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Christmas

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Original poster

Anyone just used gift bags instead of wrapping?

47 replies

EmbarassedQuestion · 15/10/2016 21:49

Just for friends and family rather than our two dcs I was thinking it would be easier to buy a load of small medium and large gift bags and just bag it all up.

But I will be paying more surely?

Anyone else just done gift bags?

OP posts:
Nanasueathome · 15/10/2016 21:50

I use a lot of gift bags
Get them from Poundland

FrazzleM · 15/10/2016 21:53

I do this every year! It saves HOURS of backbreaking wrapping time and isn't that much more expensive.

I don't use ribbon or bows with bags and i buy them in multipacks.

ToDuk · 15/10/2016 21:56

Absolutely. I bulk buy white paper bags online and tie them with christmas ribbon. Saves hours.

ThatStewie · 15/10/2016 21:56

The only presents that I wrap are from Santa. Everything else, even for the kids, goes into bags that I reuse. First outlay can be a bit pricey, although Poundland do great ones, but you do save a lot of money and time reusing bags over the years. It's also more environmentally friendly to reuse bags than wrapping paper. If you look online, you can find lots of really cool fabric bags that can be reused.

OverAndAbove · 15/10/2016 21:57

Does it really take hours? How complicated is your wrapping technique?

I think it would be hard to make it take more than 5 minutes each gift tbh...

Original poster
EmbarassedQuestion · 15/10/2016 21:58

Well I like to add bows and ribbons and stuff....

OP posts:
usual · 15/10/2016 22:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
EmbarassedQuestion · 15/10/2016 22:02

Also I may buy someone three small gifts which means 3 x wrapping.

I couldn't imagine asking for the bags back haha!

OP posts:
FrazzleM · 15/10/2016 22:05

Not including the kids, I have about 25 people that I buy presents for. In total this comes to about 40 presents to wrap. And I used to use ribbons and bows. It took forever!

CinderellaFant · 15/10/2016 22:10

Card factory currently have small gift bags 6 for £1, medium 4 for £1 and large 3 for £1

Original poster
EmbarassedQuestion · 15/10/2016 22:12

I've just had a look through my list and I'd need roughly 8 large (like the biiiiig ones), 10 standard sized (a4?) Ones and only two little dinky ones.

Wilkos shop would come in at about 25 quid.

OP posts:
elQuintoConyo · 15/10/2016 22:13

Last year I made fabric bags and hemmed rectangles of xmas fabric that I could wrap around gifts and tie with ribbon. I got all the bags/rectangles back and will use them again this year. I have been doing it with birthday presents, too. Only when I'm there to see things unwrapped, not gifts I have to post!

I have found some wonderful fabric and the contradt with ribbons/ties etc is really pretty. People have loved the bags and the idea and it is great to see the same bags come out again this year. I'll be making a few more of different sizes after Guy Fawkes Night!

Oldraver · 16/10/2016 10:16

My Mum does...she gets a load form Costco, though I think you can get them quite cheaply anywhere now...they're not as extravagent as they were.

Then I reuse them the next year Grin

ridingsixwhitehorses · 16/10/2016 22:21

Any links to good fabric ones - I was looking for these but couldn't find anything. I was thinking nice christmassy fabric with drawstrings...

CointreauVersial · 16/10/2016 22:23

I certainly do this for awkward shapes, or for multi-item gifts.

I keep any gift bags I've received, so rarely have to buy new ones!

elQuintoConyo · 17/10/2016 00:09

riding I'm afraid I rather smugly make my own Blush but they are ever-so simple (otherwise I wouldn't!!) and have saved both money and wrapping time. Although initial sewing time was long, and bar the odd couple every year, I don't have to think about them again.

They are a mish-mash of cutesy print and classic Christmas colours and themes.

I do it for birthday presents, too, but the person gets to keep the bag, usually made with a colour/print to suit them.

Christmas stocking presents get wrapped rather lazily in crepe paper and reused the following year!!

elQuintoConyo · 17/10/2016 00:15

One website...

thecleverbaggers.co.uk/bags?gclid=CLjQ6qKt4M8CFcsK0wodmMgERA&product_type=331

Sorry for massive links!

Oh, and mine are nicer WinkGrin

TellMeStraight · 17/10/2016 09:11

Overandabove 5 mins x 30 presents = 2.5 hours to be precise. Id be glad to get that down to half an hour by using bags. Hmm

Those saying you re-use the bags, how does that work? Are you handing the gifts over then taking the bags back? Is this just people who are giving presents in their own home on the actual day of present opening?

SpringerS · 17/10/2016 09:52

It makes me so happy to read everyone avoiding using wrapping paper and reusing gift bags. It's like I've found my people! Wrapping paper just makes me so uncomfortable. Buying pristine paper just to have it be ripped up a little later, I just really don't like it. Even as a child I used to very carefully peel it off my presents and fold it up carefully to re-use next year if I could. It kind of takes the joy out of the present when the first 3 minutes after being gifted is spent in conservation mode. Taking it out of a gift bag is a comparative joy. So while I don't ask for giftbags back, I always put any I get away in a drawer so rarely have to buy any. I assumed that's what everyone else does but I read a thread somewhere where most posters thought the OP's mum was a crazy stinge for reusing a giftbag.

This year I've had an idea to make fabric wrapping/bags for my husband's gift and for our family pass the parcel. That way we can keep them for every year. I saw a huge lot of Christmas table linen in a charity shop a few weeks ago and I'm kicking myself for not buying it, because it would have been perfect for making Christmas wrap. I'm sure there will be lots more of it about in the next few months though.

Ceaser1981 · 17/10/2016 10:34

The Works do nice cardboard boxes which come flat packed. Sure they are only a couple of pounds for a pack of 6 (different sizes). I use them for clothes and tie with some ribbon and a bow. The designs are great and can be reused too for next year. We also have some sturdy disney boxes that we have probably reused for about 10 years Shock

www.disneystore.co.uk/departments/homeware/gift-wrap/gift-boxes-and-shoppers#/page/2

Also the shopper bags could be reused for years too

FeelingSmurfy · 17/10/2016 10:41

If I use a bag the gift is still wrapped first Blush I don't even like wrapping presents (and it can be hard on me due to health condition) but it just feels naked without wrapping paper!

I don't tend to buy bags, just reuse ones we are given

MackerelOfFact · 17/10/2016 11:45

I love wrapping but I do use quite a few bags too, mostly for awkward or easily-guessable gifts. I wrap them loosely in tissue paper before popping them in the bag though.

I think only using bags would be a bit boring - they'd look rubbish all lined up under the tree, and let's be honest, they're less fun to open as well. Also it's fair to assume that certain number will get ripped, squashed or ruined.

MackerelOfFact · 17/10/2016 11:47

Also, with the best will in the world, you can guarantee that the bag you've specifically bought for a certain gift will be just slightly too small! Or maybe that's just me...

ridingsixwhitehorses · 17/10/2016 19:54

Elquintoconto - yes, exactly kind of thing I want. £5 a bag a bit steep though! I don't have a sewing machine.

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