If you’re anything like we are, you travel for Christmas. After a couple of years of decorating with fancy bows and decorative ribbon, I quickly learned that they would not withstand the road trip.
I have since devised a much more cost-effective means of wrapping presents so that they don’t look like they got crushed by a herd of elephants on the trip home. Look a little more closely and you’ll see my “trick of the trade”.
That’s right. Yarn. Oh, and jute.
It makes wrapping Christmas presents so easy and simple, it’s ridiculous. Edited to add: I found the polka-dot paper at Hobby Lobby and the Christmas paper at Tuesday Morning.
Now instead of cursing and ba-hum-bugging my way through wrapping, I’m giggling and singing carols. And panicking about how many more presents I still have to buy.
If you want to save some money AND time (both of which are valuable this time of year), might I recommend some shopping in the yarn section?
A couple of things…some of you have asked about the burlap garland. I simply bought a yard or so of it, laid it out, and cut equal strips from the yardage. They look like they’re about 6 inches or so. That’s it. I just tucked around the tree.
Secondly, I have decided to put the word verification back on my comments section for now. I absolutely hate it, but I’ve been getting a LOT of spam lately. I’m hoping this will get rid of it. Key word: hoping.
70 comments:
I hear ya on the spam. I've been getting a lot of spam, and I'm glad I get to delete it before it hits my blog.
Love this idea and I will definitely keep it in mind for the next time we travel. Luckily, this year I'm hosting so I will be using lots and lots of bows!
Great ideas on the yarn and the burlap! I was looking for burlap garland today and had no luck...now I know what to do :-}
Yarn is such a great idea! This year we will be traveling so I am going to use this tip for sure!! You absolutely amaze me!!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this idea! Such a good one especially for mailing packages! thanks!
Suzanne
what an awesome idea!!!!
Never had spam but that might be I have no volume over here...hehehe which is ok with me.
Love your idea and am so glad someone with your taste can say it is pretty cool...I have been using yarn since those dang bows with the sticky stuff never stay on even if you are not traveling. Thanks for making me feel better about my bows also...yarn totally rocks and it is so much cheaper.
We don't travel but that looks so homey and much cheaper than all that other holiday glitz. Plus I can use yarn and jute all year long -- christmas bows not so much!
I am dying -- the polka dots in the printed paper match the green and red polka dotted papers perfectly. I know you are brilliant, but that is brillllliant. It's the little things. And the yard is a GREAT idea.
Super super super cute! I knowwhatchyamean about the spam! Urgh! Had to throw that word veri back onto mine too! Lovin the whole ensemble! Tree, wrapping, and dressings! Yarn!!! LOVE it!
Love the jute and yarn idea. I always get frustrated when my bows don't make it through the travel trip. Great tip. :-)
The yarn is a great idea...your presents look awesome!
They look too beautiful to even open. I love the yarn idea.
I am wrapping ALL my gifts this year in brown shipping paper. Natural look! I LOVE the yarn idea and already have jute. So I will be using this one! Oh, I have cut burlap 'garland' on my tree this year too!
Love this idea!!! I use tulle to wrap mine. It holds up well too!!! I love the polka dots. I did my wrapping in dots too. I also have those tags!!!! Great minds think alike!!!!
I've been getting spam too! Ugh. Your presents look fantastic and I'm loving the tip on the yarn. Happy Arterteci! (In case you're wondering, that's the spam preventer I'm about to enter below. :)
That is a great idea. We always traveled at Christmastime but not this year. I will remember this for the next time.
I love the idea of using yarn and twine on gifts! Your tree is adorable by the way. I love the burlap.
WAMINMI!! (That's spam for dang it!) Those darn spammers! I suppose getting spam is better than eating spam. Let's see you start a recipe blog on that delightful dish. Yarn is cute but the burlap is eh. Let's see you step it up and do something with kleenex or tp next. (you know I'm only joking, O, I lurve your burlap.)
Beautiful wrapping. I just dont have enough patience.
- Alana Jo
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www.justniftythrifty.com
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ohhh i love visiting your blog..its such a visual delight :) looks like you are having a superb Christmas!! will be back soon to see the new pictures and read a little more :)
love it! Where did you get your wrapping paper? It is so cute!
I like how you put the yarn around and added the tag!
Adorable! Love the idea. Your pictures look great. I have a hard time capturing the "true" look of the tree with my camera. Any tips?
I long to know where you found the polka dotted paper. I live in Central Indiana and cannot find it anywhere, despite my looking everywhere. I am very jealous!
You know, we do the same thing! We travel about three hours and the presents always looked terrible when we got there. I started using jute and brown craft paper (very sturdy) with tags that were reinforced with eyelets. I love the idea of using yarn! That never crossed my mind. The gifts and tree look fab!!! :)
That is a GREAT idea - and probably much cheaper too! I actually saw Christmas ribbon this weekend for $7 for like 10 feet - can you believe it????? Thank you so much for that tip!
Beautiful wrapping, and fantastic ideas for keeping them pretty while traveling! :)
I love the look of the yarn!!! I used Costco ribbon, although I sorta resent the thought of someone NOT saving it after opening their gift, so I will buy yarn...tomorrow!
The yarn is a great idea. I do something similar to your burlap idea with netting/tulle. It is inexpensive, and comes in several colors. I wrap the tulle around garland. I love the soft effect it has with the lights. Karen
oh thst yarn is such a great idea! thanks heaps.
Great idea for the packages - our are always getting smooshed. Thanks, I'll be using it.
Looks great!
Luckily we only have to travel about an hour and a half on Christmas Day but your idea is so cute I think I'm going to have to try it.
Chris~
The spammers are out in full force everywhere! I love Hobby Lobby's polka dot paper~I got the exact same ones. Love your yarn!
Love the yarn idea. I am a total GRINCH when it comes to wrapping. Is it that I am too practical.... it is going to get ripped and chucked, why invest my time? But I should..I really should. I could do a little yarn. What the heck, I might upgrade to tags this year instead of marker on my wrapping paper.
This. Is. Genius!!! I hate buying the Christmas curling ribbon (seems they never have the shades that I'm looking for), so this is PERFECT!! Thanks for sharing!
I'm also a traveling yarn wrapping girlie....I also HATE those cheapo bows that stick on....I haven't used jute before though, but I will be trying that out too!
Thanks!
Super cute and creative! And cheap and travels well-what more could you ask for? That's great. I love it!
Also, you must play with the word veris. Like, mine at the moment is "berin." You must grin and berin the word veris. Or... you must berin mind that the word veris can be fun! I get great amusement out of the word veris. :)
Love this look... IT is super cute! Thank you for sharing. I will be traveling this year, so this will be great to pack in my suitcase! Thank
Great idea! We dont travel during Christmas, but this is a great idea regardless!
Very pretty! Your simpleness sometimes kills me, I don't know why I have to make everything ten times harder... I mean... Yarn...HELLO! Thanks for the great idea :)
Oh, the gift that looks like a paper sack... Did you make that? Or are you just genius enough to have sacks that match your wrapping paper?! If you made it can you please tell me how? Thanks:)
Love the yarn idea! I've been getting lots of yuck spam lately too...such a bummer! Hope it clears up quickly for you!
Blessings,
Stacey
Well now this is WHY I blog!
To pop over and get fresh new fabulous ideas like this!
Love the way you wrapped the yarn round and round the gift!
Now that gives it that bit of 'looks like it was wrapped in a cute boutique' look!
XXOOXX
This is a great idea! and the burlap! so cute!
I really like the look of the yarn and jute. Simple and easy and totally unexpected. All of your presents look so cute!
That's such a great idea! I love your polka dot wrapping paper too!
all the gifts look great! love the little name tags too...thanks for sharing! xo
Your presents look great. I wish that I were that far into Christmas prep!! I too have used the yarn trivk for the exact same reasons. This year I am trying tree garland.
Where's your paper from? I love it!
I love the yarn idea. Your presents look fabulous!
Cool idea. Certainly eliminates the question--"how do I decorate this package?"
I'll have to remember this idea.
Melinda
I love that paper you are using to wrap with...I wish we had a Hobby Lobby in the Twin Cities, but we don't..I have not started wrapping yet, because I need to find paper first. I will check out Tuesday Morning this week. And I love using yarn to wrap with...did that last year and I think I will do it again.
Your gifts look wonderful!
You've done the red proud! I suffer from the same mental fears and tried it this year too on my small tree (baby steps). Your home is looking even lovelier all decked out!! Merry Christmas!
Oh my goodness, that is such a great idea, I'm pulling out my yarn!
I've been getting spam lately too, but luckily not very much. It sure stinks!!
This is a GREAT idea!...and I just bought ribbon today too! This is the first year we will be traveling for Christmas...now where is my receipt...need yarn...
I love the yarn idea around gifts! I totally understand the crushed bows...Last year at Big Lots I found a damask patterned paper in both red and green so I would wrap a gift all in red and then cut a strip of the coordinating green to go around it just dressing it up so no bows to crush! I am totally borrowing your yarn idea this year! Thanks!!!
Did you make the garland on your mantle?? It is beautiful!
I love the yarn idea! Ribbon for presents was on my list of things to buy, but not anymore! Where did you get the gift tags? I love them!
I too travel and ADORE that idea! And I also love that your style comes through so clearly, even in wrapping. You are inspiration in motion.
I was stopping in here to find out where you got that burlap garland...I LOVE that on your tree!
Thanks so much for sharing...your house looks FANTASTIC!
Those are gorgeous gifts!! Great idea about the yarn!! the polka dots just get me every time...Polka dots = LOVE lol...
I read this the other day and LOVED the idea! I went out and bought paper and gift tags. With all the Linky parties, I couldn't remember whose blog it was on. I'm bookmarking it this time. I love the look and simplicity of it! Happy Holidays!
love love love. that's all i'm sayin about that.
I LOVE the yarn idea!!! Thanks for the great idea!
So cute! I love it!
Thanks for the idea
Merry Christmas
Great gift wrapping ideas and I love your tree!
Kay
Very cute and creative!!!
New reader here... I LOVE LOVE the yarn idea and it is super cheap. I travel to see my family as well as the inlaws and half the time the bows are squished. I'm soooo using this idea next year (as i've already attached bows this year). LOVE!
Why didn't I think of the yarn and jute before wrapping all of my presents last week. Sigh. Next year! ;) Thanks for the great idea! Your bundles are adorable!!
I had to add the word verification back too. The Russians wouldn't leave me alone.
Beautiful wrapping! Thanks for the tour!
I luv me some polka dots too!! Great pictures!!
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