Wrap up your gift giving…
…with That’s a Wrap!
Yes, the Holiday Season is just around the corner – it’s already the end of September! Before you know it October will be over and the rush will have begun. How will you wrap your gifts this year? Do you have traditions for gift wrapping in your family, or is it time to create some?
Here is a little history of gift wrapping and how it has evolved.
Gifts have been wrapped since the invention of paper in 105 A.D. in China. In Asian cultures today, the packaging of a gift is often more impressive than the gift itse;f – the attention to detail is incredible.
This Chinese paper-making process was kept a secret for centuries, but by 800 A.D. the process was known in Egypt. The secret spread to Europe, where the first paper mill was started in 1085.
Wallpaper was one of the first Eorupean forms of gift wrap, however it cracked or tore when folded. By the early 20th century, gifts were wrapped in plain brown paper or tissue. In many parts of Europe this is still the main form of gift wrap in use.
At the end of 2002, industry statistics showed gift bags had become the No. 1 way consumers choose to wrap gifts. It is quick and easy, and it looks great! Gift bags are expecially good for awkward shaped gifts, as you don’t have to either fit them into a box ot get the paper to stay around your gift.
Now that we have seen where gift wrapping originated, it’s time to take a look at your family’s gift wrapping traditions. Many people wrap everything in gift boxes, while others use gift bags exclusively. Most families use a combination of the two, depending on the occasion and the intended recipient.
My mom has a cool trick that I have borrowed – it keeps any chance of peeking far away, as there are no names on the boxes… She chooses one theme or color combination for each person – i.e. one gets gold & cream, another gets burgundy & gold, another green & red, etc. She knows the colors for each person and every present she wraps for them goes in that color theme – be it a bag or wrapping paper.
This is a great trick when you have little ones that try to guess what’s inside. They can shake the gifts all they want, but they don’t know if it’s for them, their brother or sister, for daddy, or someone outside the family. If you choose an overall theme, the packages look beautiful under the tree, and there aren’t any name stickers to contend with. I will often find a pen that blends in with the wrapping paper & jot the first letter of the person’s name somewhere in a corner, just in case I forget!
Now that you have some extra ideas for your own holiday gift wrapping, head over to That’s A Wrap to get your gift wrapping supplies squared away before the big rush gets here. They have a wide variety of styles and patterns for Christmas, Hanukkah, birthdays and more. They offer tissue paper, bags, wrapping paper, ribbons, boxes… you get the idea. Don’t leave your gift wrapping for the last minute!
1 comment
best friend gift ideas…
Cool blog. Great post!…
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