Here are some creative and cost-efficient ways to wrap gifts this holiday season

Wrapping your holiday gifts can be done uniquely and elegantly using household items without breaking the wallet, says an Ottawa expert.

“It’s expensive out there, and why not have some fun at home and use some things you can find around the house and be creative,” Tracy Martineau from Vanilla Staging and Home Organizing told CTV Morning Live Thursday.

Tea towels, tupperware

While a tea towel can be a good gift idea, it can also be used to wrap up a gift.

“It’s like a double gift. And (there is) no waste,” she said.

“Add a little bit of decoration on it or an ornament.”

Decorating a beautiful tupperware while adding the actual gift inside also works, according to her. She says the gift receiver will benefit from it later.

She recommends using a T-shirt, a scarf or papers from old magazines and books for wrapping gifts, such as books, toys and many other items.

Craft paper, lunch bags, holiday napkins

Giving craft papers a second life by drawing on them, or adding leaves from trees, is another creative way to present your gifts, Martineau says.

She suggests using a brown lunch bag to make a gingerbread house. This can happen by folding the bay and drawing on it.

Holiday napkins can also be used for gift wrapping. Martineau suggests adding an ornament or a twine for decorations.

“A lot of gifts come pretty wrapped too,” Martineau said. “So, you can find some really beautiful gifts that already come in beautiful wrapping, which is amazing.”

Martineau says there are different techniques and ways for the wrapping process. Those techniques are available online, according to her.