Do you use gift bags or wrap presents?

[Barb D]

I bought Christmas fabric after Christmas a couple of years ago, intending to do what Grumpy's Gal does. I, however, still haven't had a chance to do anything about it. I own a sewing machine, but it's still in its box!

In the meantime, I do a combination of both, and we reuse the bags we have.

 

[Nite0wl71]

I use both, I wrap anything I can then sometimes I put it in a gift bag with something that is hard to wrap.

 

[magicfan]

a few years ago I had read an article about how many millions (or was it billions?) of gift wrap ends up in the landfill the month following Christmas. So, (I am putting on my flame retardant suit now) I bought ten yards of Christmas fabric - all different fun patterns - and I made drawstring bags in a bunch of different sizes. They are cute bags and we use those within our family. After we are all done opeing gifts, we gather the bags and fold them up -- place them in a rubbermaid container and put them away until the next year when we use them again.

No paper wrap, no bows, no tape, no mess. I do however have some of the silver sparkly wire with the stars on it -- we do wrap that on special gifts to jazz up the fabric bags.

(Go ahead -- flame away -- I'm ready.) And before you ask, out kids totally understand why we have no gift wrap. They don't mind at all.

No flames from me. You are doing it for a great cause, it seems. That's a good thing! If I could sew I might do the same. My DD did get a present on her birthday in a cute handsewn bag once and we still have it. She doesn't want to reuse it because she really likes it. Not that I asked her to reuse it or anything.

My parents used to make us unwrap gifts very carefully so they could save the old wrapping paper and reuse it. Same with the bows.

My mom and I are funny because there are a few really nice gift bags that we really like so we wont use them for anyone else. We just keep using them on eachother!

Sometimes I will wrap a gift, then put it in a gift bag. We have SO many gift bags I never have to buy any. I still have baby shower ones that I can't seem to get rid of since everyone my age already has kids, and no plans to have any more.

Just be SURE to make certain that there is no tag left on the bag that says it's to (insert you or your childs name here) and from (one of your friends).
Although, I know a lot of people reuse them, but still...

 

[magicfan]

I do both. I love to gift wrap with paper (tissue paper especially) and I guess you could say I'm sort of a professional so my stuff looks good. (I worked as a gift wrapper for 4 Christmases at a major dept. store.) I tie my own bows and make garland bead streamers for my packages. I will use gift bags when I can't find a good box and the item is not fragile. But I tie ornaments, beads, streamers or other goodies onto the bag. It usually takes longer for the recipient to get into one of my gift bags than a wrapped box! To me presentation is important. I may not have the most money to spend on my gifts, but I really want the person who receives it to know they are special. And I save boxes, gift bags, bows, etc.

I love a good presentation!! At one place I used to work at one of my co-workers gave everyone a gift from the dollar store (since there were so many people she gave to---they were cute little "token gifts") and she must have spent a lot of time wrapping the gifts. They looked so good I did not want to even open mine! She made them look as if something really expensive was in there. She told me she loves to go all out on wrapping. She also told me that she likes to wrap empty boxes just to look pretty under her tree and around her house. I don't go that far, but they sure looked nice. I love to use pretty ribbon from the craft store or Costco. And add ornaments, too. Or, curl lots and lots of ribbon.

When my DH wraps he uses so much tape no one can find a spot to open the gift! He tapes every part of the seam, all over the gift. I don't know why. I guess he doesnt want anyone to peek

 

[Grumpy's Gal]

Flame you??? Are you kidding? I love that idea! I'd love to get a gift in a handmade bag.

Do you have a pattern for that? I'm so uncrafty, but it would be fun to try.

I make the same kind of bags for "treat bags" for my kids' birthday parties and also for my neices' parties. I hope the kids re-use the bags for something.

A pattern? Well......no. But I can tell you how.....maybe.....not sure how good my directions will be. Here goes. IT'S SUPER EASY!

Take a piece of fabric. It should be a square or rectangle of any size. Lay it flat. All along ONE EDGE, fold over one edge, from front to back, about 1/2 inch. Sew this down the entire width of the fabric to make a "tube" where you will slide a piece of cord or ribbon thru. That's where your drawstring will go so leave it open on both ends. Then fold your piece in half -- leaving that drawstring tube at the top - that tube will now be folded in half. Match up the sides so it's even. Make sure the wrong side of the fabric is facing out. You will be sewing on the wrong side of the fabric. Don't sew on the side with the drawstring tube, but sew down the other two sides. DON'T SEW THE TUBE SHUT! When you're done, turn it right side out. Clip a safety pin onto a piece of cord or ribbon and work it thru the "tube" you made. Done!

Ok, sorry if those aren't good directions but that's how it's done. There's cute fabric available -- snowflakes, candy canes, etc.

 

[Shelby5514]

Well since I am the mgr. of a Gift Wrap Dept. I'm kinda expected to wrap everyone's gifts. Come Christmas I could wrap in my sleep if needed! I have about 6 different size boxes from work that I use so when I make my handmade bows I can save them for next year and I know they'll fit the boxes. I always use either red or gold ribbon so when I buy my paper after Christmas I make sure to buy what matches and I'm all set for the next year. This year I may just wrap the box tops and then the boxes and ribbon could be saved for next year.

And yes I have been known to wrap empty boxes to put under the tree. This year may be one of them. Our family is taking a trip to WDW in Feb. and we've decided that there will be NO presents this year as we are all saving for the trip. I can't stand the thought of an empty tree so I just may be wrapping some for use NEXT year!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I use mostly bags but I always make them look good with pretty tissue paper inside and nice ribbon. I do wrap some Christmas presents but it's not something I enjoy doing. I also like to add a few little things or candy with my gifts and find that easier to do with the bags.

 

[DisneyJen0504]

Both-depends on the gift. But for children I like to use wrapping paper!

 

[slo]

I use both.

If something is a weird shape and hard to wrap, then I use the bags

If something is a nice wrappable shape, then I definitly wrap.

If I have both type of shapes going to the same person - then I wrap what I can and put it into the bag with the weird shaped item.

 

[siouxsieQ]

At Christmas we wrap almost everything.

For birthdays we usually wrap the kids presents and use bags for the adults.

 

[dismom9761]

At Christmas we wrap almost everything.

For birthdays we usually wrap the kids presents and use bags for the adults.

I do t5he same.