Dec 25, 2009

Gift Rapt

Question: Creative recycling, darkly satirical statement on the nature of the commercialisation of the holiday season.... or simply shabby stinginess?



See, I'd thought we had enough wrapping paper, but it turns out we didn't. The Wah drove to three different convenient stores on Christmas Eve looking for some for me, but couldn't find any.

So I had to improvise. And you know, I figure the Christmas wrapping paper winds up in the rubbish bin anyway. And it turns out that a double page spread from a Snooze catalogue is just the right size for wrapping up DVD box sets - without the need for a dodgy scissor job.

I was a bit worried my mother, father and brother would be unimpressed at my dodgy wrapping, but they laughed, and thought it was quite sensible and looked reasonably cool. So, hurrah! Christmas crisis averted.

I'm thinking of doing it more often now. After all, it's not the wrapping that counts, it's the gift that counts. And after all that, it's not the gift that counts, but the thought that counts. And I'm thinking of the environment, people.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

12 comments:

  1. I like it a lot! Just have to be reasonably careful to avoid wrapping an item in its associated advertising material, or you blow the surprise :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. MY sister used to use newspaper. She was a cheap bitch too. ;o)

    ReplyDelete
  3. I have used newspaper in the past, selecting the outside page to suit the person in some way. It can make it more personal.

    At other times I've been all about black tissue paper with black ribbons. These days we stick to plain, brown paper.

    Stingy? No - it can be a way to be more thoughtful.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Necessity being the mother of invention, this is a fabulous story. You should stick to it!

    I see it as shabby chic.

    Hope you and Mr Wah had a lovely, lovely day.

    Adrianax

    ReplyDelete
  5. At least it was glossy colour junk mail not newsprinty smudgey nastiness. And if they don't like the present you got them they might find something else they like in the wrapping paper for the Boxing Day sales.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks, guys!

    Moko - you'll keep, my friend. You'll keep.

    Damian - I actually love just plain paper wrapping.

    Doc - I think my presents went down quite well, for once! Got my brother The Hangover DVD (with t-shirt) and Eddie Murphy Raw; got my Mum rosin and tuners for her violin; and got my Dad - who's hardest to buy for - Band of Brothers on Blu-Ray (he loves his gadgets and war history, so hopefully he'll enjoy the D-Day meat clouds in glorious clarity).

    ReplyDelete
  7. I'm a "save it and re-use it until it can barely hold itself together" type of person. Then I make cards out of it.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm real cheap. I only buy at stores that will wrap your gift... for free or use one of those charity gift wrapping desks that pop up at christmas time.

    Actually I am really bad at wrapping so they get me out of trouble.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I think thats a great idea and they look good.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I usually wrap birthday presents in old comic books. I think it looks rad, yet so few friends appreciate it. Dicks.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Great informative article. Thank you for sharing. Keep up the great job with this blog.

    ReplyDelete