Presents, Wrapping, Surprises, and the Hunt for Gifts

[Sasha Distan]

I was alerted in my status recently to the fact that a lot of people 'go on the hunt' as it were for their gifts ahead of time to see what they got. Whilst I personally find this abominable, I know a lot of people will find me very strange for actually enjoying the process of wrapping gifts and writing gift tags with little witty hints as to the content.

 

So what kind of person are you?

 

Do you love to wrap presents? Come Christmas morning do you tear off the wrapping paper like a mad beast, or are you careful - even though you probably won't "save and reuse" the paper?

 

Do you like knowing what you got before the big day, or are you in it for the surprises?

 

To clarify before we begin - presents are not the point of Christmas, and gods know that the commercialism surrounding the holiday season is depressing as hell, but since most people give or receive gifts of some sort (even if it's just good food, alcohol, and good company: the best three things about the holidays), I thought it might be a fun discussion.

Edited December 15, 2014 by Sasha Distan

[Valkyrie]

I have an uncanny ability to guess what gifts are no matter how much the giver tries to disguise it.    It drives my mom nuts!  lol  I would say my wrapping is functional, even though I occasionally make an effort to make the package look pretty.  Christmas has become a bit of a downer for me over the past several years.  I don't get gifts like I used to - I think I got one actual present on Christmas last year - and while I know that Christmas isn't about the gifts, to me they are a symbol of being surrounded by loved ones.  When I was a kid I used to tear into them like a mad woman, but now I open at a more sedate pace.  LOL 

[Kitt]

For me it is all about making the people around me happy. Finding just the right gift to make someone squee when they open it is just the start. It then has to be wrapped just so, in order to amaze, frustrate or confuse the recipient and amuse the rest of the revelers present. I once gave my nephew and his wife ( at the time they were just starting to date and on a very limited budget) a gift certificate to an upscale restaurant. Rather than a small box or envelope, the certificate was rolled up and put into a napkin ring, then the ring and plastic serving ware was hot glued onto a fancy paper plate to create a table setting. That was put into a shirt box and wrapped. A lot of work? Yeah - but the look of puzzlement before he unrolled the "napkin" and the merriment in the room was worth it!

 

As to how I unwrap something - it sort of depends on who is the giver, and where in the process we are. In my family we unwrap in turns - one package each all the way around the room for as many turns as it takes so that no two are unwrapping at the same time. That way we don't miss the look on someones face when they have opened just the right thing ( or the look of puzzlement while he is trying to figure it out!).  Sometimes I tear in like the Tasmanian Devil, other times you would not even need to press the paper to use it again.

[rustle]

I enjoy wrapping presents, and being creative about it. Whether it's putting a cone on top and fins on the bottom of a cylinder to turn it into a 50s rocket ship, or sculpting the wrapping paper into a rat with a 12" tail, I'm fairly good at it. Usually, I find myself short on time, though, and resort to the right rectangular prism, glitzy paper, maybe a ribbon wrap and a bow. The evolution of gift bags hasn't gone unnoticed. Those holidays that I was broke, the Sunday comics made a good gift wrap. I've also used brown kraft wrap, butcher paper, and fluorescent printing papers.

 

My favorite is the brown kraft wrap, tied up with plain string (no tape, no ribbon, no bow, no tag).

 

One year, I found my mom's stash of Christmas gifts, and totally spoiled the surprise. Never again. I'd rather not know until that day.

 

When it comes to unwrapping, I don't salvage paper. Bows, maybe. I always carry a pocket knife. The first Christmas after my nephews were adopted, one borrowed my knife and sliced himself pretty good. My sister laughed at him, and told him my pocket knives are always sharp. "Merry Christmas. Let's go get you bandaged up."

[Irritable1]

I think my natural state is wanting to know but Mr. Irri is all about the surprise, and if I guess, he'll actually return the present ahead of time. So I don't guess. Also, I'm still waiting for the puppy...

 

I'm allllll about the crisp edges and the ribbons and the bows. I open them like that too. V. precisely.

Edited December 14, 2014 by Irritable1

[LitLover]

I love to surprise and be surprised. Unfortunately, I usually end up accidentally stumbling upon my husbands present to me. I pretend to be surprised (heck he usually puts a lot of thought into what to give me). I've started hinting that hiding presents in your office at work is a great way to keep people from snooping (using co-workers and their young children as examples).

 

One of my favorite things to do is put on Christmas music, sip on mulled wine and surround myself with presents, pretty paper and bows. It really puts me in a Christmassy mood.

[Carlos Hazday]

I'm gonna be different again

 

A few years ago I stopped giving gifts to anyone over 18 and asked all those that previously purchased for me to cease. I make a bunch of charitable contributions at the beginning of January in honor of the people I would have bought presents for.

 

Teenagers get a crisp Franklin or an Amex Gift Card.

 

Younger ones get toys or clothing.

 

I'm with rustle, kraft paper and string, although I do the crisp lines and corners and use the double sided tape. And I remember using the Sunday comics when I was in college!

[Sasha Distan]

I'm allllll about the crisp edges and the ribbons and the bows. I open them like that too. V. precisely.

Why am I soooo not surprised by this?

 

 

I love to surprise and be surprised. Unfortunately, I usually end up accidentally stumbling upon my husbands present to me. I pretend to be surprised (heck he usually puts a lot of thought into what to give me). I've started hinting that hiding presents in your office at work is a great way to keep people from snooping 

We have an agreement: at some point in December Cris will just lean around the corner of the lounge and go "You're no longer allowed in my office", and I'll pass by his door and go "my bedside table is off limits". We know where our presents are if we hunt, but we're both in it for the surprise.

Edited December 14, 2014 by Sasha Distan

[rustle]

We have an agreement: at some point in December Cris will just lean around the corner of the lounge and go "You're no longer allowed in my office", and I'll pass by his door and go "my bedside table is off limits". We know where our presents are if we hunt, but we're both in it for the surprise.

 

Every year, I have to tell Dave, "Don't ask so many questions this time of year, and when I lock you out of a room, it's for a reason."

 

Nosy bastard. But I've never caught him snooping.

[Cia]

My husband is the type you don't buy for off the list. So he can be hard to surprise. Fortunately, nowadays I get a link to things he wants all year long via email. I put them all in a folder titled 'Christmas' and go to that for shopping ideas. Family always wants to know what we're all getting for the kids, so we put out a list and let them coordinate and I keep the choicest items off that for me. Used to be Santa got the credit, but now it's all Mom!  

 

I do all the wrapping, other than my presents, so they're functional. Sometimes I coordinate paper and ribbons/bows and tags, but my hubby's mom and sister-in-law are all about the pretty stuff and mine looks sad beside theirs but I don't stress over it. Fortunately, my kids aren't peekers. They don't try to find presents beforehand. They and the hubby love to shake and feel packages once they're under the tree, though.

 

For me, I'm not big on presents. I never got what I wanted as a kid, though I did receive some nice things some years. I learned early to just appreciate what I get. It makes things very simple for me, but it also means I never really got into the ripping into gifts mode. My pleasure is usually seeing that my hubby and kids are happy.

[Irritable1]

Why am I soooo not surprised by this?

 

 

Let me inform you, you little fink, that among the other writers at work I am FAMED for my madcap, slapdash approach to life

Edited December 15, 2014 by Irritable1

[Cole Matthews]

^{I love this question! I adore being surprised. Ran is not in that camp. I caught him opening and rewrapping presents because it drove him nuts. I tried to hide for years. I finally gave up. But, he loves to know so I concede that to him. Regardless we enjoy it and exchanging little presents is fun. Oh well.} 

I'm  a mediocre present wrapper. I hope the gift is thoughtful.

^{Oh, Sasha in the poll, I wanted to vote for books as a present.  They have always been my favorite.} 

[Irritable1]

Every once in a while we do this bluff: show the other something we got for someone else, like, isn't this nice? I think your mom will really like it! but really we've actually gotten two of it, and the person who is being shown it is receiving one also. But it's risky.

Edited December 15, 2014 by Irritable1

[Kitt]

We have an agreement: at some point in December Cris will just lean around the corner of the lounge and go "You're no longer allowed in my office", and I'll pass by his door and go "my bedside table is off limits". We know where our presents are if we hunt, but we're both in it for the surprise.

 

BST ( that's what Sasha calls my husband) and I are much the same.  It does not work well when children are little however!

Every year, I have to tell Dave, "Don't ask so many questions this time of year, and when I lock you out of a room, it's for a reason."

 

Nosy bastard. But I've never caught him snooping.

 

LOL Have you been listening to conversations between myself and wings again Rustle?

 

Every once in a while we do this bluff: show the other something we got for someone else, like, isn't this nice? I think your mom will really like it! but really we've actually gotten two of it, and the person who is being shown it is receiving one also. But it's risky.

I've done this as well, and gone as far as having my sister in law try on a sweater "for Aunt XXX" because they wear the same size. I got away with it twice about 5 years apart before the gal caught on!

[Sasha Distan]

Oh, Sasha in the poll, I wanted to vote for books as a present.  They have always been my favorite. 

 

I can't believe I forgot books! It's probably because no one in my family will buy me the books I like, so I always have to guy them for myself!

[joann414]

Wrapping gifts is a favorite part of Christmas to me.  I find myself getting nostalgic as I wrap.  I was one of the lucky ones that had five siblings and very warm parents that believed in making Christmas all about family.  Reflections seem to take up a lot of my free time during the Christmas seasons.  I remember my siblings and cousins as kids and all the great times that we had.  When I'm wrapping I feel that a part of me is adding some of that heartfelt nostalgia to each gift hoping that the receiver feels a part of that warmth as they unwrap it.

 

I'm not a snooper.  My hubby and I put one gift under the tree for each of us and it's a total surprise.  The rest is for family and friends.  What they give us is always a surprise also.

I have Christmas music playing in my house anytime the telly is off during the holiday season.  People expect it.  There's always something baking also unless I'm caught up which is not very often.

 

My heart squeezes at times when I think of my parents not being there to share it with us anymore, but I'm the one that does our family Christmas now so I feel that they are there in spirit glad that I'm trying to keep the family together.  It's the time of year where all differences are put aside and we spend the day enjoying good food, company and a lot of reminiscing.

 

"don't have to tell ya'll.  I LOVE Christmas."

Edited December 15, 2014 by joann414

[Carlos Hazday]

^{Oh, Sasha in the poll, I wanted to vote for books as a present.  They have always been my favorite.} 

 

I was very surprised this morning when a segment on the Today show revealed the 4 most disliked presents to receive...

 

1.Booze

2.Plants/Flowers

3.Home Decor

4.Books

 

WTF? I'd agree with # 3 but the others are some of my favorite things!

[Cia]

I kill all plants, liquor seems a little alkie-ish for Christmas other than a host/hostess gift, and home decor really is very personal so unless it's a specific print/style/item asked for, I could see that being something that gets shoved into a dusty corner. Books can also be one of those things that people have to be careful. I hate getting books that are mid-series, or already own them. So if someone is buying me books, they really have to be a series I'm asking for. Now, get me a gift card to my fav used/new book store and I'm going to be thrilled.

[Valkyrie]

I am death to plants.  I got a bottle of wine and a candle from my supervisor.  I'm not much of a drinker, so I'll bring it to Christmas Eve dinner.  I made the mistake once of doing a 'chocolate basket' for a Secret Santa exchange and including liquor-flavored chocolate (there was no actual liquor).  It turned out the person didn't drink.   

[Sasha Distan]

Second best present my hubby (then just lowly boyfriend) ever got me was £100 to spend at Waterstones Bookstores. I knew I was gonna keep him then.

 

Best present was the elephant. but that's another story.

[Irritable1]

Honestly I'm really just in it for the one lipstick and the wrapping and shopping for the kids at this point. When we move into a place where the puppy becomes a real option....

[Cia]

The first year my husband and I were together, and this year marks our 18th actually, he got me a Betty Crocker 3 ring binder style cookbook. I still have it--and even used it today! Last year's Christmas presents featured a bookstore gift card and bath stuff. Yep. He gets me. LOL He's a far better shopper than I am.

[Irritable1]

I was feeling silly, so I got this as a Hanukkah present for the MFT I see. 

 

I just love kinetic sand. I don't know what that stuff is, but it's fabulous for presents. Makes kids so freaking happy.

 

Edit: I've read about people wildly misusing themed gift cards just for the heck of it... like drawing a line through "Congratulations on  your new baby boy!" and writing "Happy Anniversary" under it. I've always wanted to do something like that at the holidays, but never worked up the courage.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Irritable1

[LitLover]

I was very surprised this morning when a segment on the Today show revealed the 4 most disliked presents to receive...

 

1.Booze

2.Plants/Flowers

3.Home Decor

4.Books

 

WTF? I'd agree with # 3 but the others are some of my favorite things!

 

#1 and and #4 would make my Christmas.  Give me plants only if you hate them and want them to die a lingering and dry death.  

[Carlos Hazday]

#1 and and #4 would make my Christmas.  Give me plants only if you hate them and want them to die a lingering and dry death.  

 

Slight difference between Ontario and South Florida. I can just throw the plant outside and 90% of the time it'll thrive on it's own. I definitely have an unfair advantage.