mamiof5 Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 3:45am. Just finished wrapping. I am officially, absolutely done!!! And it's not Christmas Eve. YAY! A first for me. But seriously?? Was up til 3:30 last night...wrapping presents too! And that's not counting a few gifts that were wrapped before, stuff that was mailed etc. Ugh!!! I can handle shopping, but would love to be able to pay someone to get my wrapping done. The good side? I AM DONE!!!! (Insert little dancing guys) :) Happy wrapping everyone!!! And Merry Christmas Eve!!! Yikes!!!! Officially Dec 24th for me ;) :) :) :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
December Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I feel you. I was up until almost 3 am wrapping, but am done as well! Whew! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teachermom2834 Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I let my 7 yo dd do a large chunk of the wrapping. The packages look a bit rough and I am sure more tape and paper was used than I would have but it is so so nice to have help. Same dd also decorated most of the tree. It isn't perfect but I love it. After three male children it is so sweet to have a dd to help with these things. I often am thankful that I am not a perfectionist in these matters :) 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Haha! I actually love wrapping gifts. It's so meditative to spend so much time making these beautiful packages that will very shortly be torn to shreds. I love it!!! It's like a vase-is-already-broken sort of thing for me. When I was a teen, my mom and grandma both used to pay me to wrap presents. Loved. it. :-D I haven't done it yet. I'm saving my gift wrapping for last thing tonight so I can go to bed content. lol 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) I haven't wrapped one single thing. DH and I will be up wrapping until the wee hours tonight. I remember years ago on here there was a poll about whether you wrap presents or not. I was surprised how many people didn't (they arranged presents under the tree) and I begged DH to consider doing that. Nope. Edited December 24, 2015 by Pink and Green Mom 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Wow, you guys either must have way more gifts to wrap than I do, or you must be more elaborate than I am. I just slap it together in probably under 5 min. per gift. I wrapped a bunch the other night while watching TV and have probably another show's worth today. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I use bags that I've had sewn for years. The initial time invested making them is paid off ten hold each Christmas when it takes me about an hour to throw everything in a bag and tie it up. Depending on who is getting it, my knots are complicated enough to make it more challenging the wrapping paper. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abba12 Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I spend 3 or 4 afternoons throughout december doing it (I finish my shopping early). It's nice to do while watching TV or chatting on skype. DH, on the other hand, is in the end room wrapping my presents at 11pm christmas eve, and we haven't even finished prepping our other traditions yet. Sigh. Another after-midnight christmas eve with a 6am wake up from excited little tots lol. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I was so proud of myself that I finished at 11pm on the 23rd. I only had a few gifts to wrap and used a few gift bags as well. If I had tons of free time I wouldn't mind the wrapping but when. It is 10pm before you even have time to start then it is not so great. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) How many gifts do you have??? How elaborate is your wrapping? I love wrapping gifts, consider it a treat, and it really does not take long. I love seeing all the familiar Christmas papers when I open the box, and iT is fun to select just the right one - we make sure not to use tape, just ribbons, and reuse the paper year after year. To the OP: there are places and organizations that wrap your gifts for a donation. And two words: gift bags. Edited December 24, 2015 by regentrude 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeAgain Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I dislike wrapping. Dh enjoys it. I did a little bit but he did the bulk this year. :) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I hate wrapping, too. To make it better I: 1. Don't care how it looks. Everyone knows that it won't be pretty. We all make a joke of it now. When the ends can be all big and puffy and not have to have crisp folds, it makes it all so much easier. 2. I stagger it over many, many evenings. Only an hour at a time or I go nuts. Drives me crazy if it's an endless wrapping session. 3. Bags and tissue paper. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalex Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I think I started to lose my mind last night while wrapping. I starting singing, "I'm bad at wrapping and I know it"...a parody of "I'm sexy and I know it" (or I'm Elmo and I know it). "Crinkle, crinkle, crinkle, crinkle, yeah!" "Crinkle, crinkle, crinkle, crinkle, yeah!" "You need a bow!" 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I like wrapping one present. I do not like wrapping lots of presents. So, I start early and just wrap a few each evening. Spreading it out helps. I agree with the not worrying about having a perfect looking package. Really, they are just going to remove the paper and toss it. No one will remember if it isn't perfect. Bags with tissue are wonderful too. And reusable. I love the idea of fabric bags for packages. I may have to go get some clearance Christmas fabric on the 26th and start working on bags for next year! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 One year I wove inkle 'ribbons' to give as Christmas presents. It took forever (very narrow, but MANY rows.) "Toward a sustainable Christmas" I wrote on the tags. I pictured them becoming a family tradition and getting passed around year after year. However, no one who got them seems to want to ever give them away. The only time I've ever seen one of them get used was years later when my aunt put one on my daughter's Christmas present one year. That was very gracious of her. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I love the idea of fabric bags for packages. I may have to go get some clearance Christmas fabric on the 26th and start working on bags for next year! One tip, make sure your bags are darker in color (aka not white based) or really good fabric. I have a few that aren't usable for our in home presents, but I use them when I go to my mom's house as they won't be sneaking a peek. Make some in a variety of sizes and remember that no one is looking at the bag so perfect sewing isn't necessary. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) A lot of gifts got wrapped this year in bags left over from last year's co-op Valentine party (the kids turned them into mail boxes). Hey, they're red! DD is also getting a few in gift bags-recycled from her birthday party last month. Edited December 24, 2015 by dmmetler 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mamiof5 Posted December 24, 2015 Author Share Posted December 24, 2015 Loved reading all the responses!!! Yeah, I don't do a super pretty job, a decent one. I do enjoy the wrapping paper, so pretty!!! We have 5 kids, 11 nieces and nephews, and other extended family and friends. We give presents for the kids, and Santa brings some. We have very late nights around vChristmas, kids easily go to bed at 11pm, so I start wrapping very late. It just makes for very long nights!! :p Merry Christmas everyone!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 My great-grandmother famously saved not just wrapping paper but tissue paper to use year after year. She would iron it so that it would look new. And my grandmother somehow could wrap presents beautifully and tightly without using tape. So her presents always had reusable wrapping paper on them. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKL Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I haven't started. I am still doing the work that needs to be done and signed before we leave for our vacation (flying out Christmas day). Every year I am up all night long wrapping on Christmas Eve. All night. If I get to bed before dawn, it will be amazing. I don't hate wrapping, but I do like sleep. It's hard. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 We have 5 kids, 11 nieces and nephews, and other extended family and friends. Oh my! That must be veritable mountains of presents. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I thought the point of stockings was so you didn't have to wrap things. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Wrapping is physically painful for me so I find a show on Netflix and binge watch while I wrap. That way I can stop often and continue to watch the show while my body takes a break. I'm thrilled to say I'm done too. Two days of wrapping and Netflix and a few more snacks than was necessary was all it took. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockhopper Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 When my oldest was very young, we started a "Santa bag" tradition. The kids each have a large felt "Santa bag" they leave out on Christmas Eve, and the Santa gift (no matter the size!) magically arrives in it by Christmas morning. Then, about ten years ago, I intentionally collected a lot of reusable cloth gift bags. For a while, amazon had really nice blue velvety ones! Fat Brain Toys had some in green and rust. I bought a couple too, at after-Christmas sales -- small felt ones, for instance. I even have a few Christmas napkins that get used as gift wrap, with ribbons to tie them shut. We always wrap a few present in wrapping paper -- this year, the kids' books and board games got wrapped in paper, and the gifts we sent to my brother's family did also -- but the great majority of our gifts go in those bags. We just put new gift tags on them each year. I enjoy wrapping a *few* presents but not a lot, and I don't like the huge pile of waste paper. This is a really good compromise for us. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pippen Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I'm really impressed with myself because I finished wrapping at 3:30 AM this morning instead of 3:30 AM tomorrow morning. I'd be more impressed if I didn't have to shovel my way through the wrapping mess, etc. in the living room. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 An advantage of having older kids. My youngest dd loves wrapping gifts. For the last several years, I've wrapped hers and she wraps everyone else's gifts. She always worries about doing a good job but I tell her that no one is checking out the wrapping job. They just open the gifts by tearing the paper. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink and Green Mom Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Well for the first time ever I only have 2 gifts left to wrap (and only because I don't know where my husband put them). I am not quite sure what to do now, LOL. DS2 was so easy to wrap for - he only wanted these huge Lego sets that were the perfect size for the roll of wrapping paper I had. No crazy cutting with random long rectangles left over. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
73349 Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 A few cloth drawstring bags have saved me a lot of time over the years! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I don't understand why people keep buying wrapping paper. I have the roll I bought five years ago. 98% of our "wrapping" is just reusing gift bags of different types and sizes. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I don't understand why people keep buying wrapping paper. I have the roll I bought five years ago. 98% of our "wrapping" is just reusing gift bags of different types and sizes. I think wrapping paper is an awful lot of fun to rip off a box, but we hardly ever use any because I reuse gift bags and boxes. We still have a nesting box set I bought 15? years ago. A few years ago, I bought Christmas fabric on clearance, and this year when we ran out of gift bags, I had time to sew new gift bags. I'm not suggesting that as a solution, lol, as it wasn't much of a time-saver this year, but I know it will help in years to come. Maybe a crafty relative would enjoy sewing cloth Christmas and birthday gift bags as a gift suggestion for you for next year. :) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SparklyUnicorn Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I once waited until the last minute. I never did that again. Now I try to do it ASAP! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loowit Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I actually enjoy wrapping gifts. It only took me about an hour to get them all done. I love picking out wrapping paper and bows. I would offer to help other with it, but even though I enjoy it they never look all that great. Santa doesn't wrap any gifts he brings, so I suppose that saves a bit of time, but even then I can't see buying enough stuff to take hours wrapping. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 I hear you. I've started wrapping as I get stuff, just so I can go shove it under the tree and get it out of my way. that said - I didn't start wrapping until this week. and dh bought himself some dress shirts - and asked me to wrap them for him. :huh: "no. I've already wrapped what I bought you, and I wrapped what I bought me." I don't have as much to warp this year as I've purchsed more expensive gifts - so there aren't as many packages. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Governess Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 My wrapping was so quick this year. I bought printed boxes instead of white, and found these cute elasticized bows at Target that you just stretch onto the package. Anything that didn't fit in a box went in a gift bag or my kids wrapped it for me. I think we finished everything in under two hours...definitely a record! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 (edited) I think wrapping paper is an awful lot of fun to rip off a box, We would never have been allowed to do that growing up! The gift wrap had to be removed carefully (just ribbons, no tape) and saved for next year, because you never knew whether replacement gift wrapping paper would be available for purchase in stores. I physically cringe when I see people rip paper off and trash it.... so wasteful OTOH, I must admit that I am ready for some of the 15 year old wrapping paper to retire. There is always a little bit of loss each year. Edited December 24, 2015 by regentrude 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
creekland Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 This is one time I really enjoy being married to an engineer... one who insists I can't wrap presents correctly, so then follows thru with doing it all himself quite willingly. :hurray: He wraps all birthday gifts too... all except his own anyway. We don't get each other Christmas gifts, so no worries there. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annie G Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Dh has always gone to great lengths to disguise my gifts- usually in larger than necessary boxes. So this means he also wants his disguised. I would SO love to just make some cloth drawstring bags and be done with wrapping. I wrap like a toddler. But we only buy each other a few things so I indulge him. This year for the first time ever I am done wrapping before midnight mass comes on tv. That is a true Christmas miracle, people. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogger Posted December 24, 2015 Share Posted December 24, 2015 Yes, it takes me forever because of elaborate wrapping. For example, I just helped my youngest son take Legos out of a box (that would be super easy to wrap) and put the bags of legos into a sock with a hand towel around it and then wrapped it round candy style with bows on both ends. I'm crazy but we don't like it when people guess gifts around here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 We would never have been allowed to do that growing up! The gift wrap had to be removed carefully (just ribbons, no tape) and saved for next year, because you never knew whether replacement gift wrapping paper would be available for purchase in stores. I physically cringe when I see people rip paper off and trash it.... so wasteful OTOH, I must admit that I am ready for some of the 15 year old wrapping paper to retire. There is always a little bit of loss each year. :D Made me laugh. Yeah, me too. That's why we hardly ever use wrapping paper. I hate wasting it, even though we recycle any that can't be reused. But it sure is fun. My dh grew up with tearing into the gifts as a big part of opening presents, so I try not to hyperventilate if the kids tear the wrapping paper off their gifts at MIL's. :P 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 My mil bought these this year, one for each gk and it held everything she bought them for xmas. No wrapping! Awesome and a bargain for how big they are too imo. https://m.bedbathandbeyond.com/1/1/403854-santa-was-here-red-felt-bag.html 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Dh has always gone to great lengths to disguise my gifts- usually in larger than necessary boxes. So this means he also wants his disguised. I would SO love to just make some cloth drawstring bags and be done with wrapping. I wrap like a toddler. But we only buy each other a few things so I indulge him. This year for the first time ever I am done wrapping before midnight mass comes on tv. That is a true Christmas miracle, people. I salute you! I finished at 3am! (Dh and I have fun doing it so it's not bad!) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 The one plus to being ill right now is that DH had to do the wrapping. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 I use bags that I've had sewn for years. The initial time invested making them is paid off ten hold each Christmas when it takes me about an hour to throw everything in a bag and tie it up. Depending on who is getting it, my knots are complicated enough to make it more challenging the wrapping paper.what a great idea! You are saving time, money, and trees! Would love to see a picture of your bags! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 I hate buying and wrapping gifts. There, I said it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 A few cloth drawstring bags have saved me a lot of time over the years!Did you sew these or buy them somewhere? I am seriously interested in getting some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murphy101 Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 what a great idea! You are saving time, money, and trees! Would love to see a picture of your bags! Bed bath and beyond is where my mil got them this year. They were only $5 each and the size of lawn trash bags and fairly thick decent felt (not the cheap crafty like stuff that pills and doesn't hold its shape or look very well) with a nice drawstring tie. They said different things on them like "Santa was here!" or just snowflakes. My 10 year old was able to crawl inside his and have a brother tie it shut. 😠I doubt it could have been made cheaper then $5. I sure was envious of them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JadeOrchidSong Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 Bed bath and beyond is where my mil got them this year. They were only $5 each and the size of lawn trash bags and fairly thick decent felt (not the cheap crafty like stuff that pills and doesn't hold its shape or look very well) with a nice drawstring tie. They said different things on them like "Santa was here!" or just snowflakes. My 10 year old was able to crawl inside his and have a brother tie it shut. 😠I doubt it could have been made cheaper then $5. I sure was envious of them.Hope to have all size bags. I will see if there are some online. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenn in CA Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 I bought some solid red pillowcases last year. They work great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 I make my husband do all the wrapping and I put on the bows. I'm bad at it and hate it. His stuff isn't wrapped :o Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted December 25, 2015 Share Posted December 25, 2015 I love wrapping. (To me, the wrapping is so much more fun than the shopping.) And I love that my fil always appreciates a very nicely wrapped gift. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.