It's a wrap...

I have been totally delinquent in my blogging...I went from wishing people would stop rushing the holiday season to all the sudden  Hanukkah is over and Christmas is a week away! So now I am thankful for a mid-week snow day to try and gain some ground on this holiday rush. The few presents I have already gotten need to be wrapped and I need to figure out the wrapping situation as I am due for a delivery from the UPS guy with the rest of them!
Wrapping is one of my favorite things about the holidays- yes it gets ripped off (quite fast in my household) but for days and weeks it helps lend a festive note to the holiday decorations...so put a little thought into your wrapping this year- let them know, before they open their gift, that you are giving them something special.
Kraft Paper is one of my favorite staples for gift wrapping...it is the ultimate blank canvas that you can personalize in a million ways to instantly and easily turn a brown box into a thoughtful personalized gift for your loved ones.

Last year I used kraft paper, twine, old school shipping tags and stamps with sepia toned inks to make vintage packages for my loved ones...but this year I am feeling a bit more colorful!

I love the good old Green and Red but I have always been a color outside the lines kind of person and I like to use lots of colors for Christmas!

Or maybe I should go eco-chic this year...

I defiantly have plenty of fabric lying around to use

or this idea from Martha uses potato chip bags turned inside out!

The old newspaper wrapping looks sharp when paired with a bright ribbon.

I really love the trend in papers being two sided so that it is just as lovely when you start ripping...

Wrapping paper like this one with the hunks on the inside is a great way to get some giggles on Christmas morning- it reminds me of one Christmas in particular...One of my brother's had just gotten serious with my now sister-in-law and it was (I think) her first Christmas celebrating with our family- I have no clue what I gave her but I took all the best photos of my brother's awkward teen years to Kinkos and made my own wrapping paper with a collage of him all over it! he was mortified but it was priceless and hey- she married him so I didn't scare her too bad!

the perfect wrapping paper for the person who has everything!

I love Heather Bullard's antique inspired wrapping ideas for the romantics..

The ultimate grandparent wrapping paper- let your children's art be the wrapping and it really will not matter what is inside the box

perhaps for the Dexter lover on my list???

who needs tags when you can personalize the paper?

 While I do love all these ideas I think I am just going to dig around my craft supplies and see what I have to use as a jumping off point... 

Happy Wrapping!

photos:Apartment Therapy, Coastal Living, Martha Stewart, Good Housekeeping, House and Home, Design Vagabond, Mentalfloss, ReNest

The hostess is like a duck...

calm and serene on the surface and paddling like hell underneath. I grew up with that saying framed on the wall in our kitchen, as well as my mother being the shining example of the hostess with the mostess. No matter if it was one person or ten, with two weeks notice or ten minutes notice,  she always effortlessly made each and every person feel welcome in our home. My mother also taught me never to show up empty handed when I go visit other people, and this time of year you have to get a little creative with hostess gifts as you are either giving more than usual or it has been awhile and your brain is starved for ideas.

Take something you love to share, it is a great way for your host to learn something about you- and ensure there is a snack you like! this year my choice (especially if the host has kids) is Trader Joe's Joe Joe's- think candy cane meets oreos.  Yes a box of cookies sounds silly- but go try them...you can thank me later for the 5 pounds you will gain.

Give a gift that gives back, check out buildanest.com or  globalgoodspartners.org for a home accessory gift, scarf or piece of jewelry that helps support a good cause.

Homemade baked goods are so much better and thoughtful than store bought! I love giving home made bread- it is something different that everyone can enjoy

A rosemary topiary makes a wonderful gift for the host you don't know to well, much better than flowers because it will last long past your visit!

Wine is always a good option (if you can tactfully make sure your host does in fact drink -trust me I have made the mistake of not checking and taking wine to an alcoholic-AWKWARD!) if you are going to give wine, don't show up just bare bottle in hand and remember that you are giving them a gift to save and enjoy later not a BYOB situation... buy something nicer than you would buy for yourself

If you have a specialty that you make like jam, or salad dressing- when you share it with your host make sure you include everything they will need to enjoy it!

If you are going the prefab gift pack route- pick one you would like to receive and pick one that is relevant. If you are staying for a weekend or extended stay- pick a breakfast pack and get up one morning to make it for your hosts! 

Just like the gift baskets, if going the candle route pick a scent you like and would want to receive, or go with a classic holiday scent like the Slatkin collection that has been around for years

Take a bit of local flavor... my family lives near an oyster mecca and score huge points when they show up at my door with a quart of oysters! I have a salad dressing that I am addicted to that is made locally and I love sharing it when I travel. Taking something local not only helps support your local community it is also a great way to share a bit of your world with your host.

Remember not to show up empty handed, but also make sure to put some thought and personalization into your gift- take the time and effort make sure your host knows you thought of them when you picked it out.


photos: Martha Stewart, Slatkin, Stonewall Kitchen, Trader Joe's, Global Goods Partner