Rapping about Wrapping

[athelind]

My last post prompted a lot of comments and suggestions about Creative and Alternative Gift Wrapping -- foofers in particular had some cool ideas.

I've used Newspaper of course; it's a classic -- especially the Sunday funnies. Alas, since I no longer read a newspaper regularly, it wouldn't count as "re-use" -- I'd be buying it specifically for wrapping!

On the other claw, the idea of using an Asian-language paper is kind of cool. Goodness knows we have a bunch of them around here.

I've also used Maps -- or, to be more specific, nautical charts. Yes, those things are expensive, but they also get updated constantly. When I was in the Coast Guard, we constantly had a stack of obsolete charts left out for whoever wanted to grab them. I had wrapping paper for YEARS afterwards.

Foofs mentioned finding movie film cans at a thrift store. I like the idea of "wrapping" that's a useful or interesting article in and of itself. You know those big metal cans of nasty, sticky caramel corn that you always find this time of year? Those make great presents, just because the cans are so useful. Same with those cookie tins. I think I need to be on the lookout for that sort of thing -- and big, drawstring bags, too.

I've used coffee cans in the past, but they tend to need additional wrapping, or they look pretty hobo. The new, plastic kind are actually really good present containers -- though, again, they still need wrapping. Oh, and whichever kind you use, wash'em out really well, or your presents will smell like stale coffee FOREVER.

Remember when L'eggs panty hose came in big plastic eggs? We used those for all kinds of presents.

Hee hee hee. I should find some kind of cheap lock-boxes, and use THOSE for the Unauthorized Personnel's presents -- then give him the keys, one at a time, whilst playing Santa on the morning of the 25th.

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Comments

[leonard-arlotte.livejournal.com]

I prefer wrapping gifts in wrapping paper myself, preferably without anything religious, or without santa clauses all over it. My preferred wrapping stuff is the shiny paper, because, well, I just like shiny.

Wrapping Paper tends to fail, however, when it comes to odd shaped items, particularly those that have protruding bits. It gets hard to find a box to put stuff in (which is one reason I hoard boxes for the rest of the year.

I went to a party this weekend for a friend, and got him a couple gifts at the last minute. The giftbag was relatively inexpensive, and a very quick way to hand a gift to someone who isn't really going to be impressed with a wrap job. It was also good for a few odd shaped items (Namely a pouch of crumbled bacon, a jar of bacon bits, and a jar of BaconSalt... Joe likes bacon).

One thing I thought of as an alternative is to get a box for your present, and wrap it in duct tape. This can be doubly cool since they now make shiny duct tape as well. There's not going to be any sneaking a peak into a duct tape wrapped present... and you may be able to look on in smug satisfaction on Xmas morning, watching the Unauthorized Personnel try to get it open.

[athelind.livejournal.com]

SHINY.

[leonard-arlotte.livejournal.com]

I also use mint tins for small gifts, but I've found that most of the gifts I give aren't THAT small, and I eat so many mints that if I save all the tins that they end up taking up a lot of space. One drawer full is plenty.

[thoughtsdriftby.livejournal.com]

>>> Hee hee hee. I should find some kind of cheap lock-boxes, and use THOSE for the Unauthorized Personnel's presents -- then give him the keys, one at a time, whilst playing Santa on the morning of the 25th.
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May borrow a variant of this, treasure map and a bus locker key...

[athelind.livejournal.com]

Oh, you're good.

[zeeth_kyrah]

When they're packaged for transport, I keep my consoles in a plastic bin with a carabiner combination lock. It's only a three digit wheel lock, but the (average) five hundred tries to guess the combination will tend to take a little time.

I imagine you could use an opaque plastic school box with holes punched out for a small suitcase lock (non-TSA standard so he can't potentially buy a spare lockset and use the key). Sure, it'll rattle, but if the present is packed in something like beans (cheap and nutritious!), the rattle will tell your victim nothing useful.

[athelind.livejournal.com]

Oh, for RATTLING, I have BUBBLE WRAP.

Which is, yes, disposable, but everyone loves getting it anyway. Pop pop pop!

[silussa.livejournal.com]

What about the reusable shopping bags they're selling in many of the stores now? The cloth ones, not the paper or plastic.

Add a little twine, and it's fairly resistant to peeking.