THAT’S A WRAP! Pretty Wrapping Paper Ideas

Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas but I find that each year we run ourselves ragged trying to find the perfect present to perfectly wrap and put under the perfect tree.  Over the years I’ve discovered that life is rarely perfect and the best presents can’t be bought.

Since we don’t have children, Christmas gifts at our house tend to be more practical in nature.  After all, there is little sense in spending a lot on things that will just get stored in the cupboard or closet.  Last year it was a pair new faucets for the bathroom.  This year…well, I can’t give it away just yet.

Just because our presents aren’t the most exciting doesn’t mean that they don’t deserve to be beautifully wrapped.  Sure, there’s a huge selection of fancy papers but honestly, I find most of them a bit busy.  All you need is a bit of simple brown craft paper, a little imagination and some items you probably already have around the house.

As you may remember from my previous post, there is a ban on glitter at our house.  It gets everywhere, is hard to clean up and last long after the tree has been taken down.  But just because there’s no glitter doesn’t mean we can’t have pretty packages under the tree.  If you want to add a rustic touch to your gift giving, try dressing up craft paper with organic elements like pine cones, cinnamon sticks or springs or thyme.  You can also use leftover ornaments that didn’t make the tree, jingle bells or candy canes.  Tie with some butcher’s twine or burlap ribbon (we found some at Urban Cottage last Sunday). Decorate paper with gold markers or paint for a personalized touch.

Need some ideas to get you in the gift wrapping spirit?  Here are some of my favourite finds from Pinterest.