Gift Wrapping

When I was young (a long long time ago in the Triassic period) when people asked me what I wanted to be, my answer was always “an architect” or “a lawyer”. But I lied. I was a bad girl lying to grown ups. But I thought if I told them what I really wanted to be they would look at me in pity and think, “Oh, your poor parents”.  So you want to know what my secret ambition was? You ready?

A professional gift wrapper (gasp!)

My parents would have been so proud.

I loved going to the gift wrapping areas in the department stores. You know, where you can get tissue paper and boxes for the purchase you made? Or if you had the dough, you can pay them to wrap it in special wrapping paper with a nifty ribbon. I don’t even know if they have these “wrapping departments” anymore but they were definitely my favorite part of shopping trips.

To this day, I still LOVE wrapping presents. I love wrapping paper, pretty ribbons, and may I mention whoever invented washi tape is a genius? I probably spend way too much time wrapping a present (which I won’t tell because it’s borderline embarrassing). I know some people will say “But it will be just ripped open! It’s a waste of time!”.  I totally get it. And I know I’m not normal.  And when someone has the audacity to actually rip open  a present which I put so much time, effort and part of my soul into (okay, that’s a little dramatic), it does feel like a small part of my heart died (okay, now that is dramatic).

Maybe that’s why I can never rip open any presents. I’ve mastered opening presents without ripping the paper no matter how unattractive the wrapping may be :). Alright, it may take me 5 minutes to open one present  but I manage to do so without any tears and tears (ha! get it?). My friends collectively let out a big sigh as they painstakingly watch me open a present. Up to a point where one of my dear friends figured out a way to wrap a present without any tape. Pretty genius, I must say. Others just opt for a gift bag now days 🙂

These days, I’m wrapping more and more 4 year-old kids’ presents. I know they don’t appreciate it as much, and I do forgive them when they rip through a present. I know I’m so kind-hearted. But I still put as much thought into it as I would do with those who might appreciate it a little more. Tonight is my son’s schoolmate’s birthday party. I chose to go simple.

One doesn’t need a lot to make a pretty wrapping.

-kraft paper

-washi tape

-twine

-printable sandwich bag to hold the birthday card

I know I just did but I can’t believe I wrote a whole post about gift wrapping. I told you, I love this stuff. In my eyes, I AM a professional gift wrapper. Booya~