Gransnet forums

Christmas

Present wrapping - arghhh!

(87 Posts)
ferry23 Thu 11-Dec-25 10:38:37

I absolutely hate wrapping gifts. My Mum used to make gifts look like works of art and my daughter has followed suit.

Me - well I tear the paper, lose the scissors, get sellotape stuck to already wrapped gifts, manage to cut the paper too small for the gift - you get my drift.

I've just gone to wrap an umbrella for my daughter - it took my absolutely ages to source exactly what she wanted as she had various criteria it needed to fill - and it wasn't partiularly cheap. I had surplus paper at one end so cut it off - only to find that I've also cut the fabric loop on the end of the umbrella in half as it was poking out the end of the packaging.

After turning the air blue I'm now going to sit in my conservatory - the sun is shining here - and very carefully sew the loop back together. And try and decide whether I should fess up and tell her, or hope that she won't notice.

TillyWhiz Fri 12-Dec-25 13:54:54

Oh I so agree! This year it was the Sellotape. Despite it being the named brand it kept splitting! Trying to pick it off the roll split the nails and raised the blood pressure. Tte sheer joy of finishing the job. Yes a nice g&t!

Jeanieallergy21 Fri 12-Dec-25 13:54:30

I had a great idea last Christmas - I bought some Christmassy fabric and was going to make reusable drawstring bags to put presents in. The fabric is still there, waiting.... maybe next year?

Hogie Fri 12-Dec-25 13:51:29

ferry23

I absolutely hate wrapping gifts. My Mum used to make gifts look like works of art and my daughter has followed suit.

Me - well I tear the paper, lose the scissors, get sellotape stuck to already wrapped gifts, manage to cut the paper too small for the gift - you get my drift.

I've just gone to wrap an umbrella for my daughter - it took my absolutely ages to source exactly what she wanted as she had various criteria it needed to fill - and it wasn't partiularly cheap. I had surplus paper at one end so cut it off - only to find that I've also cut the fabric loop on the end of the umbrella in half as it was poking out the end of the packaging.

After turning the air blue I'm now going to sit in my conservatory - the sun is shining here - and very carefully sew the loop back together. And try and decide whether I should fess up and tell her, or hope that she won't notice.

We are kindred spirits Ferry! My mother loved wrapping presents and made them look like works of art, though woe betide anyone who threw the decorative bits away. Her view was it’s not the cost of the present but the thought that has gone into buying and the love in making it look beautiful. I try and remind myself of that advice when I’m cursing having left wrapping to the last minute then I can’t find the sellotape and end up using parcel tape!🥴

I’m sure your daughter will love her gift whether you fess up or not. 🌂🎁

Sadie5803 Fri 12-Dec-25 13:48:38

My son works long hours so every year all his wife presents get given to me to wrap, 2 recycling bags full, i make a afternoon out of it i do it on my high bed.. saves my back, put some Christmas music in the alexa, and a bowl full of nibbles, i ban hubby from the bedroom, and enjoy every minute of it

Allira Thu 11-Dec-25 22:51:18

I sit at the dining room table to wrap.^
So do I.

Just remembered a small gift which DH likes every year so ordered it from Amazon. Expected date of delivery 16th/17th January! It will have to be an IOU.

Allira Thu 11-Dec-25 22:49:20

fancyflowers

I don't mind gift wrapping as long as the gifts are square or rectangular. It's the weird shapes that give me the problems. (Granddaughter, I'm looking at you).

For many people in the family, Amazon vouchers are always popular, with the added bonus that they only need slipping in an envelope.

Save smll and medium cardboard boxes, then you may (or may not) have a box you can put an awkward shaped present into before you wrap it.
Square and rectangular shapes are so much easier to wrap although I can still make a mess of those sometimes.

LOUISA1523 Thu 11-Dec-25 22:06:42

I don't mind wrapping....I do it in batches .....I'm all done now...everything under the tree

Chocolatelovinggran Thu 11-Dec-25 19:25:40

Where my daughter lives, the local toy shop includes complementary gift wrapping with each purchase - absolutely brilliant!

Mel1967 Thu 11-Dec-25 17:11:21

Not sure why you need to use the ironing board???
I sit at the dining room table to wrap.
I’m not a fan of wrapping gifts, have to be in the right mood.
I’ve found not using too much paper & small
pieces of tape helps.

Squiffy Thu 11-Dec-25 16:38:14

I do hampers for my adult DCs, containing all sorts of odds and s*ds that I think they might (hopefully!) find useful. I pop them into plastic vest carrier bags before putting them into a proper forever-type bag that can be reused ad infinitum. The plastic vest bags are used after Christmas to put used cat litter or rubbish in.

GrannyGravy13 Thu 11-Dec-25 16:34:14

baubles I use the ironing board, a set up pretty similar to yours.

baubles Thu 11-Dec-25 16:28:12

I enjoy wrapping gifts but I have to be organised.

Ironing board set up, I stand but have done it sitting at times, heavy sellotape dispenser on my right along with a box of loose bows and tags, plastic bag for rubbish taped to the iron rest and a tall box which holds all the rolls of paper by my side. All set. wink

JamesandJon33 Thu 11-Dec-25 15:40:41

DH does them all….superb. A surgeon couldn’t do better. Precision corners, lovely bows, subtle colour. Takes ages and I keep out of the way

pably15 Thu 11-Dec-25 15:19:53

I don't mind wrapping gifts ,I wrap them as I buy them so that I don't have too many to wrap at once, it's backbreaking.

ViceVersa Thu 11-Dec-25 14:57:36

I bought a big pack of gift bags a while back - various sizes - pop the gift in the bag, pull the drawstring ribbon and tie it in a bow and that's it done!

ClicketyClick Thu 11-Dec-25 14:34:42

Have always hated present wrapping and regardless of how many times I'd promise myself to start wrapping early, I'd still end up wrapping presents long after the then children had gone to bed Xmas eve. Decided this year to wrap presents as and when I bought them so the chore it hasn't beens such a chore this year. So really thought I 'd cracked it until the other day after wrapping 6 identically sized gifts using the same wrapping paper, I then decided to wrap each of them in boxes to protect them. It wasn't until putting them away that I realised the gift tags were still on the wrapped presents inside their boxes. So I had to rip open the boxes to sort out which present was for who a d rewrap the boxes. So the wrapping of 6 presents turned into 18 wrappings! Couldn't even blame it on the Xmas tipple as the bottle was unopened!

GrannyGravy13 Thu 11-Dec-25 13:31:52

I love wrapping gifts.

I have ribbon, matching tags and add a little decoration to each one.

For bulky items, like dressing gowns or thick numbers I do give in and put them in a gift bag, which I still decorate 🤷‍♀️🎄🤶

fancyflowers Thu 11-Dec-25 13:30:31

I don't mind gift wrapping as long as the gifts are square or rectangular. It's the weird shapes that give me the problems. (Granddaughter, I'm looking at you).

For many people in the family, Amazon vouchers are always popular, with the added bonus that they only need slipping in an envelope.

Witzend Thu 11-Dec-25 13:23:40

This huge bag (£1.29 from the Card Factory!) is almost full of wrapped presents for all 7 children (3 Gdcs, 4 dcs of a niece) we’ll be with over Christmas.

I hope I’m allowed to feel very slightly smug!

Iam64 Thu 11-Dec-25 13:16:06

I’m so poor at present wrapping. It was one of mr i’s many gifts, to sit and wrap, label every gift while I walked a dog or three
Now I have to wrap, trying to think positively, reminding myself I chose the gift with love and will wrap in a loving mindset. 🙈🌞
And I still have dogs to walk, thankfully only two

Elusivebutterfly Thu 11-Dec-25 12:21:29

I've always found parcel wrapping difficult and tedious. My late DH used to do a lot of it but hate having to do all of it now.
For several years now I have just used gift bags and stuff tissue paper in them.
There's so much to do at Christmas I just cut all the corners I can.

Sarnia Thu 11-Dec-25 12:20:26

Money wallets for me this year. It's a full time job is wrapping presents.

Jane112 Thu 11-Dec-25 12:09:49

I was given a great tip for present wrapping this year, do it on the ironing board, no more sore knees and pins and needles from kneeling on the floor and no bending as it's height adjustable. For those who feel throwing everything in a gift bag unwrapped spoils the present opening experience try coloured tissue paper, you can just scrunch it round presents and drop them in the bag, it's much more forgiving than proper wrapping paper.

Whitewavemark2 Thu 11-Dec-25 12:06:54

I was watching my DD wrap presents - they were so beautifully done.

Me? Utterly hopeless.

Jaxjacky Thu 11-Dec-25 11:48:07

I’m very, very fortunate, MrJ wraps, I label and decorate. Of course I do his gifts from me - I can manage that 😄