This holiday season has been different for me. For the past five years I've worked retail during the holidays, in addition to my day job. While I appreciate the sacrifices those who work crazy hours during the holidays make, they are indeed sacrifices. At times it was difficult to find the joy of Christmas when watching people fight over parking spots, push their way to the front of lines, and taut off not-so-nice things to those working day and night. While I enjoyed helping others find thoughtful presents for loved ones, I'm grateful to spend this holiday season reflecting on all that I have and spending more time at home. I've even started a gratitude journal, which has been really great and helped me focus more on what I have and less on things I want. Fortunately, this season I have been able to really embrace the holiday spirit and with that, I've rediscovered my love for wrapping gifts.
Don't get me wrong, I've always love wrapping presents. It is so rewarding to give and even more so, to take care in every little detail of the gifting process. For me, this means picking out thoughtful gifts and making them look pretty by personalizing the package to suit the person who will open it on Christmas.
My style has always been a little different. I've been using kraft paper for years, even though my family didn't really get my simple and natural approach to gift wrapping. Luckily, others have embraced kraft paper and invented creative ways of using it to create amazingly simple, yet beautiful, gifts.
Over the last several weeks I have found lots of inspiration: via Penny Paper Co, here via artifact uprising, here
I have compiled my favorite wrapping inspiration here.
01 herringbone ribbon - penny paper co 02 merry and bright stamp - lindsay letters 03 fresh fir + red berries - No purchase necessary. Trim a little fir off the base of your tree. You just might find berries outside of your stoop. I did. 04 square prints - artifact uprising 05 tags - penny paper co 06 cotton drawstring bags - penny paper co 07 bakers twine - knot & bow 08 blossom wrapping sheets - rifle paper co / kraft paper - the container store 09 gold washi tape - minted 10 gold + translucent take out containters - container store
I hope to use these wrapping elements to craft thoughtful presents for loved ones and share the result with you just before Christmas. Stay tuned!