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Original poster

Wrapping presents survival thread...

111 replies

Thorilicious · 22/12/2019 17:57

Scissors-check
Wrapping paper - check
Sellotape - check
Mince pie-check
Wine-Check
Die Hard ready to watch - check

Whos with me?!

OP posts:
Muddlingalongalone · 23/12/2019 00:44

All done apart from the book I've ordered for my dad on prime tonight after realising how little he had to open and dd1's giant ball rebounder thing which is not coming out again until Christmas Eve.
Also need to print out some tickets but compared to the usual staying up past midnight Christmas Eve - winning!

MAFIL · 23/12/2019 01:15

I'm done, which is extremely unusual as generally I am up til 2am on Christmas Day. I am quite proud of myself, especially as I have been more eco friendly than usual too. I have to confess that I hadn't realisrd until this year that most wrapping paper is not recyclable but there was a notice on our council website stating that gift wrap must not be put in the kerbside recycling tubs. I have used the gift wrap we had left over from last year as it seemed daft not to, but I haven't bought any new. Instead I have brought brown paper, some Christmas ink stamps and a selection of coloured raffia ribbon. I am not very arty but I think my parcels look quite nice. The only downside is that becausr the paper is thicker I seem to have used more sellotape but hopefully there is a net improvement. I've reused gift bags that I have saved from previous years too. I've got loads of paper and raffia left, so as long as I dont lose the stamps I can do the same next year. My DH thinks I am crazy to bother and that it won't make any difference. But I feel better for at least trying. I am really trying to cut down on unnecessary waste this year.

HoldMyLobster · 23/12/2019 04:06

Everything's going in gift bags this year. We've got dozens that we've gradually built up over the years, and I bought some more this year to add to the collection.

The bass guitar case can just stay in its box. The drum set... hmm...

wonkylegs · 23/12/2019 11:19

@HoldMyLobster
My parents 'wrapped' my brothers in a blanket
Mind you they wrapped most things this way but this was the first time it actually was appropriate

Camomila · 23/12/2019 12:40

I love wrapping, me and DM fight over it! Eg, what paper would father christmas use? What theme to do?

We have bought some recyclable paper though and we already had most of the ribbons!

HoldMyLobster · 23/12/2019 13:17

My parents 'wrapped' my brothers in a blanket

Blanket's a great idea - thank you.

MirandaWest · 23/12/2019 13:23

Going to wrap this evening. I seem to have bought less this year which is good for wrapping Grin.

DH and I will watch Love Actually.

user1497787065 · 23/12/2019 13:55

A sellotape dispenser is an essential. Love wrapping presents.

Original poster
Thorilicious · 23/12/2019 14:17

I have wrapped everything, bar the dcs presents, which I can't do till they're in bed. Feeling a lot more relaxed now!

OP posts:
speakout · 23/12/2019 15:19

A sellotape dispenser is an essential.

Totally it is a game changer.

And not one of these flimsy little things, a good heavy one filled with concrete that can be used with one hand.

NerdyBird · 23/12/2019 20:03

My fourth and final wrapping session is tonight. I have 5 presents to properly wrap and 2 where I just need to put them in a gift bag with tissue paper on top.
I bought a stock of tape earlier in the year and always use a tape dispenser with metal teeth. Sticky labels are great. And I'm not faffing with bows or ribbons. I also need to find the chocolate coins for the stockings...

HoldMyLobster · 23/12/2019 20:12

Mine are all done. 2 hours and I still have spare bags. Which is good because DH will need some to bag up the enormous pile of presents he's got for me. Right?

We3kingsoforientareandabump · 23/12/2019 21:44

Sat waiting for the dc to go to sleep so I can finish mine.

Same as last night. Hoping they give in and go to sleep soon 😩

Nan0second · 23/12/2019 22:00

We did all ours on Saturday night.
Vast majority done with Japanese cloth wrapping so no sellotape needed!
Any others went in gift bags saved and reused from last year.
In fairness we only have one child, but less than average buying too and have cut out unneeded adult gift exchanges.
Really happy from an environmental point of view but there’s still some lovely things that mean we will hopefully have a fabulous Christmas!

BellatrixLestat · 23/12/2019 22:05

96 presents wrapped in two days here (3 DC and large extended family!)

I always say I'm not going to leave it til the last minute and do it in stages, never happens!

Ohfrigginghellers · 23/12/2019 22:06

I'd never do it if I waited to do it all in one go. We do each one as soon as it's bought and they all go under the tree as soon as it's up

What about presents from Father Christmas?

ladyvimes · 23/12/2019 22:09

Two glasses of mulled wine down and am onto the cheese footballs! Have done all family except dh and the kids!! Have loads of stocking stuff to wrap and am now knackered. Might hide away tomorrow and do it! Or is that madness and I should just do it now?!

Musicaltheatremum · 23/12/2019 22:15

I'm very smug...I have wrapped as I buy this year so 4 or 5 parcels at a time. Much easier. I feel for all of you with it all to do.

Babieseverywhere · 23/12/2019 22:32

I use brown paper and coloured string, for much the same reasons as MAFIL.

I also use brown paper framing tape instead of selatape, as it can be recycled with the brown paper, plus easy to reposition if needed and I only need to use a small amount.

Our kids presents are wrapped with a different coloured string per kid. They get their gifts delivered in a potato sack with their name on. I have spare unnamed potato sacks which I use for larger than average gifts.

This year I am not wrapping stocking presents for the first time ! Decided to save the time and mess of abandoned paper in their rooms !

Please can I ask about the cloth wrapping...do you ask people to reuse them or return wrapping to you. Or do you only use them for your family and children ?

I would love to try that next year.

Original poster
Thorilicious · 23/12/2019 22:40

Wrapping complete before Hans has fallen from the Nakatomi tower.. I call that a win!

OP posts:
DappledThings · 23/12/2019 22:44

I'd never do it if I waited to do it all in one go. We do each one as soon as it's bought and they all go under the tree as soon as it's up

What about presents from Father Christmas?

FC only brings stockings in our house. So that's 4-5 small bits. Wrapped those one evening a couple of weeks ago. Much easier that way! Fortunately that was the same tradition for DH and me growing up so no arguments over what to carry on ourselves

Spacerader · 23/12/2019 22:49

I lent my big heavy office tape dispenser. It was a game changer and cut my wrapping time in half. Got it all done yesterday. My dd helps me with all the gifts which are for others, she even wrapped the dogs and insisted he needed his own pile of gifts on christmas morning. My dp thinks I'm crazy getting the dog gifts but there is method behind my madness. Because all his new toys keep him occupied and not causing destruction christmas day.

Spacerader · 23/12/2019 22:50

I can't wait to get all the gifts out of my room christmas eve mind. I can't move in it at the moment. Middle of the night toilet runs have been hazardous the last few weeks as I'm always tripping over something.

AnnoyingSatsumaInMyStocking · 23/12/2019 22:58

Ouch, anyone else have a sellotape dispenser injury? I have a row of tiny rips on the end of my thumb Sad

Definitely worth it though!

Bike wrapping tip - a couple of paper tablecloths will do nicely. And turn the bike upside down so it doesn’t fall over.

minou123 · 23/12/2019 23:06

Make it fun.....drinking game.
Everytime you lose the scissors or sellotape you have to take a drink/shot.
I was hammered within the hour Grin

You tell by the quality of the wrapping which ones were sober vs drunk wrapped Blush

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