Here's a Christmas gift wrapping idea that echoes earlier times:  Gather excess wrapping material at the top of, or both sides of, a package... Tie it with ribbon of some kind, then cut the excess paper into strips - voilà!... very festive, reminiscent of silly party hats. (The real English-style Christmas cracker is wrapped around a tube, like a toilet paper roll; and when the ends are pulled outward, it makes a noisy pop... and there are tiny toys/goodies inside!)