How to gift wrap certificates?

December 10, 2008 1:57 PM

Clever/pretty ways to "wrap" gifts that are just pieces of paper?

For Christmas this year, I'll be doing a few of these sorts of things as part of my presents for my family. Since the actual gift is intangible, I'll just have certificates printed from my computer to physically hand to everybody. I could of course just roll the certificates up like scrolls and tie with a ribbon, or stick them in envelopes, but can you incredibly clever people think of some prettier/more interesting ways to present them?

Thanks muchly!

posted by ultraultraboomerang to home & garden (16 comments total)

How bout a container or inexpensive trinket appropriate to the charity?

For example, the animation on the site shows a gift to building playgrounds. You could glue miniature toy playground equipment in a (clear plastic?) box with a lid, and put the certificate inside. You can then wrap the box. The box/trinket could be personalized with a sharpie to commemorate the year, and would serve as a keepsake to the recipient. Shoeboxes, jars, thick colorful plastic "permanent" lunchbags, chinese food cartons, brightly colored document folders and other interesting, inexpensive containers can be found at craft stores. Look for inexpensive dollhouse furniture, party favors, toys, or related items at your local dollar store.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 2:11 PM on December 10, 2008

Oragami?
posted by JuiceBoxHero at 2:27 PM on December 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

Message in a bottle.

Envelopes with wax seals.

Paste the paper on cardboard and cut it into a puzzle.
posted by ocherdraco at 2:28 PM on December 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

My dad gave me a certificate as a gift once. It was rolled into a scroll and then he did the tiny-box-inside-small-box-inside-bigger-box-inside-medium-box-inside-large-box-inside-huge-box trick.

It was annoying, but it did the job.
posted by alpha_betty at 2:37 PM on December 10, 2008

Wrap it around a chocolate bar, then wrap that?
posted by Tomorrowful at 2:51 PM on December 10, 2008 [2 favorites]

Paper planes
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 2:52 PM on December 10, 2008

Could you put it in a cracker? The only problem is that people might not see it inside, but if you're there when they open it then that would be okay.
You could either get ones and try to open them to put the certificates inside, or you can get kits to make your own. It's still got the fun of the banger inside too!

Beats a bad joke any day!

(Just checked: you might not have Crackers where you live. Here's wikipedia)
posted by kg at 3:05 PM on December 10, 2008

Chinese takeout boxes you decorate yourself. Either buy from your local restaurant or crafts stores have them.

Go to a thrift store and buy used stuffed animals, then have the scrolls wrapped between the stuffed animal's paws.

Print the certificates on thick paper, then cut up in a puzzle pieces into pretty little glass bottles (cheap at craft stores). Watch people have fun put the pieces together.
posted by HeyAllie at 3:27 PM on December 10, 2008

Tie it to helium balloon. Put balloon in box. Giftee opens up box, balloon floats out with certificate attached.
posted by jessamyn at 4:04 PM on December 10, 2008 [4 favorites]

New York magazine recently did a piece on eight creative ways to wrap a box.
posted by smackfu at 4:16 PM on December 10, 2008

My relatives used to sneak them under the lid of a giant can of cheese balls. Any sort of snack food with an opaque lid and one of those "safety-seal" papers covering the lid provides a nice middle ground to sneak something in.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 4:21 PM on December 10, 2008 [1 favorite]

One year I made a donation to the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (OSPCA) in the name of a friend for Christmas. I went to a local branch to make the donation and brought my camera. They let me take photos of the animals and I chose the best shot to frame and give to her for Christmas. She still keeps that picture on her desk at work. ;)
posted by kaudio at 4:55 PM on December 10, 2008

We used to get things like that in a paper towel tube, filled with little extra gifty bits and nicely wrapped.
posted by oneirodynia at 10:13 PM on December 10, 2008

Tie it to helium balloon. Put balloon in box. Giftee opens up box, balloon floats out with certificate attached.

This has to be one-upped: Fold certificate, insert in balloon, inflate balloon. Then what jessamyn said.
posted by whatzit at 3:29 AM on December 11, 2008

Not exactly creative, but the Bilz Box is fun for everyone (other than the frustrated recipient).
posted by timepiece at 3:45 PM on December 12, 2008

Anthropologie and Starbucks (and others, I'm sure) package their gift cards in pretty fabric envelopes decorated with buttons, stitching, etc. If you're crafty, you could make this sort of thing yourself.
posted by i_am_a_fiesta at 9:45 PM on January 4