Wrapping presents!

It's one of my most hated parts about Christmas, so I use any old paper, shove sellotape here there and everywhere, and complain a lot.
I really like the idea of the bags, though.

Someone mentioned some made out of sari material, but I don't think my boys would like that so much.

Wrapping presents really gives me a back ache!

That’s an excellent idea, I’ll start making some for next year, I already have some Christmas fabric upstairs.
I always use recycled Christmas paper, it’s easy to buy, but this year I’ve found it very hard and stiff to fold neatly with my Arthritic hands and the sellotape starts to peel off so I’ve used coloured string to keep them all from coming unwrapped.
Fabric sounds an excellent idea, although as you say I’ll need them back for next year, it’s a good idea for Birthdays too.

Where do you get you bags Maw? Sounds like a large initial investment but is very tempting.

I buy recyclable paper from a charity and also use brown paper with ribbon.

But, I have over bought paper cloths this year so I might use those.

I'm off to have a look at some fabric bags on Amazon.

What a good idea! I always have a different paper for each person, so that we know at a glance whose is whose.

They have lots on Amazon.
40 bags for £20.
Pretty hessian ones with hearts on, bottle bags.

I buy a large paper gift bag for each family group and wrap individual presents in red or white or green tissue paper with a stick on name label. Sometimes need an individual bag if the gift is large in size but still use the same system.

I got some brown paper bags with stencils of outlined Christmas trees on them from The Works, so quite festive and also recyclable - as is the tissue paper.

MayBeMaw, What do I do? I order all the toys from Wicked Uncle, gift wrapped with a message - and delivered to their address - easy.

Teenager presents are wrapped in brown parcel paper with real ribbon and the secret Santa gift for an adult is usually wrapped in a new tea towel, as people can always make use of them. (We all have naughty pets and/or toddlers so gifts don't go under the tree for long anyway, maybe late on Christmas Eve, then keep the door shut.)

I don’t give many presents, so not a lot to wrap, which is a good thing, as I am rubbish at it.

An international payment sent to DD and family overseas, hard cash put in envelopes for DS and family.

Chocs and biscuits for 90 year old widowed neighbour, a family organiser calendar for DIL along with the cash, (probably not used much as they all have their phones) and a new address book plus hairdresser voucher for a cousin. All easy to wrap.

DH and I agreed long ago not to give each other anything, all our money is ‘joint’ and we just buy ourselves what we need (want) as and when.

Given up on the tit for tat present giving long ago. Just seems pointless and angst making.

My opinion only. If others want to give and receive lots of gifts, up to them. The gifts I do give are just wrapped and sellotaped, no fancy bows, ribbons, decorations. Don’t get me wrong, a beautifully wrapped gift is a joy to behold, but no can do.

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kittylester

Where do you get you bags Maw? Sounds like a large initial investment but is very tempting.

I buy recyclable paper from a charity and also use brown paper with ribbon.

But, I have over bought paper cloths this year so I might use those.

Long river company I am afraid.
I like the tea towel idea too.
D3 and SIL had their wedding invitations screen printed on tea towels 9 years ago, I loved the idea and whenever I use mine, it brings back happy memories.

I like gagagrans idea.
It sounds easy on the old back.

I made a fabric drawstring bag for each of the grandchildren during the Nov. lockdown last year. It did save a lot of hassle and they didn't seem to mind as I'd still put small gifts in their stockings for them to unwrap. The stockings were homemade when each was born and they are handed back each year. Their parents have a large paper gift carrier which is also handed back and reused. As does OH.

Wrapping presents used togive me a bad back as well. A friend told me to use the ironing board (well it has to be used for something) instead of a table. It works for me. Some good ideas on here though.

Luckily, we don’t have too much to buy as our daughter and little grandson are abroad. I buy their gifts online over there and they are delivered to her door. My other daughter wanted boots this year so she has got those plus a few bits and bobs, all easy to wrap with paper and sellotape. If I had a bigger family I’d investigate those bags others have mentioned as they sound really good. I buy my SILs a foodie hamper, again delivered to the door. I guess I get off lightly compared to most of you.

I hate wrapping presents, I haven’t done any at all yet. I have a day off Thursday and have allocated that day for this dreaded task…hohoho…?‍♀️

We're on brown paper now, thinking it is recyclable, although I'm not sure if it is or not.

When I was in China I bought mountains of fabric bags. They were sold as shoe bags, but I used them for gift wrapping. Of course, they don't come back when the gift is given, so I've run out now.

The ironing board idea sounds good. I started wrapping last night but didn't get very far. I was wrapping quite small things in brown paper and folding up the ends was quite difficult with arthritic hands. I have bought more presents than usual because visitors from afar who we don't usually see at Christmas are coming to stay at the weekend so no doubt they will bring presents for us and we need to have things for them. Hetty thank you for the tip about the tree and pets. There will be two dogs here when we have a big family gathering next Monday.

Like CalendarGirl, I don't give many presents, so very little to wrap. One for grandson, a small hamper for in-laws (which doesn't get wrapped, vouchers for daughter and son and their partners and that's it. Husband and I stopped giving each other any kind of presents years ago.

MrJ and I will wrap this weekend, that way he’ll know what ‘we’ve’ bought people!
Recyclable paper, sellotape and bows that I’ve previously bought in bulk.

Arthritic fingers here too, so I buy bright red pillowcases (only a couple of quid from ASDA). 1st year because each of the DGC had a large, difficult to wrap, present. Now I have enough to use one for everyone and their presents go in their sack unwrapped. A friend has copied my idea, but her sacks are beautifully embroidered with the recipients' names - mine just have a big name tag, cut from old Christmas Card.

I prefer to give money or vouchers which removes the need for wrapping paper but if it is a bulkier gift I use a paper gift bag rather than the shiny paper which cannot be recycled. Paper is scrunched up and thrown away but gift bags can be used again. I make gift tags from the old Christmas cards and the excess cards go to a local nursery where the children use them for craft.

I love wrapping Christmas parcels and am sad that for various reasons there are so few - my parcels were a source of great pride and delighted the recipients but that seems woefully extravagant now and not what the planet needs. Still, for the few I have got to wrap this year I have plenty of left over paper so I will still get some joy from doing it.

I spent Sunday afternoon wrapping presents with Alexa playing Christmas songs. It’s tiring back breaking hurts my hands as it’s tedious yes all this but it’s a tradition I enjoy.
I use a lot of recycled packing paper from previous large parcels received from Amazon. I do buy the grandchildren’s favourite character paper for their gifts.
Every year I use more bags recycled from gifts I received. I always use bottle bags I received too saves having to wrap them up. When I was young wrapping paper seemed expensive so I reuse rather than waste paper.

Another one who hates wrapping, set off with all good intentions but just rush to get it over with. I got some brilliant paper from Costco that is double sided. When I do all the girlfriends/wives presents I use tissue paper and pop them into a gift bag.
Like the sound of hessian bags though