Wrapping! Argh!

[NoNamesLeft86]

How long does it take you to wrap? I am starting to think I am just stupidly slow! I have wrapped around 45 presents so far but this was 3 evenings worth.
This doesn't make a dent in what I have to wrap. Like maybe it's 1% of the presents.
I have spent the whole evening doing it tonight. Usually I would have been in bed by 10pm but it's now 11pm and I am just packing it away. My back hurts, everything aches and I am shattered.
I am going to have to do this daily until Christmas to get this done! Feels never ending and starting to worry.

It's not just wrapping it's getting it all out, sorting it all and labeling it all up etc too.
I have 5 kids of my own and lots of nieces, nephews, godchildren etc.Then all the adults, on both sides of the family. And Teachers etc too. The list goes on!

Anybody else feeling overwhelmed by the big wrap? I hear of people "leaving it all till Xmas eve" And I don't understand how it's physically possible?!

Ha- every year I look forward to wrapping then get bored after the first three. This year I have wrapped once a week or so for the last few weeks- just as things come in (I am stingy to my own children which helps .

One thing that made a big difference this year was clearing the surface of a chest of drawers (a good height- usually used as a changing table). Then I avoided a sore back. Also a proper heavy tape dispenser- so I can do it one handed and a sharpie pen to write the name on the Horton's of each gift- I will label and make pretty later. Good luck!

I wrapped the stocking stuff a few night ago and it took me 3 episodes of House! I was a wreck for days.

I don't have a lot of 'proper' presents to wrap so that didn't take long and is all done, thank god.

Just got the couple of Santa presents to wrap now but need to buy separate paper.

You cannot possibly have over 4000 presents to wrap?!??

45 gifts in 3 evenings? So 12 a night? Even if that's just 2h for an evening that's still taking you 10min per gift?

Have you got a tape dispenser? I'm a whack it in centre of paper fold paper over, 1 peice of tape .

Fold sides into triangles fold up 2 price of tape. Repeat other end done. Takes 30secs max.

Adults just throw in gift bag with tissue paper! use an ironing board helps with back ache

Do you do the whole ribbons and bows and pretty labels? i do but santa doesn't . So any presents for my kids just get a quick wrap and a sticky label with their name on (they don't care about the wrapping, just what's on the inside). Only the gifts we have bought for family get the posh treatment and that's 8 presents. Saves so much time!

You are making so much work for yourself by having so many gifts to wrap in the first place.
How long are you spending g to wrap each gift?
I've done 70 gifts in 3 hours. Big sellotape dispenser, not those silly little plastic things. One type of wrapping paper for each person getting multiple gifts...no need for gift tags. And use sticky labels .
Don't be such a martyr.

Or revert to what my then 13yr old brother was renowned for: disbanding with wrapping/ tape/ ribbon altogether, and instead scrunch-folding everything in cheapo foil! (15yrs ahead of "Gavin & Stacey"'s Smithy!)

Seriously, though, working your way through that amount sounds like a massively exhausting, labour-intensive effort on your part...I hope everyone shows their appreciation?

Well-earned for you....

If you have multiple presents for one person, bundle them together and wrap.
Also if you have so many, share the task with your Dp.

I enjoy wrapping but I don't have anywhere near as much to do as you. I wrap over a few evenings. I sit on the sofa, set myself up with the ironing board, wrapping paper, big sturdy tape dispenser, scissors and pen. I write gift tags first and then start with the most awkward presents of that nights pile.

Alternatively, could you do as pp suggested and use gift bags and tissue paper?

4500 presents?! Fuck!

Can dh or other family members help?

I am exactly like cookiefiend, I love the idea of wrapping but it's so boring after the first gift!

My cousin has 6 kids and does all her wrapping on Xmas eve...I don't know how she even gets to sleep!!

OK, so maybe there isn't 4500 gifts. But there is a lot. More are now wrapped but still a long way to go. This thread did make me realise that I am faffing too much. It's not so much just wrapping that takes the time, it's digging them out their hiding places, working out who I bought what for, wrapping, labeling and then re hiding them.

Bit less overwhelmed now, Just tryying to do an hour or 2 a night, or until I feel too tired.

I've wrapped three presents this year. The rest are in gift bags. So much easier and takes much less time. Going to hit the shops after Christmas for next years bags.the only reason I wrapped the three was because they were too big for the bags.

Santa presents don't get wrapped in this house, only the family presents which go under the tree.

I can't imagine having the patience to wrap stocking stuff!

Stocking stuff is unwrapped in our house
Maybe you need to buy fewer presents or more gift cards that don't need wrapping!
Or perhaps use gift bags instead of wrapping things?
Or get someone else to help you with it?

We have a fair amount to wrap but started it two nights aground have been doing about an hour each night. Should be done by the weekend. A decent tape dispenser cuts the time involved enormously. No labels for the DC just different coloured wrapping paper.

Gifts for others such as nephews and nieces have been wrapped as I bought them to make things easier.

We used to leave it until Christmas eve but as the DSs have got older there has been too much of a risk of them hearing us.

If this hasn't been suggested already try bringing the ironing board out.... You can sit on your sofa and adjust the height of the bird accordingly!

Good luck!

I have three kids, they each have a different wrapping paper so I don't have to label them. The presents off santa are wrapped quickly and are less than perfect, the kids don't care if it's all neat.
I wrap other gifts a bit neater, but again, I don't really bother with ribbons etc, unless I know it's going to sit under their tree.

Oh, and get the Baileys out, it'll make things go a lot quicker

I don't buy as much therefore less to wrap.
I also hate having to wrap at silly o'clock on Xmas eve so will be finishing it over this weekend. Doesn't take that long though, even with bows and ribbons etc.

Next year try and wrap as you go. List down everyones gifts as you go and sort into individual bags for each family etc. You can even put kids stuff in stocking as you go along and give them an identical one to put out on the night.
Makes life so much easier as you can cross off each person on list once done and forget all about them .
I am frequently as surprised as anyone on xmas morn to see who has what because by then i have long forgotten what i have bought!!

I managed to get most of mine done on Monday although it took me from 9:30am until 2pm. I undid wires and plastic ties, added batteries where needed and pre built a playmobil space shuttle and pirate ship in that time too. I would have finished totally but DM turned up and interrupted.

I also spent ages hunting for a T-shirt I know I bought for DS but cannot find anywhere. It cost £40 so I'll be pissed off it it doesn't turn up before Christmas.

Gift bags
Gift boxes
Shredded tissue paper

Job done.

I genuinely feel there is an outlet for my wrapping fetish over the festive season. Next year I think I shall pimp myself out as a present wrapper, with people dropping off large bags of lovingly bought gifts and their chosen paper.
I shall then spend many happy hours quaffing Baileys and wrapping whilst listening to reruns of carols from Kings whilst waiting for the money to roll in.

Poundland did do heavy duty tape dispensers that fit cellotape. The teeth are a bit vicious if you accidentally catch your thumb but for £1 it's amazing. Saves lots of time.

Pack on dining table to save your back.