Ooh and aah, that is what your mind tells you when you first spy a box, since gift wrapping for some – is an art. Not so much the tantalizing of what may be in the box, but the box itself now has all of your attention. For some gift givers, as much thought goes into the preparation of the presentation as went into the choosing of the actual gift itself. Personally, I love a good wrap. (not to be confused with these new fandangled body wraps!)
Little gifts on a gift, a charm, a gorgeous flower, something that sets it apart from the others. Totally drawn into billowing tulle and satin ribbon, pine cones, seashells and lovely keepsake ornaments. Make birdseed ornaments, or bake gingerbread men ornaments.
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| Very Floridian! |
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| You won’t need to pack these away after Christmas! |
And one ornament that took my breath away and will be treasured forever ….
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| My daughter made this two years ago out of clay and glaze. She surprised me with it in memory of my 20 year old cat Chanel, who had passed away just three months before Christmas |
Dried my tears again, and back to business … Quick fyi here, did you know that scotch tape didn’t even arrive in the world til 1930 So prior to that people were very creative and spent less on their household budget, since my kids think tape materializes while they sleep. Yours too? But how about using a wax seal on your gifts instead?
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| Never yell ‘where is the tape again’ |
But my fav for wrap?
Brown paper, my absolute favorite.
“Brown paper packages, wrapped up in string … these are a few of my favorite things”
Why? Because you can stamp it and add tulle and add twine and ribbons and make cut outs and stick them on and you can add pine cones and ribbons and ornaments – its the ultimate in versatility! (and cheap)
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| Instant monogrammed personalised gift! |
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| Add names in a fav sports team colors, your holiday theme color (yes, i have themes most years) or left over Christmas paper! |
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| Add a bauble or a sprig of evergreen, fancy feathers or a candy cane! |
While you are thinking about being green, how about making some of your own Christmas crackers for the smaller gifts and using paper towel holders or toilet rolls?
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| Add a name, a bible verse, a Christmas wish … |
While on the subject of recycling - how about using recyclable bags as gift bags?
I found this one on clearance at a local TJMaxx for only $1.49
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| Recycling bags for gift bags – I may keep this one! |
Another idea for a houseful of kids is to buy different gift wrap for each child. This past year I found fab reversible wrap and so since I have two girls, they each had two wraps that they knew were just for them. The upside to this fabulous wrap idea is that no gift tags are required and since we tend to go a little heavy on the Christmas gifting, this is sort of a gift too me.
You can go practical and be able to actually use the wrapping …
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| Like twice the gift! |
If you are very talented you can create gorgeous fabric flowers …
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| If you are uber creative, make them into pins first, then they will transfer to a bag or a scarf or a lapel! |
But don’t forget you can pack baskets, and pails,
terracotta flower pots are not just for flowers,
glass jars can hold anything with beautiful ribbons caught around them,
with bells and bows and candy canes and snowmen ornaments.
With the faces of your family members on them.
Make little picture frames out of ice cream sticks and cover them in glitter.
Have a family portrait in them or a favorite verse for gifts for your neighbors ….
Fingerpaint your own gift wrap, use potato cuts, and stencils.
Randomly stroke glue across butcher paper and sprinkle glitter (outside of course …)
Let your imagination soar!
If you are a fan of gift tags, how about going completely over board and creating fabulous keepsakes that will have your recipients feeling totally spoiled …
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| Add a favorite Bible verse … |
You can make them with pretty much anything in the house, just fire up the glue gun!
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| A Keepsake Gift Tag! |
The possibilities are endless, have fun with it all!
And a word of advice to anyone heading into their very first family Christmas or with children young enough to make this change … the Three Wise men were not only very wise, but they were organised and brought three gifts for baby Jesus. If someone had told me this theory behind the three gifts of Christmas many moons ago – I would not be responsible for the felling of quite so many trees …
But who doesn’t love watching the faces on their children as they rip into their gifts with glee – so I wish you and yours a very merry Christmas, be green, be creative, be extravagant and be joyful!
Please vote for By Word of Mouth Musings on Babble around 11! Squee …
If the holiday season seems more stressful than joyous, if your budget seems too small to be generous, or if you are simply in search of inspiration, the 12 Ways of Christmas is written just for you! Click on each of the buttons below and join all 12 of us as we share crafts, decor, traditions, and more!
I love these ideas… especially the brown paper with monogram! So cool! Thanks for sharing with us!
Lovely to have you over today …. Christmas will be here before we know it!
These are gorgeous! I love every single one of these ideas and am getting excited planning out my ideas for wrapping!!!
Thank you SO much … and I just followed you and absolutely thrilled to have found you – you my dear, do it ALL!
[...] btw my blog is pulling my blogging side rather than my homeschooling side, so here is the link! http://homeschool.bywordofmouthmusings.com/2011/10/12-ways-of-christmas/ By Word of Mouth Musings´s last [type] ..Howlerific Halloween – Molly [...]
[...] LOVE these … i think i have decided to bypass the Thanksgiving decorating this year and go straight to Christmas when i get home! Lovely to be a part of the 12 ways with you … btw my blog is pulling my blogging side rather than my homeschooling side, so here is the link! http://homeschool.bywordofmouthmusings.com/2011/10/12-ways-of-christmas/ [...]
I love the ornament your daughter made you. My mom still has one I made out of felt scraps when I was 3; it was suppose to be her. Clearly it’s a gift only a mother could love — but your cat one is actually quite lovely!
As for all the gift wrapping… I always say I’m going to do things like this and never do. Maybe if I actually plan ahead, I’ll really do it this year! Thanks for the ideas!
Hi Jamie … Christmas is just my absolute fav … we do loads of trees, decorate all over, play music till my husband is close to packing and leaving and the wrap – yes, love the wrap … there are 11 months inbetween to rest
[...] Can you believe it is so close to Christmas – again? My kids love their traditional baking day and they always get new pj’s on Christmas Eve under the tree which they put on so that Dad can read the Christmas story to them. Sadly, we have never gone out to choose the tree …. Lovely to be a part of the 12 ways with you … btw my blog is pulling my blogging side rather than my homeschooling side, so here is the link! http://homeschool.bywordofmouthmusings.com/2011/10/12-ways-of-christmas/ [...]
Such fabulous wrapping ideas! Love the “usable” wrap one too – twice the gift! How fun!! Thanks for sharing!!
Thank you, so fun to have you here … there is no end to what you can do with wrapping!
I love all these ideas! You have definitely given me new ideas and makes me think I should put more into my wrapping this year! God Bless!
i just want YOU to come and help me decorate after seeing yours!
and see you in two sleeps
[...] btw my blog is pulling my blogging side rather than my homeschooling side, so here is the link! http://homeschool.bywordofmouthmusings.com/2011/10/12-ways-of-christmas/ [...]
I love all of these ideas! So cute and fun
And your conclusion is perfect.
Thank you so much, lovely to have you over here … the blogs linked are just amazing and so blessed to be a part of this!
I love a pretty package, it makes the gift so much better! The wax seal idea is great, going to try that soon. I also have themes each year. Last year I tried something new, one color/style from “Santa”, one for gifts to my family, another for my husband’s family. They all coordinated so they looked good under the tree and it made it easy to know what gift needed to be packed to go to each house.
This is why we like eachother … we get the beauty of it all
Hey, I was wondering if you by chance would be interested in guest blogging for me about homeschooling? The challenges, the rewards? Why someone might choose to do it and things they should consider?
darlena.cunha at gmail.com
Let me know if you’re interested!!
[...] the music, the shopping, the gifts … (yes, wrapping gifts in fact you should check out the 12 Ways of Christmas) Apparently moving six times, having several computers crash, many pics taken before the digital [...]
Very nice!! There is just something about a beautifully wrapped package isn’t there??!!! MMMM!!! I’m getting into the Christmas spirit I think!!
I just found out we have guests arriving the Tuesday before Thanksgiving and toying with decorating before they get there … my husband may not make it