Getting in a tangle

You are a woman after my own heart boxes are the way to go it makes life so much easier and also disguises the ?.

At a check out the other day a fellow shopper said that everyone is getting their present in a fold-away shopping bag so the present will be doubly useful.

Glad I'm not the only person who doesn't look forward to Christmas wrapping - as far as the sticky question of cellotape is concerned, I cut loads of pieces of cellotape and attach them by a corner to a nearby solid object and then I can wrap for ages

Gift bags all the way, they come in all sizes!

I use "gift mate" bags. These are lovely strong plastic bags, some are decorated with a Christmas theme, others are more general, some say "party" or "celebrate". They range from small to large in size, [from about A6 to A2 in paper sizes] and can be tied shut at the top with their inbuilt ribbons.
I saw them first on Ideal World shopping channel, and then found them on Amazon.
I also use Christmas carrier bags from Supermarkets. Very cheap!
And I buy decorative stronger plastic shopping bags from, for example, Poundland. For, erm, £1...
If you have a very large present, the LIDL supermarket bag is the biggest I have seen.
These can be tied shut with ribbon [or even stapled, if you run out of ribbon!] at the handles. With a bow and a gift tag as decoration they are easy to use, fit almost any size and shape of gift, and act as part of the present - because they can be used later.

I usually abide by my own rule of only buying presents that are square or oblong. This year, I momentarily forgot and bought a veggie spiralizer for some friends. Now I feel I must find a box to pack it in. Grr....

Just a reminder that Christmas wrapping paper can't normally be recycled with the paper/card waste.

Really? I didn’t know that Jalima but it’s paper isn’t it?

You have all come up with so many ideas to make wrapping easier, I have made notes of various things to help.The gift mate bags sound great, and the nifty idea of putting bits of sellotape around a biscuit tin ready for use.

Some of it has a coating apparently and can't be recycled.

Likewise any Christmas cards with glitter on them (they all seem to have some kind of glitter this year!)

ps with the Christmas cards, I usually rip in two and throw the plain cardboard in the recycling and the glitter bit in the ordinary waste where I am sure the cardboard will rot over the years and the glitter will be found by people panning in years to come - Fool's Gold!

Lilyflower

Haha, yes, there is a lot of glitter around this year, I opened one this morning and a lot of it fell off and landed on my toast.

Lilyflower ah, well, that man knew a thing or two didn’t he?

I don't really like glittery cards and try to avoid buying them but even the charity cards were a bit glittery this year!

All the jumpers seem to have glitter in them too

As I am now a very old lady I have picked up a lot of ideas down the years - the very best being to use the ironing board for wrapping. It is big enough for practically every present and you can put the sellotape/scissors on the iron stand area. Secondly, if I cannot buy a book for everyone (so easy to wrap) I use tissue and gift bags - so much better than my 'parcels of fish and chips' - I love that description lemongrove it sums up my efforts beautifully.
Thirdly I always have a really heavy office type sellotape dispenser (about £5.00 and worth its weight in gold)

I am useless at wrapping presents so I have no tips but hopefully will find some on hear

Here in the US, gift bags have become quite popular and they come in all sizes! Simply stuff your item in the bag and pile scads of tissue paper on top. Tie the bow and Merry Christmas!

Now, if you use ribbon instead of tape on gifts you'll be present at the opening of (yes I know, poor grammar, it's late, I'm tired AND I've had the flu!) if you're quick enough you can retrieve the paper to reuse.

My present wrapping leaves a lot to be desired DD does hers so tastfully, I reach the point where I CBA TO faff about most of it just gets torn off. Please no glitter anywhere.

I am not very good at wrapping but I do enjoy it!
I buy copious amounts of coloured holographic tape and start by tearing wee strips off and sticking them to the edge of the table so I have them handy. I use my mobile or tv remote to weigh down the paper while I tape it. I use bows (I have hundreds for some reason!!) But not so much ribbons as I have ripped paper by pulling too tight in the past ?.
I have an Aunt who uses that much sellotape its almost impossible to get into the present! Its now a family joke.
I know alot of people now use bags instead of paper. Each to their own.
One year I made material bags with draw string tops. I bought pretty Christmas patterned material and hand stitched them. I was pleased with them.
However you choose to wrap/package your gifts I'm sure the recipient will be thrilled ?

A couple of years ago, I bought one of those sellotape dispensers, the sort that you would have on a desk,from one of those cheap greeting card shops. It cost just 99p !
It is brilliant. It takes the large reels of sellotape, or in this case, own brand sticky tape, which the shop also sells for a lot less than the 'branded' variety.
No more looking for the end of the reel which for me is the worst part of wrapping any present.

I once used a box which originally held a gadget which made it easier to use shape cutters for card embellishments. I was sending a lovely candle holder and 2 candles as a secret Santa gift, and wanted to keep them safe. I was mystified when I read the thank you note on the website which said "I will have to take up a new hobby." I contacted the lady who was running the secret Santa and said I couldn't understand why I got such a peculiar thank you reply from the person who had got my gift. Later another thank you appeared saying "Sorry, but I didn't open the box your gift was in, thank you so much for the candles and holder."

Of course, if you have a cat, and want it to have a present at Christmas, just get it a box, it will have hours of fun( see Simons Cat videos on YouTube.)