a new (old) way to gift wrap
While our Brooklyn apartment is certainly spacious by New York standards, we’re not exactly basking in unused space. And though the layout of our place is great, what we lack are good closets and our building doesn’t offer storage. So, each item that comes in is carefully considered. What do we truly need? Where would we keep it if we don’t use it?
Gift wrap falls under the category of kind-of-essential (one does like to get a wrapped gift) and slightly frivolous (the pesky tubes of it keep falling in the closet), and a little while ago, it occurred to me that I had a gift-wrap maker on hand in Avi who delights in doodling on his easel and paper roll (we get ten minute increments, which is eternity in toddler focus in our home). I try to keep most of his artwork, but these wide swaths of paper are perfect for gift wrapping, which is exactly what we’ve been doing. Birthdays, holidays, what-have-you, we always have a personalized touch on the gift. We present the gift recipient with a laugh, “You get a gift AND customized wrap!” and the reactions we’ve gotten are those of sheer delight.
It’s also a great way to recycle already recycled paper, since I’m told, most gift wrap is not recyclable, though I can’t imagine why. In any case, it’s less stuff to buy and store and whatever sheets of doodles we’ve floating around, are bound together by a rubber band and stored in our tiny home office until needed.
marcella
welcome back, Olga. So nice to see you again :)
olga
Thank you! Happy New Year!
Amy Ozeri
I also love Ikea’s paper and my kids doodling:) Great idea! The present looks lovely. Happy 2018.
olga
And happy 2018 to you as well! xx
Kate F.
I’m still using up a stash of big easel paintings from the preschool years even though my older kids have moved on from abstract art now! It makes great wrapping paper and makes it easier not to hold on to every scrap.
olga
Kate – Precisely my take. I already have a giant stack of Avi’s art and if I save every piece, there won’t be room for me or him. I also get overwhelmed by clutter, not that my kid’s artwork is clutter, but just having stuff makes me batty.
Savitha Moorthy
I, too, have a son named Avi. We do the same thing for gift wrap in our house. Love your blog — just discovered it through Lottie and Doof — and I’m looking forward to visiting more often.
olga
Savitha – hooray for Avis and the gift wrap. And Tim’s blog is one of my top favorites (if not THE favorite). He’s a gem! Thanks so much for stopping by and “see” you soon! xx
Nina Dalton
I love this idea, I need to use it for my next gift, thanks for sharing.