Hard to believe but we’ve been working on our plan for a calmer holiday season since September. Are you more in control, more intentional?
Now is NOT the time to panic but rather to look back and see how well you’ve thought through your gifting and budget and consider how you’ve managed time and holiday stress. If you’re not as ‘together’ as you’d like to be, don’t beat yourself up. Life gets in the way of our neat, clinical plans and we just adjust as we go. I personally strive to live in a state of continuous improvement in every aspect of life – never really disappointed but never completely meeting all those idealistic goals. And, if you’re more ‘together’ than ever, give yourself some well-earned credit. After all, next year is yet another opportunity to become that the fine tuned organization maverick you’ve always wanted to be!
This month we’re going to tackle what can be the least favorite part of gifting – wrapping and presenting those special items. Unfortunately, this is also often a source of cost over-runs. The tips I share here are intended to get your packages wrapped in an attractive, cost and time effective manner. This post will not land you a spot on your local morning news show as a ‘gifted wrapper’; best to you if that’s the notoriety you seek and please share your tips with our readers if that’s where your skill level lies, we’d love to hear from you.
Color Scheme
Save money by purchasing two large rolls of sturdy weight, coordinating reversible paper. I use rolls of Hallmark paper available at Sam’s Club. Don’t be lured by multiple roll boxes of paper at low prices. Often these are thin papers which easily tear and many only contain enough paper to wrap one-two boxes each.
Keep in mind the individuals whose gifts you’re wrapping as you’re selecting paper – are you wrapping children’s packages? men’s? co-workers?
Add variety to your packages by selecting two or three different rolls of ribbons that work with your reversible papers. Again, Sam’s Club is a great source of ribbon at Christmas time. Their rolls are well-priced, 50 yards and available in many coordinating patterns. Plus most are wire-edged making it easier to tie a pretty bow and making the 50 yard roll a good investment as bows can be re-shaped and re-used for a couple years if properly stored. But at the price of Sam’s Club ribbons, I don’t feel bad throwing them out each year when the unwrapping is done.
Will you need tissue paper? For the inside of garment boxes? Or, to wrap around those odd-shaped gifts that are ‘un-boxable’? If so, select a sufficent size package of a color that coordinates with those reversible rolls.
Tools Needed
In addition to the paper and ribbon, you will want boxes, tape, scissors and a large flat surface at a comfortable height such as kitchen table or counter. An often forgotten wrapping space is the folding table/counter in the laundry room. A bed can also serve as a good surface if you first place a large cardboard box on top of it.
Appropriate boxes are available at dollar stores, drugstores and big box stores in a wide variety of size combinations.
Neatness Counts
The simplest step to achieving stunning packages is to be neat – cut straight lines, fold and crease paper; use small, strategically placed pieces of invisible tape.
I recommend you also keep your wrapping space neat so you don’t spend time searching for the tape, scissors, gift tags, etc.
Strategy
Some like to wrap as they buy gifts. To me this means repeatedlygetting all the supplies out and cleaning up, having to remember what’s inside each box (this dilemma can be solved by writing the package contents on a post it note and attaching the note to the box).
I prefer to do as much wrapping at one time as possible by grouping each person’s gifts together. I take a moment to assess how I’m going to use those two rolls of reversible paper and colored ribbons to create a wrapping ‘style’ for each person. Sometimes I wrap all of one individual’s gifts in the same print; sometimes I use all the patterns. My favorite way to personalize a set of packages for one person is to create a tower. I affix the components of the tower with two pieces of tape rolled into continuous pieces so as to form two-side tape without the expense. I then tie a pretty ribbon around the tower with the bow at the very top.
A good solution for several smaller items is to wrap each in tissue paper and put them all in one box for final wrapping. Makes a fun gift for the recipient to unwrap as well.
Ribbons and Bows
Tie ribbons and bows as you’re comfortable. If you’re seeking a higher level of ‘bow-dom’ consider the tips in this bow making video. The demonstrated bow making technique can be used with any width ribbon as you most likely won’t want the size bow make in the video.
If this wrapping stuff is not for you or there’s just no time this year, don’t hesitate to find a teen-ager or gift shop that will be happy to do your wrapping for you. Teens generally work for gas money or rides; gift shops generally charge anywhere from $3 to $9 depending on package size and complexity.
When the wrapping is done regardless of who does it, be sure to take a well-earned break and kick back knowing you’re ready for Santa’s arrival! Have a Merry Christmas!
Gifts To Go 