No Wrapping Paper? No Worries!

No Wrapping Paper? No Worries! photo courtesy of grabadonut

You’ve got a gift. You’ve got a box. Heck, you even have some tape, but you are fresh out of wrapping paper. Now is the time when your creativity can really be put to the test. Inspired by the “Nice Package” Flickr group, here are several ways to wrap a gift without using an inch of wrapping paper. But it will look so good no one will know the real reason your package turned out so unique.

Use wax paper. Head to your kitchen and grab a couple of sheets of wax paper. Using two layers will help keep the gift’s contents under wrap. Use some pretty ribbon or twine to complete the look.

Print some off the web. There are several cool designers offering printable wrapping paper. Even Martha Stewart has five different styles of wrapping paper designs available for free. Scrapbooks Etc. also offers up a bunch of brightly colored printable wrapping papers. Just download the file, click print and you’re good to go.

Head to your sewing stash and use leftover fabric. A lighter weave will make it easier to wrap. Coordinate the look with some thick ribbon to help hold it all together and a button in the center.

Pull newspaper out of the recycle bin. Give your gift an eco-friendly look by using newspaper or magazines.

Use paper, not plastic. If you’ve got grocery bags or shopping bags stashed in your pantry, creatively cut one up to make some heavy duty and eco-friendly wrapping paper.

Decorate the box. Skip the paper all together and find a way to decorate the box. Use stamps, stickers or your own drawing skills. It’ll be so pretty the recipient will forget about the lack of wrapping paper.

 
shopping-bags

Are you Thankful for What You Have? photo courtesy of andrewarchy

Chances are if you’re reading 1HappyCorner.com you like to shop. You enjoy giving the perfect gift to your loved ones and, from time to time, you enjoy treating yourself to the perfect gift, too. But making sure we can still be passionate about shopping while feeling thankful for what we have can be tricky. Even though Thanksgiving is five months away, here are some ways to keep that quest for bigger and better things from letting you forget how blessed you are.

Stop Comparing Yourself

If you find yourself shopping right after you notice the neighbors have new patio furniture or your sibling saunters around in a new designer outfit, then you may be comparing yourself with others. Shopping should be a fun search for lovely things that you need or that make you happy. But if you’re simply buying in order to keep up with the Jones’, then ask yourself why you’re feeling the need to impress others with your purchases.

Rethink About What You Have

Always feel like someone else has it better than you? Consider the fact that one billion people in the world don’t have clean drinking water. Just enjoying that cool glass of water or that long hot shower should make you feel thankful. Rethink about what you have. Your surplus may be what someone else needs to survive.

Find Some Suffering

A great way to get your priorities straight and truly be grateful for what you have is to find some suffering and do something about it. Maybe you can start shopping for supplies for a local homeless shelter or help an unemployed mom get an outfit for a job interview. There are plenty of ways you can put your passion for shopping to good use.

See What Others are Doing

Need some inspiration to help you realize just how much you have? Check out The Junky Car Club, run by a man who exchanged his nice car for a beater so he could give to more causes or The Uniform Project started by a woman who’s wearing the same dress for 365 days to raise money for school children in the slums of India.

Give It Away

Giving  your treasured belongings away may seem scary. After all, they’re yours and you bought them for a reason. But if you can give a few things away to someone who might need them even more than you do, you’ll prove that you own your stuff, and that your stuff doesn’t own you.

 
Be a Great Gift-Giver

Be a Great Gift-Giver. Photo courtesy of Saquan Stimpson/monstershaq200 0

Resolve to be a better friend, child, spouse, or parent. Do that by being a better gift-giver. Giving the perfect gift means you’re a great listener, generous and it shows you care. It doesn’t mean you lavish loved ones with pricey presents. Here are ten ways to be a better gift-giver this year. Continue reading »

 
Shhh! Surprises Make the Best Gifts

Shhh! Surprises Make the Best Gifts. photo courtesy of powerbooktrance

I happen to be someone who is very hard to surprise. It’s not that I’m hunting for clues or searching for secrets. I am just observant. I notice things. So if you’re trying to pull off a gift-giving surprise, here are six ways to make that happen, according to someone who is very hard to surprise.

1. One thing I’ve noticed about marriage is that it can be extremely tough to surprise a spouse. They’re always around. They know your hiding places. And they have access to your bank account. That’s why paying with cash is key for pulling off a surprise. Chances are they’ll log on to the online bank account and see where you’ve been spending. Avoid that by using cash so your purchases can’t be tracked.

2. Maybe it’s women’s intuition or maybe it comes from my years of peeking at presents under the tree when my mom wasn’t looking, but I have a pretty good idea what’s in that box under the tree. So if you really want to surprise someone, don’t put it there. Stash it somewhere else– even at a neighbor’s house or at your office if you have to.

3. Buying online? Don’t have the gift delivered to your home. Your spouse could get the mail before you do. Instead, have it shipped to a friend’s house for safe-keeping.

4. Be low-key. If your loved one makes a comment about something they would love to have, make a mental note and move on. Don’t ask tons of questions to draw attention to the fact that you find this tidbit of information extremely interesting. Listen, downplay the comment and store it away for a future gift-giving moment.

5. Destroy the evidence. Don’t let your hard work be ruined by a pesky receipt or a shopping bag with a certain store logo on it. Get rid of the evidence quickly and there’s a better chance you’ll pull off a great surprise.

6. Let them believe something else. This is a tip only for the pros. If you really want to surprise someone, drop a few clues that lead them in a totally different direction. Put a decoy present under the tree, but keep the really good ones hidden away. A few days before the big event, mention that you have been too busy to shop or that you have no idea what to buy them. They’ll be even more shocked when you pull off the surprise gift-giving.

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