Christmas in July - Week 2 Theme

Join our amazing community
Share what you know, learn something new!
register

PamelaG

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Premiere Member
May 27, 2011
4,629
5,728
113
Washington, the Evergreen State
Just a reminder that tomorrow starts the Week Two theme in Christmas in July:

Week Two (July 9-15) - Wrapping (paper, boxes, tags, bows, unique ideas, how you organize your supplies, and since wrapping is all about the gifts, show us your gift closet and any updates to it during the month).
 

AuntJamelle

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Oct 22, 2007
4,320
2,643
113
South Bend, IN
Wrapping Supplies! One of my favorite topics!

I have a TON packed into the “North Pole” storage area upstairs! The majority of my wrapping paper are in two long shallow totes designed for that purpose. I also have one stand up bin that I put the extra long rolls in.

The totes also have even shallower trays that fit on either end on top of the main container area that I keep gift tags, tissue paper and tape in.

I have another tote full of wired ribbon and a smaller box filled with thin ribbons, not wired. Then I have another big cardboard box full of paper bows.

I save all my ribbon and bows (as possible) from year to year which helps keep my supply from dwindling. Used pieces of wired ribbon get smoothed out and wrapped around empty paper towel tubes then stacked in a basket or large paper bag. I save gift bags and gift boxes too if they are in good enough shape.

I also have a supply of baskets to use for gift baskets, all purchased for $0.25 or $0.50 at garage sales. In fact, I find a LOT of wired ribbon, brand new, at garage sales as well.

All of supplies I’ve purchased are from after Christmas sales, so they were at least 50% off. I also like to purchase rolls of holiday them cellophane at the same time. Depending on the pattern I can create a really pretty effect by wrapping a box in paper then layering the cellophane over it.

I buy green shredded paper basket filler after Easter. This year I also found bags of metallic shreds, gold, silver and iridescent, for $0.10 each after Easter.

When wrapping gifts I also like to add toppers or other doo-dads to packages. My hot glue gun lets me stick some things on that way, if I’m not tying them into a bow of wired ribbon. In the past I’ve used buttons or made simple shapes from empty food packaging (cereal boxes, etc.) that is covered in glue and then glitter.

Jingle bells, dollar store ornaments, bits of faux greenery or flowers cut apart with wire cutters, you name it!

Another good tip for impressive, but frugal, basket or stocking stuffer filler is to fill a snack bag about 1/4th full of candy, etc. then roll it up. Wrap the roll in paper so it looks like a tube shape, then wrap again in cellophane, tying off at each end with curling ribbon. Looks super cute and can really help fill up a basket for pennies!

When it comes to tape my general go to is the purple package version of Scotch Magic tape. I find it doesn’t “show” as much against most of my wrapping papers.

The exception to this are the metallic papers. For those I use double sided tape. I fold small “hems” into the seams of the paper and use the double sided tape to fasten down so nothing shows.

I’ve tried many different bow tutorials via Pinterest on making bows from wired ribbon and find that having a stapler handy is essential for many of them!

That is all I can think of for now!!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: housewife2

tanya

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Jan 8, 2012
1,969
198
63
55
I wrap to a theme every year. I finally got on top of the supplies last year and now Im 2 years ahead- so I can wrap early! Rather than waiting til the paper comes into the stores. I picked up next years themes on half price or maybe 60% off at the end of season clearance last Christmas. I did pay full price for some last year but that was to make sure I had an extra years supply- saved me headaches if not money!

Because we don't have a big family- using a theme for each person or group of people is easy. It makes it easy to not mix up the gifts when putting them under the tree late on Christmas Eve. It also lets me wrap in bulk for the person. This works for me as I shop through the year. Because of Luke finishing school late November the bulk of shopping/ wrapping is done before then. So essentially I work on an 10-11 month year when it comes to Christmas.

Things we give to others - mostly adults in this list. This year Im doing a spin on traditional. Brown craft paper with tartan Christmas ribbon and a small gold star ornament. Gift tags are traditional with a small tartan wreath. Lots of these are generic gifts of wine or chocolates. For Luke's teachers, coaches, neighbours etc... its easy to bulk wrap in one or two sessions. Last year I did a blue/ silver theme.

Special Family Friends- also get the same wrap as above but they also get a personalised/ hand made ornament to put on their tree. This year Im doing names with scrabble tiles, Christmas ribbon and small wooden stars. I also make one for Luke, myself, Merlin and Kelso to go onto our tree. I try to work on these ornaments in September/ October. Luke helps now as he is older.

Gift from me to Luke, Merlin and Kelso. This has only started in the last couple of years. previously ALL gifts in our home came from 'Santa'. One day Luke woke up to the fact that he was getting me a gift but that I was not getting him one! Think he was looking for an extra present! LOL. So now I take out one gift from the Santa presents for each of them and wrap it differently with a tag and say its from me. Last year I found cheap personalised cards from ebay that came printed with each name and the option to tick a box that said Naughty or Nice. I think I ticked naughty for Merlin's as he was being a pain when I was trying to wrap. I have enough of these to last at least this year, maybe next year as well. These are wrapped in a bright, colourful Christmas wrap. I give the same roll to Luke to wrap his gift to me.

Elf/ Advent- we have an Elf who arrives the same day as the tree goes up. He brings something small everyday in the lead up to Christmas. Sometimes its just chocolate, others it can be a Christmas dvd, or movie tickets to see a Christmas movie. For the first time last year, I wrapped these in advance. I had them labelled with a number and my master list so I could pull out what I wanted to put out on a particular day quickly and easily. I could also change them around as I needed to. I used a foil wrap for these. Worked fantastically well and saved my sanity on early swim mornings!

Santa- all other presents in our home from the smallest stocking stuffer to the main gift come from Santa. We don't actually have stockings but large Santa sacks. I fill the sacks first with smaller items then anything that wont fit gets left on the floor of the living room near the tree. Each person has their own space. Most gifts are wrapped but the bigger size things are left unwrapped. As Luke gets older and gifts become smaller but more expensive, more is wrapped each year. Each person has their own wrap. I usually pick something red based with Santa for Luke. Something a bit more grown up for me and something different for the dogs. This means is really easy for me to put out the gifts late on Christmas Eve- often after 1 am! I also don't need to have them tagged as to which gift belongs to which person. Doing it this way also means I can wrap for the person in a single time slot. Saves getting out lots of different wraps. It also kind of makes me ore organised as I try to wrap for each person/ dogs well in advance- thus shopping MUST be completed well ahead. This is getting a bit more complicated as Luke gets older as some of the things on his wish list are not released until closer to Christmas eg: last year he wanted an xbox game that was not released until late December. I managed it but would prefer to have all items wrapped early so I can relax and enjoy the lead up to Christmas.

Share presents- some years we get this. Others we don't. No hard and fast rule here. This is often a gift for both of us like a waffle maker. One year we got a slushy machine- something that we will both use and enjoy. This tends to be left on the coffee table and is generally not wrapped. Depending on what shows are on it could also be tickets to a musical, a concert etc.

Doing things this way does mean that Im guessing on quantities of wrap needed. I always over estimate as because its purchased ahead of time- Im not able to get more of the same paper! It also means that there is often lots of leftovers. Because of the different wrap for different people I can't reuse again the next year. I used to feel bad abut wastage but now I give all leftovers to my cleaner. She struggles a bit money wise so it helps her out, she is also wrapping much later in the season than I am. She laughs that she never has to buy wrap now- she just gets it from here! So its a win/ win situation.
 

MinnieCo

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Apr 10, 2008
3,677
1,342
113
54
I'm committing to posting photos for this over the weekend. Might show that I need an intervention though..hahaha...With that said I gave a TON..I mean a TON of wrapping paper away.
 

PamelaG

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Premiere Member
May 27, 2011
4,629
5,728
113
Washington, the Evergreen State
AuntJamelle, you have some great ideas! I love the idea of the layered wrap - holiday cellophane over paper - you could use holiday cellophane over tissue paper for a plate of Christmas goodies as well. Great storage idea for wired ribbon.

Tanya, I love the name ornaments made with Scrabble tiles and tartan ribbon with brown craft paper sounds lovely.
 

housewife2

Well-Known Member
Premiere Member
Aug 3, 2008
5,187
5,738
113
74
va
i use all colors of paper pretty bows gift bags of different styles