Is it just us, or does holiday gift wrap seem to be disappearing faster than a snowman in a sauna?
At many stores, all that’s left of your wrapping paper options are birthday and baby shower themes, which, you have to admit, you momentarily considered buying in a pinch. Though there are several ways to rationalize this thinking, the truth of the matter is, adorning your gifts with the announcement “It’s a Boy” will only cause confusion at the Christmas tree.
Don’t let the seasonal shortage in wrapping paper be your unraveling! We’re here to tell you, a simple, cost-effective solution is already in the bag…
Retailers are really stepping up their game when it comes to decorative shopping bags this season. Pretty ribbon drawstrings and glossy, eye-catching designs mean consumers look more chic than ever toting around their holiday purchases. So why not use these pre-made packages as your own wrapping material when you get home? With this solution, design and color scheme are already chosen for you, serving as a stylish, semi-subtle hint to the contents within.
A Few Tips:
• Keep the bag as flat and wrinkle-free as possible when transporting your goods.
• After emptying its contents, cut the bag vertically along one corner creases, stopping at the base.
• Now, cut along the bottom crease for the entire perimeter of the bag and unfold. This will give you the largest possible surface area of wrapping material.
• Remove any cardboard reinforcement attached to the bag, being careful not to tear.
• For plain paper, spruce up the design by punching holes in festive patterns, such as snowflakes. Print a plain piece of clip art and tape it to your material. Use a pushpin to punch holes along the lines of the drawing and though the wrapping paper. Remove the template and repeat!
• Now you can cut and fold the material as you would any wrapping paper, adding finishing touches as you see fit. If the bag has decorative trimmings, such as gilded grommets or ribbons, use those features to add personality to your present.
Now that you’ve gotten cracking on your wrapping, remember, Elf Week starts tomorrow! We don’t want to scare anyone, but we hear the reindeer are practicing their cardio kick-boxing… Stay tuned for day-by-day coverage, right here on the Elfster blog!