Darn, I just posted this in the other thread. Anyway, I like the idea of Furoshiki gift wrapping (and with the right fabric, it could be so pretty!), but I wonder what the recipient would do with that fabric afterwards. I know some people would reuse it, but most everyone I know wouldn't know what to do with it, so they would throw it out. Maybe wrapping it in a scarf or tea towel would be a better option for them, since it's two gifts in one.

The map idea is so interesting, too! I love maps.

I love wrapping in plain brown craft paper (super cheap) and then splurging on the most gorgeous silk ribbons in brilliant colors and patterns. Ribbon is much easier and less tacky to reuse, and I've noticed my family and friends carefully rolling up the beautiful ribbons from their gifts and tucking them away for later.

For small packages sheets of music with ribbon are nice.

Isn't photocopying maps sort of defeating the purpose?

First5times, the point of Furoshiki is to re-use the fabric for another gift. The way I handle it is to either accept the fabric back if offered, or collect all the wrapping after gifts are opened when we're at home. But, Furoshiki wrapping always elicitics conversation -- and I use that opportunity to talk about it. Recipients invariably offer the the fabric back or are excited to reuse it themselves. I've even been "re-furoshiki-d" when a friend gave a gift to me on another occasion with the same wrapping.

I don't furoshiki-wrap all gifts, but I do use it more and more as the issue has become mainstream.

Newspaper or plain paper (recycled/saved from other projects) - then stamped creatively (I still have my rubber stamps from the 90's).

Pillowcases tied with ribbons (or shoelaces) could be cute - esp. for kids' gifts and/or oversized/unusually shaped items.

Cloth placemats could be tied around taper candles or any long thin objects.

Make the box part of the gift - use a decorative, sturdy cardboard box that can be used for storage later. You can stick a bow or other decoration on it (or not).

I want to hear more about creative gift labeling/tagging, please!

ditto on the photocopies of maps imo.
i've saved brown kraft paper received as packing this year. even wrinkled i think it can look nice with fabric ribbon. (i have a ribbon fetish and vintage ribbon can be inexpensive and loverly.) i'm also keen to try wrapping using some coolio bubble wrap that C&B seems to be using now, that has large boxes as bubbles, though you could use the regular stuff as well.

as for gift tags, i save christmas cards from year to year and cut/holepunch them to make tags. even if you use the front image for a tag, very often the paper is so nice, you can use it for tags as well. i also have a set of small alphabet rubber stamps and have stamped the To: From: on plain wrapping, though that takes a bit longer.

Following on the kraft paper idea ... a friend and I have a tradition of passing a piece of paper back and forth for random holidays/birthdays, each time adding a decorative element to it - stamps, stickers, doodles, etc. We've been doing this for years and it looks pretty rad now.

I've been planning on cutting up some trader joe's brown paper bags to use the plain underside to wrap some boxes, and then adding fabric sashes made from this pattern.

http://www.amybutlerdesign.com/pdfs/Gift_Box_Sashes.pdf

Re: Creative gift labeling/tagging: my mother-in-law saves her holiday cards for tag-making the next year. She cuts up the fronts of the cards (funky scissor edges optional), punches a hole in them, then attaches with ribbon. Good use of pretty holiday cards that you don't know what else to do with!

Sarracenia, I have done the same thing! I cut out interesting motifs, maybe it's the snowman and the tree on the left and the kid with the dog on the right. Instant gift tags.

I am a giftwrap kinda gal. I use the 3M giftpaper cutter and use the lines of my hardwood floor planks to ensure a straight cut. Using no more than 4 small pieces of easy-to-remove scotch tapeto seal paper to the box, the recipiant can easily remove the wrap w/o tearing and re-use both the wrap and the box.

Kraft paper and kitchen twine. Its funny - the plainness always stand out amidst the mass of silver and blue and red and green :)

We do a combination of things. We reuse paper and bows from gifts given in previous years. Gift tags come from old Christmas cards. For in-house gifts, we make fabric gift bags and wrap in holiday fabric and reuse - each person has their own fabrics so we do not need tags. This year, for others we are wrapping gifts in fabric reusable shopping bags.

Plainer papers can always be dressed up folding in pleats or cutting slits that paper or ribbon can be laced through. Hankies, napkins, gift towels with openings along the borders can be laced as well. Dollar stores are great places for these items. I've also ironed pleats into fabric scraps used to wrap gifts for fellow crafters.

Pleat

plain bag

You could spend hours looking at grift wrapping articles at Martha Stewart. One of my favorite articles ever is about creative ways to wrap money and giftcards. This has been fun for younger cousins that are just learning how to save money and/or manage allowances via piggy bank.

moneybook

giftwallet

candycoins

i reuse ribbons from other gifts and brown paper bags. i just did a post about this the other day:
www.brand-eye.blogspot.com

Here are a few tag ideas:

fortune cookie
tag ribbon/tag handle
pocket & pouch tags

I tend to make the most effort for the kids since they're the one's under the tree, frisking the goods daily until xmas. I've made little pop-ups or pull tab cards. I've used sticker paper to make pics to put on paper frames or inside faux snow globes. I sometimes transform the pics in photoshop or will make some kind of paper doll.

Anyone stumped for tag or label idea will surely find some inpiration from a google image search on those items.

I'm still reusing all of the satin and doublefaced satin ribbon my friends and family used on my birthday presents in September. Bring on the challenge of figuring out how to use fabric swatches and more ribbon! I'm a crafty lady, though, so maybe non-crafty folks would have more trouble.