Do you know somebody who wraps presents this way?

[FatherJackHackettsUnderpantsHamper]

We have a family member who is kind, thoughtful and generous - but she has a really weird and annoying habit with how she wraps presents.

Rather than taping the wrapping paper to itself, she will tape it TO the present inside. I'm not talking about just attaching tape to a generic inner brown protective cardboard box or cellophane that would be thrown away/recycled anyway, or even a chocolate box that wouldn't get kept once they've been eaten, but the actual cover of a book, the colourful illustrated box that a game lives in etc. that you would naturally want to keep in nice condition - meaning that, however carefully you remove the tape (and little ones tend to dive right in there and wouldn't notice anyway), the present is instantly spoiled with a torn cover or box.

We've gently commented on it, but she just smiles and says it's a lot easier to wrap things that way. If it's not blatantly obvious to her that it's an 'unusual' and unwise idea, I really don't know what else we can say to her - other than to just accept that she gives presents that are lovely but damaged and thus bring disappointment along with joy as soon as you open them.

I don't want to sound ungrateful at all; she is very kind, but then just dilutes the excitement of receiving her lovely gifts so pointlessly. Before anybody jumps to conclusions, yes we all give her lovely presents that she wants/asked for too, we aren't just there on the grab - but we just wrap them in a way that means we don't needlessly wreck them before she opens them.

Is she alone in this, or is this a more widespread practice?!

I’d take the new condition one - just like everyone else in Real Life - just not on mumsnet 😂

Lego boxes aren't disposable though - we kept our sets in the boxes and then sold on when kids had outgrown them. There's no need to tape anything to any gift when you can just use a paperweight or a mug or anything at all to hold the paper down.

Then the receiver doesn’t get that moment of having a new, pristine item, even if it’s only for a few seconds till they rip it open themselves.

I get that it doesn’t matter to everyone, but for some of us it does

But most things aren’t pristine these days? I can’t remember the last time I ordered something online that didn’t have a scratch, mark, corner rub etc on a box.

Lego boxes aren't disposable though - we kept our sets in the boxes and then sold on when kids had outgrown them

Ive sold lego with & without boxes

i just looked at lego I gave the dc at xmas. no sellotape marks

Wow - things you never knew you never knew! I wrap like this, never caused me an issue, but I only use one small piece so even if this bit tore, say a jigsaw puzzle box, it would be maybe 2cm, and I personally wouldn't consider the gift 'wrecked' or 'ruined' by any stretch of the imagination

So now I'm wondering whether:-
a) my family & friends are secretly criticising my wrapping
b) my family & friends are unusually genteel when opening presents
c) the OP and many of the other posters on this thread open gifts in some of frenzy like tazmanian devils
d) the OP and other posters all live in completely perfect houses with complete perfect things in completely perfect boxes!

Either way I shall definitely be more careful wrapping gifts in future!!

I’m able to do both….i enjoy them and keep them pristine. Can’t bear books to be misused, broken spines etc 🙈

It’s a bit stupid to apply tape directly to a cover or box when you know a child is going to tear it.

next year, I would “accidentally” open the child’s present myself. If she saw, I’d say oh I thought this one was mine.

What you see as misused I just see as used.

I think this is another ridiculous thing caused by social media. I haven't seen this in real life but if you watch videos on Instagram or Tiktok of how to wrap awkward shapes or how to wrap beautiful gifts they often show this being done.

maybe the tape you use matters?

I’m able to do both….i enjoy them and keep them pristine. Can’t bear books to be misused, broken spines etc

how do you keep a book pristine? if you carry it in your bag for the commute, take it on holiday, read it whilst on holiday? Same as pp I don’t consider a well thumbed book to be misused.

As has mine!
I went into a bookshop the other day and asked for the book I wanted as I couldn't see it. The shop assistant found it for me and as he rang it through he looked at the cover and it was slightly warped from being the first book on the shelf. Without me asking he got me a new pristine one. ❤️

OP that relative's way of wrapping things is weird and annoying!

I don't think you'll change her and you seem like nice people so no point in hinting further. Just bring the craft knife and/or accept that her presents will be a little damaged and that's how it's gonna be

A) yes
B) yes because they know they have to be careful to mitigate the damage caused by your wrapping
C) doubtful
D) no, we just don’t like things damaged when they don’t have to be.

I only use one small piece so even if this bit tore, say a jigsaw puzzle box, it would be maybe 2cm, and I personally wouldn't consider the gift 'wrecked' or 'ruined' by any stretch of the imagination … A 2 cm tear on the cover of a jigsaw box is enough to change it from something nice and new and a lovely experience, to something “nice enough” that you might have got at the charity shop.

A 2 cm tear on the cover of a jigsaw box is enough to change it from something nice and new and a lovely experience, to something “nice enough” that you might have got at the charity shop.

and what if it was a the back on the white part of the box?

I am awful at wrapping presents (weak hands and coordination problems - it’s always been this way). I wouldn’t put tape on the actual gift itself, though. And Christmas is fraught enough with little kids without the angst of damaging a new present as soon as it’s open. (Though in my family, to my great dismay, none of the little kids count books as ‘real presents’ anyway 😢).

And that’s fine. Everyone is different. If I buy a book from a bookshop, I like to
keep in very good condition, ‘holiday’ books I buy from charity shops etc.

I too like the pristine state a new book or boxed item comes in and enjoy it while it lasts, which for a book should be at least until I’ve got a good way through it.

I have a lot of hardback non-fiction books on different historical and art topics and am extremely careful with those. They are lovely items that stay new-looking new indefinitely if handled properly - I’d be gutted if someone got me something like that which then instantly tore with sellotape!

Please oculd you explain why you do this?

I have never seen it done this way, the paper is always taped to the paper, so the gift is protected.

If she's giving you things you've asked for just ask her for things where the tape won't damage the item/ you'd dispose of the packaging anyway.

If she doesn't ask for ideas - drop heavy 'hints' about categories of items that wouldn't be damaged e.g. food items or cosmetics/ toiletries.

Or start the practice of using gift bags instead of wrapping paper (good for sustainability too because the same ones can be reused and passed back and forth each year).

Oh and to actually answer your question, no I've never received a gift from anyone who wraps like that

Never heard of that! But a D Sis used to be so stingy with the sellotape - tiny little bits - that labels would inevitably fall off the presents and we’d have to open them to see whose was whose!

I do that for certain things, boxes containing toys which will be recycled/binned for example because it helps get perfect edges quickly.

However I would never do it to books, board games, lego sets, playmobil boxes etc.

Don't get why anyone would do this, it's just weird, doesn't even make it easier.