Tag Archives: Christmas

Christmas Wishes 2018

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It’s that time again for the box of Christmas Wishes!  I had to get these ready now so the recipients can take them home at Thanksgiving (and save me from mailing them later).

I downloaded these tree box templates from PaperBuiltShop.  They are so cute and can hold larger items.  The three tree boxes contain Christmas tree-shaped candy canes similar to these.

Instead of buying paper for the packets, I used some old music paper which I ran through the printer to add some holiday graphics. 

The packets contain a small ornament to hang on a small 2-foot tree.  One ornament per child each day beginning December 1st so by Christmas Eve the tree will be decorated.  This year it’s 69 ornaments as the candy cane tree won’t hang on the tree.  (BTW, my daughter saves most of the ornaments each year and gives them back to me every other year so I don’t have to buy all new ones each year.  And the grandchildren haven’t complained yet!)

Ready to go.

Do you have an Advent tradition?

Gift Wrapping 101

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We’re probably all finished or at least down to the wire with gift buying and are ready to wrap (pun intended) it all up!

When I working in retail many, many years ago (20), gift bags were not the way to go.  One of my tasks working in the display department was to wrap empty boxes for displays and do the gift-wrap wall so customers would gladly pay for a “professionally” wrapped gift.  Trust me.  I was good at gift-wrapping.  And I learned a few things along the way.

Believe it of not, 99.7%* of gift recipients prefer to unwrap a gift instead of pull it out of a tissue-paper-filled bag.

What do you prefer to do? Unwrap or dig-for-your gift?

I thought so. You prefer to unwrap a gift.  Who wants to dig for their gift unless you are an archeologist?

So, here are my (ergonomically correct) thoughts on gift wrapping.

  1. Decide now if you want to wrap all of “John’s or Jane’s” gifts in the same paper/ribbon color or if you want to use whatever paper you have on hand.  If you decide on one particular paper pattern/color per recipient, you will need at least one roll of said pattern/color of paper devoted to each recipient.  Or specific color of ribbon.  I love the two-sided wrapping paper!
  2. Do NOT wrap gifts at the dining room/ kitchen table.  The typical table height of 29-30 inches is not high enough and you will hurt your back.  Do wrap at a 35-38 inch tall counter.  Your back will thank you.
  3. Gather ALL your wrapping supplies together: paper, tape, scissors, ribbons/bows, tags, and/or any other embellishments you wish/have on hand.
  4. Write out the tags BEFORE you wrap any thing.
  5. Wrap the BIG gifts first so you can use any scraps of left over paper for the smaller gifts.
  6. Tag each gift as soon as you finish wrapping it.  Seriously, you will forget even if you have a specific color/pattern of paper for each recipient.
  7.  Attach ribbons/baker’s twine/premade bows/embellishments to the package.
  8. Stack gifts under the tree OR hide gifts.

Good luck with your gift wrapping.

I actually do all of these things before I wrap any gifts.  I have learned the hard way to not trust my memory. And my back thanks me every year.

BTW, Mr. Aitch either gifts with gift bags or has the gift sent already wrapped.  Some people just don’t have the confidence with paper wrapping and that’s ok.

*made up factoid