All wrapped up – the YH&G team share their top tips for gorgeous gifts
I hit up my local fabric store when they have a good sale and collect scraps of fabric to tie my presentsin the Japanese furoshiki style. I love to choose patterns that worktogether and aren’t traditionally ‘Christmassy’. I also wrap bottles of wine in fabric and tie themoff with a decoration.CATHERINE, STYLE DIRECTOR I keep it simple at Christmas – classic brown paper, some ribbon or twine (no tape) and I use a set of alphabetstamps to print the names of my family members on their gifts in red ink. It looks sweet and old-fashioned,like a gift from the 1940s. SALLY, WRITER & SUB EDITOR I tend to leave my wrapping to the last minute. But when I get around to it, I like to use a mix of papers – usually a simple colour combined with a beautiful print. I use natural twine for tying, then add a handwritten note for each family member.I love wrapping presents neatly, making sure the seam is underneath, but never tie them with ribbon, even though I have lots of it in a box (it never seems to go with the paper!). Then I get the kidsto make me gift tags out of last year’s cards and attach them withribbon or natural string.STEPHANIE, CHIEF SUB EDITOR I’m notoriously bad at wrapping presents, so much so that I avoid the task altogether. I usually opt for a gift bag, but this year I’m feeling inspired by our ‘30 steps to a sustainable celebration’ (page 52) and will use cloth bags that the recipient can use as a shopping bag afterwards. On the day, I’ll head into the garden to find a special bloom for eachperson and tie it to their gift with string. I save all the A3 paintings and drawings the kids do at school throughout the year and wrap pressies in those – people love the personal touch and it requires very loweffort from me! SHELLEY, EDITORIALDIRECTORI’m all about using free or reused paper. Each year, I love the gift wrap that comes with the YH&G December issue, and this year’s prints are particularly cute! Plus they come with matching cards and gift tags so my wrapping is sorted.FIONA, FEATURES EDITORKRISTINA, EDITORFIONA, ART DIRECTOR