Monday 21 December 2009

Wrapping presents

Posted by Tania Kindersley.

 

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A very quick post as I have been wrapping all day and dashing to the post office with last-minute parcels for the godchildren. 

I always find those magazine features about how to achieve an elegant Christmas faintly patronising.  Sometimes they are helpful and even inspiring, but sometimes they seem like people just saying Look over here, no here, at my perfect life, and my astounding ability to do twenty-seven chic things with tinsel.  Also, you know they were all shot in August.  The pieces about how to wrap your presents are even worse, because A) they assume you have got to the age of forty-two without learning how to use wrapping paper, and B) sometimes you wonder if they are not right. 

But just in case, like me, you are feeling a bit credit-crunched, and do not like cheap bits of gaudy wrapping with pictures of elves, here is what I consider the perfect solution: lovely old-fashioned brown parcel paper.  You can buy huge rolls of it at your local post office for a pound.  Get yards of haberdashery ribbon (so much cheaper and nicer than horrid shiny present ribbon) in any variation of satin or velvet or silk, stick on a pretty postcard instead of an over-priced gift card, and there you are.  I also sometimes use tissue paper in plain colours. 

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It's not quite Martha Stewart, no sprigs of holly or artfully placed pine cones, but it makes me happy.

7 comments:

  1. I think they look lovely!!Really lovely images. I'm going for brown paper and string this year! Happy Christmas!

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  2. These are perfect. And I completely agree about using haberdashery ribbon. Cheaper, prettier and reusable.

    My favorite shop in LA, a little crafty shop called New Stone Age uses the palest blue paper and red string. It's awfully pretty.

    Merry merry!
    x

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  3. After spending seemingly days wrapping children's presents in eye-searingly gaudy yards of wrapping paper, to which, might I add, the sellotape WILL NOT STICK (why?? why??), I commend your idea to the house, but think I might go one better next year and just use loo roll. It seems to be the only thing in excess in the house at the mo, and the sodding tape will stick to that, at least.

    Right, that's the Bah Humbug bit out the way. Merry Christmas T, the girls and all your readers/bloggers!!!

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  4. it looks very beautiful. I don't hold to competitive Christmas's that start in August either and am a big fan of brown paper- I like the noise it makes as you unwrap it! Happy Christmas

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  5. How utterly lovely you all are. I do feel incredibly lucky to have such wonderful festive readers. I cannot tell you how much all your kindness and support has meant in the first fledgling months of this blog. xxx

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  6. the pressies look wonderful, tania. the tradition in pakistani households is to give cash, i know it may sound crash, but it is so much a part of our culture that we never really questioned it. when we would see our grandfather entering the drawing room with that white envelope, our heart would start to race. ha ha
    wishing you and yours a wonderful, beautiful christmas which is exactly the way you want to celebrate it (magazines should be tossed out). love, shayma

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