Present wrapping - arghhh!

Oh Baubles I’m copying you this year. Fabulous 😁

Astitchintime

She will definitely notice…….but you could use a small piece of narrow grosgrain ribbon to strengthen the repair and make her new umbrella unique which will make it all the more special to her. When she uses it she’ll acknowledge that no one is perfect, accidents happen but you’ve put love into every stitch to hold things together for her.

Funny you should say that - I made a pig's ear of trying to make it right so the loop is now even shorter. I have been searching through my sewing box for a suitable insert. I'm like the "Repair Shop" - except I seem to make it worse, not better . I can see myself cutting the whole bl*d loop off.

I'm giving all my adult children and their children money now, the grandchildren all really like having "their own money" to buy things and it just needs a pretty envelope or one of those cards made for money if they don't have bank accounts. I do get some little easily wrapped presents too though, so that they have something to unwrap.
My husband and I usually exchange a little something to eat though I've also bought us both an old, coloured, OS map of our immediate area which I'm having framed. We've done this for every house we've lived in but not got round to doing it here yet. I doubt that he'll get me anything since we have an agreement not to buy for each other.

Hate present wrapping by the time I have a go looks like the bomb squad have been at it!
luckily OH is brilliant at wrapping though it does involve a lot of moaning but is worth it in the end!

Lovetopaint037

I have bought some gift bags but feel I should wrap the actual presents. I hate wrapping presents as my efforts look terrible. So sorry about the umbrella. Do hope your sewing is successful.💐

I think that gift bags are the answer for smaller presents. You can wrap them in tissue first, it looks pretty if you have a few small presents in one bag, all wrapped in different toning tissue paper.

I've ordered a pack of various sized foil christmas bags you just pop present inside pull the ribbons together and stick a tag on I'm not going back to wrapping paper

ferry23 I’m sorry but I’ve just laughed out loud at you cutting the loop off.

I follow all these tutorials online for wrapping and they never look anyway like they should

She will definitely notice…….but you could use a small piece of narrow grosgrain ribbon to strengthen the repair and make her new umbrella unique which will make it all the more special to her. When she uses it she’ll acknowledge that no one is perfect, accidents happen but you’ve put love into every stitch to hold things together for her.

I don’t mind wrapping if I’m in the right mood, square or oblong are no problem, squashy things go in a bag with tissue paper. My top tips are to buy wrapping paper with squares on the back, don’t use more paper than you need because they look messy and bulky. Don’t buy cheap flimsy paper. But the life changer for me is a hot glue gun. Good bye sellotape for ever!

I’m another ironing board user! I like to set up my shop, rolls of paper, sellotape - proper stuff not that cheap rubbish, gift tags, preferably self stick on ones and of course, music. I quite enjoy wrapping up, but always panic that I haven’t bought enough for everyone! Of course, you could always do what Smithy from Gavin and Stacy did - use tin foil!! It sounds a good idea - no sellotape needed, just crimp the foil around the presents! Don’t know if it’d work for big things like bikes though! Happy Christmas to you all

Ditto. I used to pay my daughter when she was at school as she wraps wonderfully. I now use gift bags and stuff nice tissie papee on top,and the bags you just pull together. I just hate pointless wrapping as it gets ripped off anyway. Plus arthritis in my handsso not doing it! 🤣

I was onve wrapping a gorgeoys shorts and top pyjama set for my daughter in law- I cut right through the strap of the top whole I was cutting the paper!🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ went to buy another but it was out of stock so had to buy a whole new set 😡

I LOVE wrapping, almost my favourite part of Christmas. I do it very neatly with great care!

I've got my granddaughter a few bits and bobs, all various shapes and sizes. So this year I am going to sew a Christmas sack or stocking to put them all in. I'll wrap each one with tissue paper, as it's much easier.

Any other awkward shaped presents, I'll put in a box first, as suggested above, before wrapping.

I used to wrap for my children and foster children up to 5 although every year. Just did some every night started mid November
Now it's easier as 2 adult children only want money so I buy a bottle biscuits and tub chocolates. DIL gets gift card n chocolates, 2 grandchildren get money, chocolates and small bathroom gift. DD and other DGC likes presents so have to wrap them.

There are some great Youtube and instagram videos showing how to do fancy wrapping with origami pleats, washi tape and bows. As I only have one secret santa to wrap I try to do it elaborately. The DGC het gift bags or envelopes.

Another here who is rubbish at gift wrapping! I get easily bored and find the whole process tedious beyond measure! I hate all fiddly repetitive tasks for this reason and I tend to rush it to get it over with leading to ripped paper lost sellotape and much bad language

Every year I say I will wrap the presents as I buy them - do I? No, yet again I’m lumbered with wrapping loads of presents all at once. Will I ever learn?

I buy gift bags if cheap post Xmas and wrap some and I am as hapless as the op wrapping - it’s boring ! 🎅🏻 📦

One thing I’ve found is that really cheap paper is gals economy as it tears very easily. A nice thick paper and job done….

I hate wrapping too!
When I was at my DDs the other day I asked if I could help with anything and finished up wrapping presents for her! Grrrr ....!

It's just easy! Step out of your self imposed persona of the person who cannot wrap presents!
Get all the things together in a quiet place, something nice on the radio, take your time. Enjoy it! Use your imagination.

If you lack inspiration, there are so many videos on You tube. I watch them for relaxation and fun!

Imagine someone said they would give you 1,000,000 pounds if you did it well - I bet you would be able to then!
Good luck! You can do it!

I love wrapping (sorry). I’m the person that makes them look frilly and fabulous. However I also do all my daughter’s wrapping for her, and have done about 150 for her so far this year. (Lots of little bits for her teenage daughters). These I merely wrap in paper and tape, as the kids really don’t care how they look. I watch Christmassy movies, get myself a glass of something, and I’m in heaven. If I hated doing them I’d just buy Christmas bags, and shove things in there. However, I don’t like those plastic drawstring ones they advertise so much. They look horrid and feel worse.

I too am not particularly good at wrapping presents, but have found some strategies that help. I realise that telling you all these now will do no good this year, but might be of help next year.

Through the year whenever I receive anything that has been packed in a box, I keep the box. Most can be opened up and stored flat, apart from the old fashion shoe-box type. It is far easier to make a neat parcel, if you put the present in a suitable size of box.

My imagination boggled at the thought of anyone trying to wrap up an umbrella neatly!

You can also collect carrier bags and use them by simply putting the present in, tying the handles neatly together with a nice big bow and adding a label.

Or you could ask the shop assistent if they gift wrap presents.

Wrapping paper is such a poor, thin quality that it is almost bound to play up. If you have cloth remnants you can either use these instead of paper, or if you are handy with a sewing-machine run up your own cloth gift bags.

When wrapping a box up, you need to measure the depth, length and height of the box then add on five or six centimetres extra so you have enough paper to fold in and over the ends of the box.

I set up a wrapping station on spare bedroom chest of drawers, which is about the same height as the kitchen cabinets. The good thing is that I can leave everything out when I’ve had enough, and go back to it when I’m ready. I put on a podcast or a radio programme and set to.

I really don’t enjoy it, but I do like to see them all done and even now my girls (40+) like to see them under the tree. Like someone else mentioned above, I try to take a deep breath and do it with good grace, and loving thoughts for the recipient. Sometimes with more success than at others 😉

One gadget that I used for a couple of years that was really successful was a device that took pre-cut length of tape and attached to my wrist. No losing the tape, no need to let go of the paper to cut it, et cetera. I’m going to look for a new one this year. I think the last one got thrown out with offcuts!