Do you cringe at the expense of fancy gift bags and wrapping paper that you know people are going to throw away with the trash. Here is an alternative.
Wrapping paper doesn't have to be expensive. If most of the gifts you are going to wrap are for your children. Buy a roll or two of nice wrap for the work gift, the mother in law gift, or your significant others' special present. For the bulk of the presents, buy either brown kraft paper or go to your local newspaper office and buy the end bolts of paper. There isn't enough for the newspaper but there is plenty of paper on these rolls. Both of these options offer a great deal more paper for a lot less money.
You can still add a bow or with the brown paper make it very earthy and attach a sprig and a pine cone to each gift.
You can also have fun with the kids. Give them each a different color of paint and have them mark their own prewrapped gifts with their hand prints. For the remainder of the season while the gifts are under the tree, they are less likely to grab and shake because they can see at a glance which gifts are for them.
You can also use the paper to decorate. Have each child lay down on the paper. Trace all around their body with a marker. Have the children make their silhouttes into santas, reindeer or snowmen. Just give them crayons, markers, cotton balls and glue. These can hang on their bedroom door for the holiday. They can even use this to make their christmas wish list, adding items each day.
"Copyright 2006, Mary Welling-Bonney & Suite 101. All rights reserved. Any unauthorized use will constitute an infringement of copyright."
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History of Christmas Ornaments
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Ornaments to use or give as gifts
gift bags for the kids to make
