the freezer -- where we had beef from the butcher shop.)

2.This is Amigo's favorite spot -- just outside the back door. Look underneath. (Amigo was our dog -- his food dish)

We had 6 clues I think, and we had put the bikes in the utility room with a sheet over them. They ran past the bikes twice in their hurry to figure out the next clue.

What fun for them, and for us to create it.

Another friend has 3 girls, and wraps each girl's gifts in her own unique christmas wrap. Then on Christmas morning they get an envelope with a scrap of that wrapping paper.

We have a small family, so we have one person deliver a gift, the whole family watches that person unwrap that gift, then we go on to the next person. It makes it last a little longer, plus we get to see the joy on that person's face when they open your gift.

A.

wrap a controler for each of them and let them open that first. and perhaps a game for each of them that is more their style...

One Christmas my brother created a scavenger hunt for his sons. They started with a clue [wrapped in a box & placed under the tree] that led them to other wrapped boxes and clues until they found the gift [also wrapped] You can also do this with the accessories.
You can have them follow the clues together or have them take turns with the clues, whatever you think will work with your children.
Hide the clue boxes the night before, in closets, in your car, under furniture, in shoes, in coat pockets, etc.
A great way to have some fun and extend the gift opening.

One of their clue had the kids follow a sting thru the house, around furniture etc., to the next wrapped box.

You can make this as simple or difficult as you like.

Have fun
J.

I second, third and fourth the scavenger hunt idea...
This is what my ex did for our son....he still thinks about it today.
He gave him a picture of him when he was a baby and put a rhyme with nope I don't have your gift you better go check with Uncle Steve, Uncle Steve had another picture of him and it stated cool picture but still not what you are looking for you must go check with Aunt Kathy, Aunt Kathy had another picture of him and it stated sorry not this time either you must go see Grandma....He had a blast and to this day I have kept each of the pictures and rhymes. At the end he found a scooter that was of course too big to wrap! Memories are on the photos and of course the fun times. I recently placed it with his graduation table and all the family was like wow you kept this for him... the sad part Uncle Steve is no longer with us so brought back extra special memories for their family. As you can see my ex and I get along :)

Have fun with it! Our Christmas will probably be a little smaller this year so I am going to try to be creative and add some extra fun too!

Ask a friend for their empty Wii box, fill it with paper so it seems heavy and have each of them open a Wii box. Or stuff the empty Wii box with the accessories. We bought our kids one for their after school year reward and they loved it. They all (3-11,9, and 5)sat on the floor together and ripped it open.)

Have fun.

You could make it a scavenger hunt...wrap each clue and then they can work together to find it somewhere in the house...that way they find it together.

how about a treasure hunt and have them figure out the clues together and find the gift together...
You are a great, creative mom!!!

I was going to suggest the scavenger hunt. Kids have so much fun with those that they don't usually have to have separate gifts to open. And they are the perfect ages. Merry Christmas!

Last year i did a treasure hunt for a "family" gift. The first clue was wrapped and under the tree. They followed it to another wrapped clue etc... They went all around the house and it was actually under the tree the entire time i had just had my mother write the gift tag to myself. No one expected a thing since it was her hand writing. It was so fun and they all got so excited trying to figure out where to go next. My kids were younger so the clues were easier but my oldest daughter liked the game so much we ahd to do treasure hunt for several days on end. She made clues and hid everything from an old toy to her shoes. Good luck!

The layer idea sounds fun. Another thought.. Have a scavenger hunt to find the item. Start with a small gift under the tree that has a note inside....(maybe something like "Its cold outside where would I go to find something warm to wear", and have them go to the coat closet. There you will hide another small wrapped gift with another hint inside. This will give them the opportunity to take turns searching and opening gifts as the hunt for the big surprise. Good luck and have fun.

You could have a savenger hunt around the house. Wrap clues in boxes under the tree that they could each open to find one part of the Wii and I would wrap everything seperately. Since the Wii is a game, make a game out of opening the gift. Have fun!

I love the mutiple box idea and the scavanger hunt idea. you could wrap the clues and wrap the gift in mitiple box's! Sounds fun!!

Now, I don't know how you would think about this for Christmas.. You could do it in a Christmas theme... I once tried to be creative for Valentine's and did a treasure map hunt for my son. He opened the "map" and then the hunt began... it took him many to many clues and places around the house to find his gift... He still remembers this and has asked to do it again...I had to amke my husband get away - he was enjoying it too much - ha.

Sounds fun! Lot's of great ideas and the scavenger hunt would build the excitement. Since your such a great planner you might also want to take on this idea. My husbands grandmother always gives our children a small gift but she wraps them to look like animals! Just using basic craft and construction paper with cardboard. One of the favorites have been a penguin and an elephant...but they are always a big hit! I could probably dig up pictures if you would like to see some. You might can also get some ideas online. She originally got the idea in the 50's from a Christmas magazine. Good luck.

My sister-in-law once bought a trampoline for all her nieces and nephew's; what she did was wrap a card in a box for them to open. On the card were directions to another location. Once there, there would be another card with more directions. This whent on a few more times when they finally ended up back at the house with the directions to the actual present. It helped build suspence and take away from only getting one present from their aunt(they were all used to getting multiple presents from her). Hope this helps to give you an idea.

Hi,
I have given gifts with up to 8 boxes layered to finally get to the gift. Each time I have done this it has been enjoyable and fun! It sounds like a great idea when you are giving it to two people and letting them take turns open the present!

I am detailed and enjoy planning in advance too!
Have a nice day!
R.

What about a scavenger hunt. You could wrap each clue and hide them thoughout the house. We are planning on buying a wii and doing this for our three kids. Makes it fun and they can all be involved.

Have you considered a treasure hunt around the house? You have plenty of time to put it together.

Hi there,

My family loves to wrap creatively. My suggestion is; design the letters, "w i i", cut them out and wrap the "i's" identically. They can be BIG or small and you can be as creative as you want...even putting a message on the letter itself with such creative things using the letter "I" (ie: I love you, you and I are two pieces of a yummy pie, etc.) Have them unwrap the "I" at the same time. At then end of your writing include a "clue" to find the "w" using some play on words like; "I wish you could find the next clue but I guess you will have to Wait." Of course, include more depending on the the layout and items in your house that they would be familiar with. When they figure out that they need to find the "w" the actual "wii" could be already set up w/ the big "W" on it. :) I hope this makes sense. If you wanted to wrap the wii and just have the "w" stuck on it that would be fun too if they hadn't figured it out by then. Happy wrapping!