• Just as clothes make the man, wrapping makes the gift. But cleverly wrapped birthday presents need not cost much at all. Whether you are out of wrapping paper or just looking for a novel way to present a birthday gift, consider how everyday items around your home could become the ideal way to dress up a birthday gift.
  
  

Plastic Bags

• Layer three solid colored plastic bags and place the gift inside. Tie them all closed, cut the loops that were handles, and fan them out to form a bow.
  
  

Yarn

• Wrap textured yarn around the gift. If you knit or crochet, you could even whip up a simple reusable gift bag.
  
  

Plain or Decorated Paper

• Go for a natural look with brown paper tied with jute or twine. Use white paper for a clean crisp look and add a colorful velvety bow. Personalize the paper, if you like, by stamping on it, painting it or drawing with puffy paints. You might want to select a dictionary page with an apropos definition on it, enlarge it with a photocopier and use it as wrapping paper, suggests Real Simple Magazine.
  
  

Fabric

• Tie a dishtowel, sarong, handkerchief, scarf or bandana around the gift for a two-in-one present. This idea works well for wrapping oddly-shaped items such as a bottle of wine or a jar of homemade jam. You could also simply wrap a gift in a plain piece of fabric. Look to the Japanese art of furoshiki, or wrapping in cloth, for inspiration.
  
  

Repurposed Paper

• Use newspaper, an obsolete map, calendar pages, old sheet music or wallpaper scraps to wrap a boxed gift. Save the comic section of the paper and any paper bags that have interesting prints or colors so you have them on hand when it's time to wrap a present.
  
  

Embellishments

• The final touch is often what makes for a tastefully wrapped gift. Make your birthday gift stand out with one of the following options. Recycle a birthday greeting card, postcard, or a paint chip to make a gift tag. Secure a cloth or plastic gift bag with a fancy ponytail holder. Tie a package with a jump rope. Attach rosemary, ivy, evergreen sprigs or cinnamon sticks for a natural touch.