what are your thoughts on wrapping this year? i'm always torn about it...i love wrapping paper and bows and ribbons and cards - they're so beautiful and in my opinion, can add so significantly to a gift. you just feel special when you get a gorgeously wrapped present, don't you?
but there is the earth to think about too, and i hate the notion of giving something out of love and generosity that hurts the planet we inhabit. such a conundrum.
well, you might remember when i posted over the summer about the "green and gorgeous" bags at target, and i think that's one great idea - using reusable bags instead of pricy gift bags that get thrown out right away. they're actually a much better deal just speaking in dollars, but that much moreso when you factor in how many times they can be used. plus it's like a whole other part of the gift. other good reusable bag options are these from forever 21 which i blogged about as a tiny treasure a couple months ago.
my favorite compromise though, is to go simple and sustainable on the paper and go all out with the accessories. they're just too special and pretty not to. 
here's a gift we gave to a little girl over the summer - i liked the simplicity of the white paper with the pink and purple ribbon.
and i more than like - try LOVE - the use of all the bows bunched closely together on martha's gift below - such a high-impact way to use a very mundane bag of bows from the drug store.
i already bought my wrapping supplies for this year (purple and silver) but i know what i'll be doing next year, and maybe even as a general rule for all gift-giving occasions....i'm having a craft paper moment. i just love the way it looks. i especially love gifts wrapped in craft paper and then adorned with either woodsy elements like raffia and pinecones, or more elegant accessories like satin ribbons. i love the juxtaposition of materials. so clearly, i am deeply in love nate berkus' craft gift wrap set from his line at hsn (hsn!). it's $20 and is guaranteed for delivery by 12/24 if you order TODAY. classy, simple, gorgeous. if you don't feel like rushing, really it's the perfect wrapping set for any time of year, certainly not just the holidays. 
you won't be surprised, then, when i tell you how i had giftwrap envy of my sister molly's gifts at our channukah celebration. look how simple and pretty.
a nice, homemade approach to craft wrapping, i've always loved the look of martha's picture below. these gifts look like they're wrapped in grocery bags, and i love how nostalgic that feels. it's from a simpler time, a time that's sort of heartwarming to remember at holiday time...especially this year since it's been such a hard year for so many. 
other throwbacks would be using newspaper and magazine pages, which would actually be very cool. i know personally, i read enough magazines to wrap everyone's holiday gifts! i love how martha uses newspapers printed in a foreign language - it adds a compeletely different and interesting flavor to these gifts.
over the summer, i started to use trader joe's grocery bags to make gift tags which i adorn or secure with raffia in different colors. i particularly like tj's bags because of the sawtoothed edge, which could also be accomplished with pinking shears.
another way of sprucing up plain paper, like craft paper, is to use stamps or buttons on it or even have your kids (or yourself) draw or paint on it. homemade wrapping paper - literally!
i also love the use of old-timey tags which also create a special nostalgia upon receiving and opening a gift. 
and from the almost intolerably talented eddie ross, i read about this idea the other day...using lace as a stencil and spray painting any color you choose, leaving a beautiful and unique pattern on the paper beneath.
can you believe? eddie is just too much! and by too much i mean i can never get enough of his special brand of genius.
what are your wrapping plans this year? all non-original photos from http://www.marthastewart.com/ or linked sites
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