Smart Spending

By Grammaw

December 22, 2008 5:23 PM | Link to this

I always wrap. There is nothing you can put in one of those square-shaped bags that you can’t wrap. Bags to me say “I didn’t have time to wrap your gift so I shoved it in this dumb little bag!”. To me, wrapping is part of the enjoyment of Christmas. I love to see people (especially kids) rip the paper of to see what’s inside. It’s part of the fun! Opening it is as much fun as finding out what’s inside!

By R.S.

December 22, 2008 6:11 PM | Link to this

Bags are the way to go.

By Robert

December 22, 2008 6:16 PM | Link to this

I didn’t have to wrap at all. I got gift cards at www.tomorrowsgas.com which locks in todays incredibly low gas prices

You can buy gas at today’s price and redeem it down the road when gas prices change

Or if you prefer Amazon.com try Stock up on Gas—do a keyword search for “stock up on gas” or “gas stockpile”

By Holly

December 22, 2008 6:17 PM | Link to this

I can’t imagine not reusing gift bags. They’re made too well to be used once and thrown out.

Wrapping paper made of recycled paper, and meant to be recycled or composted, should be the rule, not the exception. That would be the responsible and attractive solution.

Grammaw does have a point about the pleasure of watching kids tear into gifts, but I don’t think gift bags indicate a lack of caring on the giver’s part.

By TR

December 22, 2008 7:19 PM | Link to this

In my circle folks have been reusing bags for years. As long as they aren’t ripped, they’re game. It’s great for the environment.

By Barbara

December 22, 2008 8:49 PM | Link to this

I LOVE wrapping Christmas gifts. It’s part of a tradition I learned from my parents and have approximately 60 different rolls of wrapping paper. I’ve collected them through the years and would not trade my Christmas gift-wrapping for anything. It shows that recipients of gifts are important enough to make an effort to actually wrap their presents.

By loves gift giving

December 22, 2008 9:52 PM | Link to this

What??? Part of the joy of getting a present is pulling off the wrapping paper and ribbons…the sheer anticipation of what is inside is a joy. First the ribbon removal, then the wrapping paper, then the tightly tape box, then the tissue paper - then the gift ( be it small or large, expensive or not costing much money). It is the JOY of opening the package as much as what is inside.

By dell

December 22, 2008 9:53 PM | Link to this

I like to gift wrap, it helps with the excitement of the Christmas Holiday spirit. Kids love to look at the carefully wrapped boxes and try to guess what is inside, and then on Christmas morning they are bursting with anticipation. The gift bags are for perfume, and other little things that are added at the last minute. The bags are the property of the recipiant, not the giver, so you can’t count on using it more than once. The recipiant can use it the next time.

By Lulu

December 22, 2008 10:03 PM | Link to this

I enjoy gift wrapping (not so much now that the arthritis kicks in)It a fun indoor activities made for winter. And it gives an outlet for our creativity. Still it is rough on the environment and composting wrapping paper should be done with attention to the dyes which are usually toxic. Bags really are acceptable and can be handmade as well. There is no plausable excuse for not reusing them as long as they’re in good condition. I TRY to remember what came in it so not to use it for the person who gave it to me. Slippers, gloves, scarfs and many other items fit well into them. And boxes under the wrapping paper is another load for the environment even if you live in a British place with boxing day.

By wrap it baby

December 23, 2008 6:36 AM | Link to this

WRAPPING PAPER all the way! I’m happy to do my part to fill up the landfill.

By LaJoy

December 23, 2008 7:50 AM | Link to this

I “wrapped” my family’s gifts last night using bags I’d received with gifts earlier this Christmas. I kept them just for this purpose. I dislike wrapping with paper, and I think Christmas bags are often beautiful as well as reusable. I’ll fold the rest I get this year up carefully to use next year.

By catlady

December 23, 2008 8:10 AM | Link to this

I have moved away from wrapping paper for that very reason, but I wrap the gifts for my granddaughter in light weight tissue paper so she can rip into them. In the early 70’s I wrapped with the newspaper Sunday comics. Folks thought it was very extreme, but now it turns out that it is being promoted. That is, if you can find folks who CAN GET the paper. On January 11 the AJC will no longer deliver to my house so the nearest place to buy a paper is a TEN MILE ROUND TRIP. And no, reading the news totally on line just does NOT cut it. Our daily paper is once a week and only carries local news, and I refuse to watch the TV news so I will sink into ignorance again.

By acorn74

December 23, 2008 9:10 AM | Link to this

Come on - it’s a no-brainer.

The bags are easy, recyclable and even have handles. Although I don’t personally mind wrapping gifts, having a few bags on hand helps when I’m pressed for time (all year round!), and they can still give a lovely presentation. I even recycle the tissue paper inside if I can!

Plus, for some people who enjoy giving their own gifts but face such challenges as arthritis, being able to re-use a pretty bag is a good option. I always try to give my grandmother her gifts in gift bags for that reason.

I can even have my young children help with gift bags with more consistent results than with wrapping paper - although the wrapping can be a fun process, right now they can only help with gifts for family.

I used to love wrapping gifts with pretty ribbons, ornaments, coordinating papers, etc. That was before I became a working parent. I still like to do that, and I try to do when there aren’t so many gifts to wrap (such as a bridal or baby shower, etc.). And for kids, for whom half the joy is ripping off the wrappings, I tend to use paper. But for holiday seasons it’s impossible for some of us, myself proudly included, not to rely on some shortcuts. It enables me to spend more time on the things I DO think are important.

It’s the THOUGHT behind the GIFT that counts, certainly not whether it’s wrapped in paper or a bag, and I think it’s snobby to imply otherwise. If I had to wrap all my gifts in paper, I’d be putting them all together in big boxes and giving one box to each recipient.

Incidentally I also recall wrapping presents in Sunday comics with great nostalgia. Reminds me of childhoods with my grandparents.

By Noelle

December 23, 2008 9:16 AM | Link to this

I wrap almost everything. It’s just fun, both for the giver and the recipient. Gift bags are fine for oddly shaped things that won’t go in a box or otherwise wrap easily, but they should be a last resort. I do reuse gift bags (just put the tag on the tissue instead of the bag!), but they get wrinkled and torn pretty quickly, so I consider it lucky to get more than two uses out of them.

By Lori

December 23, 2008 9:40 AM | Link to this

My family makes re-bagging a sort of game. We reuse bags that we have given each other for years (as long as they still look nice). It’s fun to try to remember where all the bags has been. We’ve talked this year of writing on the bottom of the bag our name and the year each year. Then as the bag travels around, it has a story to tell. It isn’t an insult to resue a bag, it’s a compliment in our family. We do wrap the kids gifts, though, so they can have the fun of opening the presents.

By Clyde

December 23, 2008 10:04 AM | Link to this

My wife’s neice puts all her outside the home gifts in green grocery bags.I think that’s a fine idea.

By Stacey

December 23, 2008 11:15 AM | Link to this

I hate wrapping gifts and I’m also terrible at it (they look like they were wrapped by a two year old). Still, I know that kids like to unwrap gifts. I wrap my son’s gifts from Mommy & Daddy but Santa’s gifts aren’t wrapped. I also wrap the gift for my nieces and nephews who are less than 10 years old but everyone else gets a reused gift bag.