Coverups

Trade secrets and trends in wrapping things up

Mairi MacLean , The Edmonton Journal

EDMONTON - They say the real pleasure is in the giving of a gift. At the same time, a major pleasure in gift opening is coming to grips with the wrapping, the tantalizing coverup of the treasure inside.

"It's a real mixture this year," says Suzanne Davis of Notables, talking about trends in paper wrap, which are reflecting the popular decor tones of blues, silvers and majestic purples. They're part of a much larger field that spans florals, graphic designs, more muted papers and of course, the traditional Christmas and winter holiday patterns.

Boxes are big sellers, says Davis -- "they're re-usable, so become part of the gift itself" -- and she mentions a reusable cloth gift wrap called Furochic made by a Vancouver-based company. "It's inspired by furoshiki, a traditional Japanese wrapping cloth, and it comes with a cloth, a ribbon and a gift tag. It's 100-per-cent cotton and has 10 different wrapping ideas included."

Hallmark's brand marketing manager Jennifer Kinnon says traditional paper wraps with Santas, snowmen and toys appeal to children and to those who wrap kids' toys. "A lot of people love to wrap presents for children, and they find the gift bag is almost anticlimactic. When kids can rip the ribbon and tear the paper, it's an experience," she says, from Toronto. "We have a fun 'Zip Box' idea, a gift box with an adhesive seal so when the child opens the present there's a perforated pull-tab. It has the convenience of the gift bag but has excitement and fun for the children."

With the growing popularity of giving gift cards as presents, Hallmark has developed new packaging for these small cards. "We have little boxes; when you open them they make a sound. One looks like Santa and says 'Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas', one sings Holly Jolly Christmas. We also have little felt stockings and mittens to make (these presents) more decorative."

There is also a range of packaging options for those who like to make home-made gifts such as cookies, jams and chocolates, says Kinnon. "We have one that would look almost like a Tim Bit box, but with a Christmas pattern. We also have cellophane treat packages."

Her company is part of the "Red Program," an initiative created by rock star Bono wherein a portion of the proceeds from sales of roll wrap and gift bags from the "Red" line goes to fight AIDS in Africa. "All of our gift wrap and tissue can be recycled," she notes. "Ninety-five per cent have grid lines on the inside to make it easier to cut; the other five per cent is reversible paper, with co-ordinated patterns and colour schemes for those who colour co-ordinate under the tree."

Those deeply committed to recycling should check out the ReUse Store on 104th Avenue. Operated by the Waste Management Branch of the City of Edmonton, it offers reused ornaments as well as materials that can be used for Christmas wrap ranging from bingo sheets and sewing patterns to wallpaper and shelf liner.

More ideas

There's never been more to choose from in gift tags. Indeed, some fill the role of "Christmas trim" in their own right, says Kinnon. "We have lots you can put on the rectangular bottle bag -- a jingle bell, holly, mistletoe."

You could also think about using a small Christmas ornament, a mini-bottle of hot sauce or liquor, a small kitchen or bar utensil such as a citrus grater or wine stopper. Or how about a bangle-type bracelet, a packet of seeds, or a small picture frame?

Don't forget to raid the pantry for unexpected containers, too. Old tins, such as fancy cookie tins or cocoa tins can make attractive containers, as can Chinese takeout boxes.