A gift’s wrappings can reflect the personality of the lucky receiver. For music fanatics, a present wrapped in their favorite song’s sheet music with a ribbon tied around it and silver bells softly tinkling on top is sure to bring a grin.

However, presents don’t always need to be so neat. Sometimes it’s necessary to go wild with imagination and create a gift with a colorful streak. Graphic designer Adrienne Wong’s abstract print, for instance, is one that anyone can replicate. By sandwiching different colors of wax shavings between six layers of tissue paper and ironing them until the wax is melted, the wrapping is turned into a beautiful print with a myriad of colorful splotches. Topping the box off with colorful dahlia flowers made out of paper and a modest ribbon will give it a festive flair fit for any occasion.

For those who lack the time, money and even patience to create a gift that’s outside of the box, simplicity is the way to go. Normal everyday household items can turn an ordinary gift to an extraordinary one if one knows how to use them. One way to make an effective yet classy gift without spending money is to wrap the present in newspaper.

Newspaper is durable and can tear easily so it’s recommended to add another layer of the inky paper around the gift. Like most gifts, add a ribbon or two thick threads woven together, tie it, and add a gift tag with the initial of the receiver’s first name to stick to the theme. These types of wrappings can be used for gifts presented to coworkers, teachers, peers or even a very eloquent friend.

Another way to keep things simple is to let the children take over. Children have an imagination that know no bounds, and by letting them take part in this creative experience, they can express their creativity. Give the kids colorful paper and let them draw something related to the special occasion; this makes them feel like they’re important and it helps families bond too.

For a more clever approach, wrapping a present with a puzzle, such as a word search, can also work. With the word search, it’s simple and neat, yet it’ll still catch the gift recipient’s eye as they try to search for the name of their secret Santa in the puzzle.

Wrapping presents doesn’t have to be a tedious job that people do last minute.If done right it can make the holidays even more fun and it can make the present more special.