But it doesn't cost the earth to show that you really care by wrapping your present beautifully.
We've got some great tips and simple ideas to help you make your gifts look stunning and original.
Once you have decided how you are going to wrap which presents, you are ready to begin!!
Length - Place the gift 2 inches from the edge of the paper; roll the gift along the paper until you meet the edge of the gift where you began. This will give you enough paper to go all the way around the box plus 2 inches for sticking.
Width - The width of the paper should be no less than the width of the gift plus the height of the gift. The paper needs to go at least half way up the two sides of the gift. Much more and it gets messy.
Show how much thought you've put into their gift before they even get it open.
Break up a rainbow lei, or value rainbow lei.
Using a glue stick, either stick individual flowers on the gift wrap or build up the colours like we have here.
For a really girly look, stick over bright pink or red paper, for a more natural looking field of flowers use green wrap. Alternatively you could just tie a complete lei around the box, rather than a ribbon.
Stick flowers onto the card envelope too.
To brighten up any plain colour wrapping, stick some confetti to the paper once wrapped. If using tissue wrap, use two or more layers and sprinkle some confetti inbetween the layers as well. Not only with the wrapped gift look lovely, but when it is ripped open there will be a cascade of brightly coloured confetti pieces. Don't forget to put some in the card as well. Our Range of Table Confetti
This is a variation of the above method - more for the boys
As with the confetti, use more than one layer of tissue wrap. Sprinkle a few small creepy critters or other spiders between the layers when wrapping and stick some on the outside when finished. Or, just stick on the outside of any gift.
Have a look at our critters section, you may want to try this idea with some of the other spiders.
Jagged Stripes
Wrap the gift in two separate colours. Carefully rip through the top layer to reveal the colour below. Red over orange for flames, white over black for zebra stripes, you can use any colours or just different shades of the same colour.
Keep these in your cupboards at all times and never be caught out by a last minute present again.
You'll save money on expensive gift wrap too.