Wrapped Gift Boxes to Match the Tree

I got home a bit after 5:00 pm today. It is now 8:36 p.m. and I just got off the telephone! I talk on the phone a lot at work and really hate to talk on the phone at home. My mother called both of my sisters to find out if they knew why my line was busy for so long. She was just about to come over to see if I was O.K. when I called her.

I have been calling to invite everyone to my Christmas festivities.

Christine, if you still read my blog, I hope you got your email invitation! We can't drink slushes without you! This year I am planning on two different kinds--Pineapple Paradise and Christmas Cranberry.

I am having back-to-back parties on Dec. 23 and Dec. 24. The 23rd will be only 10 people and I think I will be doing a Soup Buffet. On Christmas Eve I will be doing my family party and will have at least double that number. That will be a heavy appetizer party.

I will have such fun planning everything!

I had my nails done after work. I am so into snow now that I had a snowflake painted on one nail.


Any way on to my gift wrapping adventures:

Foil gift wrap is not very photogenic. I have been trying to get a decent photo of these boxes for three days. I guess these are as good as it's going to get.

I like to use these computer paper boxes for the more fancy gift wraps. Then I make a big bow from the wrapping paper and the ribbon I used. These boxes do take a bit of time, so I only do them for the more special gifts or if I am going to use them as decorations as I am here.

Last Christmas I did a "how to" post on making gift wrapped bows, so I am not going to repeat it here. If you want to know how, just click the "Christmas" category and look for the post in 2006. There are step-by-step directions. I guess you could also type "gift wrapping bows" in the search box and see if it comes up.

I will eventually use these boxes as gift receptacles. I just haven't bought any gifts yet, so they are all empty. It's so nice to have prewrapped boxes so that when I get the gift, I can just put it in an awaiting box. Of course, it does not always work out. At least half the time, what I buy is too big for the box.

This is the finished box:

I used some of the gift wrapping paper as well as the ribbon on the front. Then I tied a big silver heart into the bow.

I did a second box and used some gold stars and silver walnuts in place of the heart.
I have a bronze gift bag with a silver star hanging from it and two smaller shirt boxes in a non foil paper.

It is very difficult to see them in these pictures as the foil reflects the light. Hopefully, you get the idea.