Gift-wrapping always triggers a tension between my arts & craftsy skills, and vivid memories of once small kids tearing through carefully wrapped presents like rabid wolverines.
Slowing them down became a bit of a past time. Starting with rolls of Penny Saver end roll paper (really, why buy fancy paper for them?), the best trick was gluing favorite wrapped candies to the paper (needed to remove them first), pulling the old box-within-a-box trick, and lots of double knotted ribbons.
But for special gifts, it is fun to get creative. Origami boxes are always good – and crazy simply to make. (For big items, find any nice paper that you can cut into a square; make two for the top and bottom.) Nice packaging is an appropriate showcase for the thought and time invested in homemade gifts. It doesn’t take a lot – plain paper, brown kraft paper, or white end rolls (call Penny Saver in Yorktown to see if they have them available) or fabrics (think cloth napkins). You can cut out shapes, and use markers, sprigs of pine or dried herbs, along with contrasting ribbon.
To get ideas:
- If you’re in the library, head to Dewey # 745.54 – that’s where we’ve cataloged books on gift wrapping, making homemade cards, and other paper crafts.
- Do a Google search and look at the image results. It’s always amazing to me just how specific you can be; for example “gift wrap ideas for large gifts” or “wrapping food gifts”.
- Go directly to the online photo sharing virtual bulletin board Pinterest for a quick visual feats.
- And then there’s always Martha.
Happy Holidays!
— Elena Falcone, Director, Office of Community Connections