no ribbons on presents?

[Chris in VA]

Hmm. You all have got me thinking. How nice would it be to have a few yards of different Christmas calicos from Walmart (so, cheap fabric), and use instead of paper. For those who don't sew and can't make bags (me...), we could still use to wrap gifts and even just use tape if we wanted. No need to hem if we pinked the edges, right?

I keep thinking how quiet Christmas morning would be without the tearing paper! 😂

IDK, maybe a mix of paper and gift bags and cloth would be a solution. I like the sound and the excitement of ripping open paper. But it feels right to use cloth, too. 

[SKL]

No ribbons here.  Pretty sure it's been like 40 years since I used one.

For home or the grandparents' house (lots of kids/gifts), I wrap the gifts and pile them up, and I scatter some bows around.  I don't stick the bows on, so they are easier to re-use.  Here and there I might tape one corner of the bow onto a special gift.

Last year I bought a bunch of cloth gift bags.  I used some of them for odd-shaped kid gifts, but most of them for adults' gifts.  It sure made my job easier than prior years.

If I'm just giving one or two gifts, I am more careful about making them look pretty with a bow etc.  But for piling gifts under a tree, the combination of paper designs + a few random bows is enough eye candy.  (I try to choose nice coordinating paper and place the gifts so they look nice as a whole picture.)

[Laura Corin]

11 hours ago, dmmetler said:

I have cloth bags in various sizes (from "jewelry pouch" to "reusable grocery bag") plus some larger paper ones that get reused until they totally disintegrate. It's not nearly as Instagram ready, but it serves the same purpose, and it is FAR less stressful for me. 

I'm using up paper this year (bought too much last year and we don't have big presents this year) then I'll buy bags for next year and thereafter.

For now, I just stick bows on. 

[MEmama]

I love hearing how many people use reusable bags! And I totally love the idea of using pretty fabric to use as wrapping; as a non- sewer I wouldn’t have thought of it. 

It's been many, many years since we accumulated any extra trash as a result of Christmas, but I’m always looking for ways to lessen our impact even more. 

[TheReader]

7 hours ago, Chris in VA said:

Hmm. You all have got me thinking. How nice would it be to have a few yards of different Christmas calicos from Walmart (so, cheap fabric), and use instead of paper. For those who don't sew and can't make bags (me...), we could still use to wrap gifts and even just use tape if we wanted. No need to hem if we pinked the edges, right?

I keep thinking how quiet Christmas morning would be without the tearing paper! 😂

IDK, maybe a mix of paper and gift bags and cloth would be a solution. I like the sound and the excitement of ripping open paper. But it feels right to use cloth, too. 

Oooh, I like that idea, too. I'm thinking what cool stuff you could get at Joann's many sales, especially when they do their flannel for like $2-$3 a yard and such....

5 hours ago, Margaret in CO said:

We use all cloth bags. Occasionally we don't get them back. Oh well. I have a HUGE box full that I've made over the years, and I can always sew more. Look for Christmas tablecloths in January, along with 50% off fabric in July and December. I don't do bows. 

More good tips! Thanks for these suggestions. I think I'm going to shift to this for next year; we have gobs of paper at the moment -- DH likes to have *variety* under the tree (we are a multi-colored lights, multi-colored balls, and multi-patterned papers family....). He literally would prefer to not have a single repeat of wrapping paper under the tree.

It will be so fun to shop for sale fabrics with the idea of making "wrapping paper", bags, etc. to use! 

[Tree Frog]

11 hours ago, TheReader said:

Let me see if I can find them; they're from Target and usually in the party type area. Walmart also has them. 

Hmm, I can't seem to find the exact ones on Target online, but these are similar from Amazon. I can't quite figure out the correct search terms to find the ones that I actually have; mine are oval shaped and different colors, and I wrote on them with permanent marker. 

These seem to work the same way, though, with the cling style. 

https://www.amazon.com/Chalkboard-Labels-Complete-Bundle-Stickers/dp/B00MN4VRG2/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=vinyl+drink+labels+cling+on&qid=1576808488&sr=8-3

 

Thank you. I didn't even know where to start searching, so this helps a lot.

[mmasc]

I like to use tulle as ‘ribbon’ tied around my boxes (criss cross and tied into a bow). One roll from Hobby Lobby is cheap and lasts a very LONG time. Plus, I can easily stack the boxes for traveling and nothing looks squished! 

I love these pretty cloth bags you all are linking and talking about though! I had no idea that’s what amazon did for gift wrap, but I like it. I’m not sure why, but I’m a packaging kind of gal. I’d rather have an empty box wrapped beautifully, than a diamond wrapped ugly. 😂

[ashfern]

I never do bows or ribbons. 

[SamanthaCarter]

I use fabric ribbon (without the wire) so I can keep it. I’ve always preferred wrapped packages to bags, but I’m super tempted by these festive cloth bags you all are discussing. We have a million Amazon ones though, so making more of my own might not be the best use of my time.

[ktgrok]

I just spent 30 minutes looking up how to make reusable gift bags thanks to this thread - then realized mine would probably end up covered in dog and cat hair. Sigh. 

[skimomma]

No ribbons here.  In fact, I have to remove them from any gifts that come into the house because I have a cat that loves to eat ribbon.

I wrap all gifts in newspaper comics.  Then sharpie names right on them.  Easy to stack, free, and recyclable.  We have an elderly neighbor that saves the comics from her newspapers for my dd to read, then I collect for "wrapping paper" after she is done.

For extra special gifts, we wrap in brown packing paper and then decorate with marker.  But still no ribbons.

 

[Murphy101]

If you really want to add the sound of opening gifts - wrap with cloth and use Velcro instead of tape. I kid you not my mil lamented missing the sound of ripping open presents. Did that and she was delighted. Go figure. Lol

[Guest]

I don’t put ribbons or bows on them anymore. For one thing, they stack much better. 

This year is the first year I have done this, but I used a different, particular roll of wrapping paper for each kid and for dh so no gift tags except on gift bags. I like the way their presents look uniform and quite neat sitting together. But I don’t think this was ultimately the best idea, and is probably not repeatable, because one toll is almost exhausted while another has plenty remaining. I also now have to “hide” the rolls so nobody else wraps their gifts in those papers which will confuse matters. 

But ribbons I have not done for years and years. 

[ktgrok]

13 minutes ago, Murphy101 said:

If you really want to add the sound of opening gifts - wrap with cloth and use Velcro instead of tape. I kid you not my mil lamented missing the sound of ripping open presents. Did that and she was delighted. Go figure. Lol

ooh----that would work with those cloth gift bags, right?

Yes, I said they would get cat hair all over them but I'm still contemplating the idea. 

 

[MercyA]

Came across this on Snopes last night and thought of this thread:

The Science of Gift Wrapping Explains Why Sloppy Is Better

🙂 

[Murphy101]

4 minutes ago, Ktgrok said:

ooh----that would work with those cloth gift bags, right?

Yes, I said they would get cat hair all over them but I'm still contemplating the idea. 

 

yep. I’m super lazy and just use the self sticking Velcro like “tape” for plain fabric.  Who cares about pet hair? I don’t.  You live with them, so obviously you don’t.

I still have a tonne of gift wrap paper from the last time I bought any five years ago. But once it’s all gone, I doubt I’ll buy anymore. There’s just not a need for it. 

[Pen]

9 hours ago, Chris in VA said:

Hmm. You all have got me thinking. How nice would it be to have a few yards of different Christmas calicos from Walmart (so, cheap fabric), and use instead of paper. For those who don't sew and can't make bags (me...), we could still use to wrap gifts and even just use tape if we wanted. No need to hem if we pinked the edges, right?

I keep thinking how quiet Christmas morning would be without the tearing paper! 😂

IDK, maybe a mix of paper and gift bags and cloth would be a solution. I like the sound and the excitement of ripping open paper. But it feels right to use cloth, too. 

 

Look up Furoshiki which uses flat cloth to wrap gifts. And one can do it without special decorated cloths or fancy origami like tying.  

It was recommended to me as a way to use old sheets, or sometimes even old T-shirts—especially if they have an attractive pattern, but also even if just plain.

also cloth wrappings are usually safer for around pets—no toxic inks, not as rapidly easily consumable   Especially good if wrapping a gift for a dog and allowing dog to open it.

[gardenmom5]

I save my family "fancy" gift tags from year to year.  I throw them away as they get worn, but new ones to have a supply of "blanks".  I buy cloth ribbon, it get's reused until it's too short.  I tie the ribbon into bows - so I don't buy bows.  I'll buy large rolls of gift wrap (preferably reversible) - that can last a few years.

and I need to get puppy and <5lb ball-of-fluff this morning (who walks right under the tree, and tries to nibble on decorations) - then 1dd takes two weeks off (she also has jury duty in there somewhere)  I'd put some amazon boxes under there to attract ball-of-fluff . .  . dh put them in the recycle bin.  thunk.

[Sherry in OH]

11 hours ago, rebcoola said:

That's what they send when you choose gift wrap. Since most of our extended family sends gifts each year for birthday and Christmas that way so we just keep them.  We have made some to.

 

I guess we are cheap.  Nobody in my family pays to have gifts pre-wrapped.  Either they purchase the item in a store and wrap it themselves before mailing or they have the unwrapped gift sent direct.  I wrap the items sent for Christmas, mainly because all come addressed to me.  Birthday gifts are addressed to the intended receipient and the packaging serves as the wrapping.   

I rarely use ribbons or bows.  I use gift tags sent by NWF and other charities.  Otherwise I use the backside of scraps of wrapping paper as labels or write directly on the paper.   In the past, I've wrapped blankets or lengths of cloth over larger items in lieu of wrapping.    

 

[Chris in VA]

I did print my own giftwrap one year for some gifts--cheap brown paper ("craft paper") and red kid paint on cookie cutters. It was a fun kid project ad looked all homespun Christmas. But still, paper. 

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Once upon a time, I spent 20 minutes on each gift, creating a work of art with ribbons, bows, twigs, stems, berries, etc. They were beautiful.

That was a VERY long time ago.

I stopped using bows or ribbons when we got the third kid, and nieces and nephews, and there were just too many presents under the tree. I stopped using boxes for soft goods when the stores stopped giving them away for free. I have become quite proficient at wrapping PJ's in paper, and the only time I use ribbon is when I'm wrapping hardcandy-style, and need to tie off the ends.  Or, if it's another weird shape and I need a bow to hide the irregular ends of the paper coming together.

No guilt.

 

[Laura Corin]

3 hours ago, parent said:

I think the sound of tearing paper makes gift opening so exciting!  We don't do excessive gift giving but the ones we have, I wrap beautifully with ribbons and bows and pretty tags.  I don't put out anything until Christmas Eve and I love to see my daughter's face in the morning.  She always just stands and smiles at the tree.  She, for one, appreciates the beauty and is fine waiting to open presents.  We don't rise early.  Around 8 or 9, we open stockings.  Then we eat breakfast, then we open presents.  So we have a bit of time to enjoy the wrapped display.

I tape on the bows because otherwise they fall off.  I haven't wrapped anything yet, though, so I feel I have a looming task.

Although this doesn't tear, it does crinkle 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Reversible-Crackle-Wrap-Disco-Feathers/dp/B081BNJ6D6

[Jaybee]

I had been looking for a couple of really large gift bags for some sleeping bags, and couldn't find something big enough. So then I was going to put them in boxes to wrap, but I found these at Michael's first: https://www.michaels.com/assorted-reusable-tote-bag-by-celebrate-it/10607152.html

(I don't know if the link shows the really big ones or not.) I was so glad--they were cheaper than the largest paper gift bags I saw, and now the recipients will have a bag that can also keep all their gifts in one place. I wish the Michael's was closer, and I'd buy up a bunch of them to use next year.

[Sneezyone]

3 minutes ago, Jaybee said:

I had been looking for a couple of really large gift bags for some sleeping bags, and couldn't find something big enough. So then I was going to put them in boxes to wrap, but I found these at Michael's first: https://www.michaels.com/assorted-reusable-tote-bag-by-celebrate-it/10607152.html

(I don't know if the link shows the really big ones or not.) I was so glad--they were cheaper than the largest paper gift bags I saw, and now the recipients will have a bag that can also keep all their gifts in one place. I wish the Michael's was closer, and I'd buy up a bunch of them to use next year.

 

You can also make a gift bag out of wrapping paper using Internet tutorials. It's totally do-able with thicker paper and can be made to any size. There's no storing bags for later AND it's all recyclable. I use craft-paper (some pattered), wire ribbon, and twine for my packages anyway.

[Jaybee]

4 hours ago, MercyA said:

Came across this on Snopes last night and thought of this thread:

The Science of Gift Wrapping Explains Why Sloppy Is Better

🙂 

Ha--I guess it's a good thing I'm a sloppy wrapper then! I used to know how to wrap nicely, but somewhere along the way, I lost the skill and my packages just don't look very good. I guess I should watch some youtube videos. But really--how can you forget how to do it right? It's not like it should be hard or anything.

[Jaybee]

7 minutes ago, Sneezyone said:

 

You can also make a gift bag out of wrapping paper using Internet tutorials. It's totally do-able with thicker paper and can be made to any size. There's no storing bags for later AND it's all recyclable. I use craft-paper (some pattered), wire ribbon, and twine for my packages anyway.

I don't know if you can tell from the link, but the bags I showed are not regular gift bags. They seem like coated fabric (kind of like overseas "rice bags"), are sturdy, and will last a long time with multiple uses. I don't enjoy wrapping or making gift bags, though theoretically it's a great idea, lol.

[Sneezyone]

20 minutes ago, Jaybee said:

I don't know if you can tell from the link, but the bags I showed are not regular gift bags. They seem like coated fabric (kind of like overseas "rice bags"), are sturdy, and will last a long time with multiple uses. I don't enjoy wrapping or making gift bags, though theoretically it's a great idea, lol.

 

My mom tried fabric bags one year. I like them in theory and might use them if they were fitted (specifically made to fit a certain size box) but...yeah...I just can't quit my paper and ribbons. The ill-fitted wrapping  would mess with my head and ruin my day. I may or may not be a bit neurotic about this.

[Sneezyone]

19 hours ago, Arcadia said:

One cloth ribbon strip is sufficient, you tie the ribbon like you would a stack of school books. You just criss cross at the back and criss cross at the front when you tie the ribbon into a nice bow.

e.g the 6 photos in link https://www.homedit.com/how-to-make-a-bow-with-ribbon/classic-ribbon-bow-tutorial/

 

I make bows this way and still tape the paper. 

[scrapbookbuzz]

We haven't had ribbons on presents for YEARS. Mainly, because we have cats.
For cat people, 'nuff said. For those unfamiliar with catly ways,
the cute felines LOVE to chew on, and ultimately swallow string,
which is so terribly bad for their insides! Thus, no ribbons on presents.

[Laura Corin]

1 hour ago, Sneezyone said:

 

My mom tried fabric bags one year. I like them in theory and might use them if they were fitted (specifically made to fit a certain size box) but...yeah...I just can't quit my paper and ribbons. The ill-fitted wrapping  would mess with my head and ruin my day. I may or may not be a bit neurotic about this.

I like these elasticated ones that fit whatever shape 

https://www.wragwrap.com/stretch-wrap-holly-green-gold-small/

[Sneezyone]

9 minutes ago, Laura Corin said:

I like these elasticated ones that fit whatever shape 

https://www.wragwrap.com/stretch-wrap-holly-green-gold-small/

That could certainly work. I just can’t commit to the same patterns and color schemes every year.

[Laura Corin]

1 hour ago, Sneezyone said:

That could certainly work. I just can’t commit to the same patterns and color schemes every year.

I like the idea of creating a new tradition. Husband has had the same Christmas stocking for 63 years; it would be fun to use the same wrapping for the next 40.

[gardenmom5]

I ended up putting ribbons on some of them.  the rest are just under the tree.  they'd been stacked on a table, fearing the ball-of-fluff would go after them.  he was going after the branches, and the ornaments . . . he also thought the tree skirt was a puppy pad (so presents will keep him off) . . . . he won't be back here until Christmas Eve . . . I think . . . .Not sure about Monday - dd has jury duty.

[Pickle Dust]

I love the idea of using cloth gift bags. They should be easy to make, which is a requirement for me. I am inspired to buy some Christmas fabrics and make some for next year.

I will wrap only the dog's presents. He loves opening gifts, and he is the only "child" in the family.

I do miss the days, many years ago, when my in-laws and I would spend hours together, wrapping and decorating Christmas gifts. Those presents were beautiful. My in-laws had artistic talent, and I was their project -- anyone can do this, they said ... but I had a lot of help from them. 

 

Edited December 22, 2019 by Pickle Dust

[Tina]

We quit doing ribbons years ago.  Too much else to do, and usually wrapping on Christmas Eve.

[linders]

Haven't done ribbons for years. Why? No one in my family cares about pretty wrapping.

[Sallie Mae]

I grew up with beautiful wrapping paper, coordinated ribbon and gift tags. The whole deal. When I started wrapping presents, there was a high bar set, so I worked at it. For special gifts, I would include an ornament in addition. With my own family, we've used one wrapping paper per person, so rolls would last a while. After last year, I made the radical decision to not use ribbon this year, and I thought that was a big deal. I've never even heard of cloth bags instead of wrapping paper!?! But, how does that work? You just put the present in the cloth bag??? Is that allowed?

I really do like to wrap presents even though it takes a lot of effort. It feels like I am expressing my love and appreciation for the person I'm giving a gift to. When I wrap I do a great job of not wasting a bit of paper, so that helps the paper to last longer. When it is all done, I like to take a picture of the tree with all the pretty presents around the base.

I like the idea of wrapping with cloth, but I would probably like the really pretty expensive fabric. I have three dogs, and the only fabric that wouldn't be like a magnet to their hair would be satin. I can see my children preferring cloth to paper out of concern for waste, so maybe I will switch over one day. Then I could tell stories about when I use to wrap with wrapping paper and used ribbons. 🙃

[Terabith]

Ribbon has been banned from our house for decades because we had a cat that would eat ribbon and get a blockage.  Not very festive.  

[CindyH in NC]

14 hours ago, Terabith said:

Ribbon has been banned from our house for decades because we had a cat that would eat ribbon and get a blockage.  Not very festive.  

 

This is us now.  We have a cat that will eat any type of tulle, ribbon, mesh or lace he can get to.  Our tree is only decorated on the top half and the stockings (all handmade by my 18 yr old and each has lace) had to be hung at the last minute and guarded carefully until they were empty and then stored away again.  My oldest taped a photo of Baby Yoda on top of the tree because the angel is so tempting we are afraid he would climb up and eat her dress.  A trip to the emergency vet for a blockage is not my idea of holiday fun.  (The cat is 3 years old and he has had 3 surgeries for blockages so far.)

[Katy]

If you're like me and can't imagine the idea of sewing bags at this point in your life, Amazon sells some pretty ones from a few different vendors.

https://www.amazon.com/Appleby-Lane-Fabric-Standard-Cotton/dp/B01MREH55F?th=1

 

I stopped doing bows years ago.  Sometimes I do ribbon (especially for the snoopers), but this year I was seriously contemplating throwing all those ribbons & bows out, or maybe donating them.  No one wants the plastic junk and they fall off in transport anyway.

[Sallie Mae]

Katy, I really like the bags from Amazon. I could see buying those. Thanks for the link. 

[gardenmom5]

 I put ribbon on some, not on most.  Between a not yet two year old puppy, an approaching 6lb eight week old puppy -  (who ended up in his pen - though he was adorable when he picked up a piece of wrapping paper and ran off with it), and a crying 15 month old (very overtired from travel and being in a strange place.) - it was good to not have very many ribbons.