Growing up, my grandparents alway put so much care into wrapping our families gifts. We each had our own wrapping paper, complete with matching bows and carefully written gift tags. The gifts were always wrapped well in advance and sometimes even put under the tree a few days early.
I've always admired my grandmothers attention to detail, and my grandfathers eagerness to maintain tradition. Whether it was brand new pajamas on Christmas eve or even the tiniest stocking stuffer, everything was wrapped with care.
I'm a firm believer in the notion that "it's the thought that counts" and I think that wrapping something nicely shows exactly how much you care about what you are giving. Additionally, as someone who often gives handmade gifts, I want my work to be taken seriously. Handing someone a hat I spent hours knitting wrapped in a plastic shopping bag really robs both the giver and recipient of the ceremony.
We plan on moving in the new year, so this will be a "use what you have" sort of holiday. We have rolls of brown paper that I use for just about everything, but wanted it to be a little more special for the holidays. This idea came Martha Stewart's very first Christmas book (in which 80% of the projects involve some sort of gold leaf). It's our very favorite holiday DIY book--probably because it features her Turkey Hill Farm so much--and I have been dying to try this.
I used Martha Stewart Liquid Gold Gilding and splattered it on to a precut piece of kraft paper. The liquid gild isn't cheap, so I made sure not to waste any. At first, I really didn't like the aesthetic but once it dried and the gift was wrapped, I was really happy with it. I'll definitely do a few more this way.
Do you have any gift wrapping traditions? Have you ever designed your own wrapping paper?
XO
Robbie