Wrapping paper, wrapping paper, how do I hate thee?
Let me count the ways.

We spend good money on you, only to have you crumpled up and thrown away a few days later. Oh, what a waste!
I’d rather spend that money on bourbon… that I can taste!

Too long I can cut, though make my scissors dull,
Too short I can’t stretch, or patch, or pull.

Cut, fold, tape – this should be a breeze.
I grab a new roll and find you’re Chinese?

You’re a pain, you’re a hassle, you’re definitely not Aces,
But you put such a smile on little kids’ faces.

What the heck, wrapping paper, why are you such a pain?
I’ll finish this job, then hide you again.

Putting you away wrapping paper, I write you this letter,
And acknowledge completely that gift bags are better!

Until next time, O wood-pulp sheet,
May you cower in the darkness of the back of my closet.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:
And acknowledge completely that gift bags are better!

When I was in junior high and high school, my mother spent several Christmas seasons working a part time job at the giftwrapping station at a cosmetics store in the mall, where everything was done using either gift bags or gift baskets.

I have her to thank for showing me a few tricks to make a gift bag look as good or better than a gift wrapped in paper. Gift bags have been my go-to ever since. Much simpler and easier than wrapping paper, and they can be reused. They even make fabric gift bags with cinch cords now, which work better than the old "paper sack" style gift bags in keeping prying kids/pets out.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:
Gift bags have been my go-to ever since. Much simpler and easier than wrapping paper, and they can be reused. They even make fabric gift bags with cinch cords now, which work better than the old "paper sack" style gift bags in keeping prying kids/pets out.

Yep. I handled some dozen or so gifts last night. I wrapped exactly one of them. The rest got bags. Much less hassle overall.

Way back in the days when I ordered the paper, I saved the Sunday funnies. The funnies were always printed in color and were perfect for gift wrapping.

I spent most of the last 30 years working for a printing company, or the remains of it. We printed almost everything, but in our Lebanon plant we had a thing called a label press. It had been closed for going on 40 years now. But there was the ends of whisky label runs. We were going to throw out all the butt ends of rolls. So I helped out and brought the better ones home. Lots of whisky labels as full sheets. They're attractive (good art work) and a lot of gold leaf. They make fine gift wraps for small presents.

Don't forget the tape!

The wife stocked up at the dollar store... what a disaster... I think she learned her lesson.

^^^^

Good point! Dollar store tape is awful.

Timely and well written!
Had my son wrap his own presents for everyone this year (First time I’ve made him follow through on each and every one ) - I’m pretty sure he will want to switch to gift bags next year.

I agree. Does anyone sell wrapping paper that isn't paper thin and tears at the least bit of resistance?

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
wrapping paper ... paper thin

I think you're onto something there, Jimmy!

Seriously, though, the thicker stuff does tend to cut better, though any of it seems to be hell on scissors -- even good ones.

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
wrapping paper ... paper thin

I think you're onto something there, Jimmy!

Seriously, though, the thicker stuff does tend to cut better, though any of it seems to be hell on scissors -- even good ones.

Yeah well.......there's paper thin and THEN there's tissue paper thin......LOLOLOL

Wrapping paper? Can I share my experience with wrapping paper, bows and ribbons?

I married a young lady who was born in Brooklyn NYC, grew up in Boston, and moved to OKC with her family when her Dad was transferred to OKC.

Funny thing, when I met her, she had no accent. I had no idea she was from NYC & Boston.

After dating awhile she invited me to her parents home to meet them.

OH MY! She laughed her butt off at my reaction to her parents, and their reaction to me , and two Grandmothers and their accents. Pretty much a huge culture shock for a guy from Oklahoma.

We were married just before Christmas and this was our very first Christmas together for all of us.

There were a number of presents under the tree for me from the New Yawk City Brooklyn bunch.

I was handed one and proceeded to rip into it when her Grandmother jumped on my case.

"Don't tear up the wrapping, the bow the the ribbons!!!!!! Carefully take them off so we can reuse them!!!!

I must have had a total look of astonishment on my face when Grandmother further informed me that she would IRON the wrapping paper so it could be reused.

I'll add that these were not poor people. My new father in law had recently retired as an executive for a Fortune 500 company and was a shrewd investor. EVERY Friday night he and I watched Louis Rukeyser Wall Street Week. I learned quite a bit from that. Money was not an issue, they were just thrifty people who were born and raised in a time when that was just the norm. Her parents were young newlyweds in the years of WW2, both Grandma's were wizened survivors of the Great Depression.

Me? I don't give a flip about reusing wrapping paper. It's cheap. Who cares? Well Grandma did, for sure.

OH, and BTW, Grandma informed me that tomorrow morning, the day after Christmas, we would be in the car making the rounds and buying the 50% or more off Christmas wrapping, bows and ribbons and boxes and such for the coming year.

Yeah, confused me too.

Yep, I agree, today's wrapping paper is so thin, if it gets any thinner it will only have 1 side.
.

quote:

Originally posted by OKCGene:
"Don't tear up the wrapping, the bow the the ribbons!!!!!! Carefully take them off so we can reuse them!!!!

I must have had a total look of astonishment on my face when Grandmother further informed me that she would IRON the wrapping paper so it could be reused.

What a fun story, Gene! I do remember as a kid, we had a large paper grocery bag set out on Christmas morning, and we'd toss the bows and ribbons in there for reusing the next year. I don't recall us saving the paper, though... I know some of it went into the fireplace, at least serving for a tiny bit of warmth and entertainment -- some of the fancy stuff would give of the strangest flame colors! I remember seeing a bit of green flame.

quote:

Originally posted by OKCGene:
if it gets any thinner it will only have 1 side.

My wife bought boxes this year that look they have been wrapped. After using these - screw wrapping paper. And many of them can be stored inside one another.