My niece turned 11 in July, which we celebrated in August using wrapping paper from Christmas. I’ll explain.
I haven’t purchased wrapping paper since my signature wrapping experiment, so I’m draining my disgusting mess of a supply box for leftovers. In cleaning out the garage over the weekend, I found more paper and supplies, this time from Christmas…’07? ’06? Definitely not ’09. Since then I’ve learned how to avoid those annoying rolls of lingering paper. Of course, they’re only useless if you don’t like to use the same paper every year. I’m that person. I can’t resist the siren call of the Target holiday wrapping section, and I have the pre-’09 rolls of Christmas paper to prove it.
Until now. Here is my new holiday paper buying technique. It is, yet again, a ding-a-ling tip.
Every year I buy the festive paper of my choice, guilt free. I buy enough to wrap a gift or two for each family or recipient. Then I buy a coordinating, but generic, wrapping paper for additional gifts and last minute presents. It’s still Christmas/holiday paper, but it can pass for nonseasonal when not surrounded by Santas and reindeers. Like, say, red paper with white polka dots from The 99� Store. These are the rolls I over buy. I use the leftovers, if any, throughout the year on other holidays, celebrations, and birthdays. Since I have a mom, a mother in-law, two sister in-laws and three nieces, most of the presents I buy throughout the rest of the year will be for women. I look for paper that is slightly feminine.
I follow the same guidelines when buying present tags and ribbons. A few fancy Christmas bows and tags go into the cart, but the overstock is generic enough for me to for throughout the year.
I’m getting better at gauging how much I need. Last year I had very little leftover paper and used it for a family friend’s birthday party. In ’09 I was still new to the technique and went a little crazy. Just because it’s generic, doesn’t mean you have to clear the store out. If you do, you’ll be seeing polka dots for years. Case in point. But this is the last of it! I’ve used up the white organza ribbon, the polka dot ribbon, and the paper. I’ll be done with the stars 4 presents from now. Whew.
Not so ding-a-ling, I think. Should have known after your last two posts that you are a smarty pants, this confirms it. :)
haha I love it! I do something similar, buying the paper you get by the yard at party supply places in a very generic style that can be used for kids and adults. Boring I know, but it’s easy and sure beats the constant over-use of the generic colored paper bags from Target.
Oh, clever! I’ll have to keep this tip in mind …
Speaking of wrapping gifts the good old-fashioned way, I seem to be a dying breed around here. Seriously, a couple weeks ago I went to the birthday party of a friend’s daughter … and went she got to my gift, she didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t in a bag. Although, I’m not sure what’s worse … that, or the fact that her parents both said, “Oh, that one’s from Amy” … without looking at the tag. Sigh.
I know. It kills me. Let’s not forget the reception my kraft-papered present received at my other niece’s birthday. Everything else was DORA! YO GABA GABA! BUTTERFLIES! and there I was, holding a brown present like an uncloistered nun sprung free from the convent.
“…like an uncloistered nun sprung free from the convent … ” Stop, you’re parting me asunder … :)
I love a pragmatic individual, I am sending you more tags sans the stars to replenish your supply though…
Haha! You don’t like my stars? Okay, I admit, I wouldn’t use the star tag outside of Christmas on anyone but a tween. But, come on–what kid looks at a gold star and doesn’t see their name in lights?
Wow, I’m one that has every years Christmas presents in a different colour scheme and then uses the not glaringly christmas wrap throughout the rest of the year but you have it down to a science. wow. You are The Wrapping Ninja.
I end up using the super christmassy stuff as box stuffing when I ship things the rest of the year. I can only guess what strangers think when they open a box of soggy plants that’s cushioned in christmas fluff. so far the only feedback about it I have gotten is “shipped great. Nice bows(!?!)” but it does work to get it off my hands and not use styrofoam peanuts or whatever…. I need to be a nonexcess ninja like you though.
I don’t know if I’m a wrapping ninja. More like a “I’m sick of all the damn clutter in my house Ninja.”
p.s. Slick idea to use the wrapping paper as package stuffing!
I need to be a decluttering ninja
You are endlessly clever! We stopped buying wrapping paper two years ago and now we just have the weirdest assorted stash of partial rolls. Lots of it is Christmas paper. I’m hoping to just work our way through it all and then figure out a strategy.
Of course, the problem is that we are very low on large pieces of paper. Last weekend I ended up having to wrap my mom’s bday gift in a piece of fabric – bonus gift! Luckily I have tons of fabric, so this might hold me over for a while.
That’s my stash: assorted and weird. I’m going to merge all of it–I have it hopelessly piled up in random areas of the office and garage–and see what I really have. Then, I’m using it. I found an entire bag of Christmas paper (unused) in the garage, which annoys me so much that I didn’t even open the bag to see what it looks like. I’ll be using it this Christmas, hopefully all of it.
I thought I was the only one that used Christmas paper all year! I also buy my wrapping paper, tags, ribbon, and tissue paper right after Christmas so it’s super cheap.