Autumn Asks: So what is your take on gift wrap?

My mother and sister really go all out when they wrap a gift. I mean, its almost too pretty to open. I'm always very impressed.

And then, there's me. I'm a big disappointment in this arena.

Tie a bow? Are you kidding??? Curling ribbons? Why?

I don't even like to buy the cheap bows you just stick on...they just fall off or get thrown away. If you recycle you might get a couple of uses out of them...but that also means you have to store them somewhere all year. Like I don't have enough "stored" things.


So, I massively stink in the gift wrapping department. And since it's just going to get ripped off, I don't even try real hard to make it crisp. Yes, I'm a slop about it. I'll take the F for gift wrapping 101.

And don't you HATE the cost of wrapping paper?? My frugal friends will probably suggest butcher paper or white paper that you decorate yourself. So I have to ask, is that REALLY cheaper? I'm asking because I really don't know. Seems to me its an expense also. Are these papers actually cheap? Or am I buying paper that is not cheap AND having to decorate it? Please let me know if you have this answer, and how much it saves. Inquiring minds.


Gift bags rock. Well, they would rock even more if I wasn't so clueless on how to stuff that paper in there so it actually looks nice. Again, something I have no patience for. It's just more trash. Gift bags from the dollar store are great. Buy them at Target or somewhere like that and its a wallet buster. I could buy 1 or 2 rolls of paper for that price and wrap several presents. And the other drawback is the fact that if they are under the tree the kids can sneak-and-peak. And yes, I want them under the tree so I don't have to store them somewhere. My house is too small.

I've been reading about people that are making reusable fabric gift bags. This sounds like a fun idea. Of course you really only want to do it for the families presents or you just have to make more. The point is to be reusable. So, its only frugal to keep it in the family. I think I might try a few next year. After the Christmas fabric goes on sale in January I'll go grab some cheap stuff and do a little sewing.

Here is another cool thing I found today. This is so totally cool!!! And if you have a gift for a person that sews this can be a double blessing! Check out this video. Again, something I want to try next year for the sewers in my life. If it works I'd actually have nice looking gifts under the tree for once.



Furoshiki gift wrapping from RecycleNow on Vimeo.