Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Don We Now Our Gay Apparel

While traipsing through The Container Store not long ago, I felt a familiar dread.
"Do I have to buy wrapping paper? Arrrghh."
In a flash decision, I voted no. I would use scarves and socks to wrap my gifts. Totally reusable, no paper waste, and kind of fetching in a cute-ugly way.
Since I was draping laundry on presents, I figured I might as well use clothespins to anchor it.
And then I got inspiration for tree decorations. Clothespins! And... um... fake laundry.
In another startling fit of recycling greenness, I grabbed an old magazine and cut little paper-doll sized garments out of the pretty colored pages. Sometimes a pattern on the page would be vivid enough to dictate the clothing. See the "puffy coat"? I can't remember for sure, but it might have been a photo of pastry.
You should see the tighty-whities. But. No.

16 comments:

Amy Sherman said...

You deserve the TED prize for setting the ultimate example of green living and sustainability! Love it! Next year I say hang actual wet laundry from the tree and you will also save on electricity bills.

Zoomie said...

The Japanese have wonderful re-usable colorful fabric wraps called furoshiki (I think that's the correct spelling). It's customary to give and get gifts wrapped this way - genius!

Greg said...

Woot! I love it. How about hanging real pastry on the tree? On the third day of Christmas my true love got me Hostess Twinkies.

Ms Brown Mouse said...

Wow, that's pretty spiffy Ms Cookie, pretty spiffy indeed.
& reminds me, must wrap stuff.

cookiecrumb said...

Amy: Even better idea. Next year, skip the tree and use the clothes drying rack! :)

Zoomie: I know those beautiful cloths. We should get that tradition going here. (I was a bit surprised how many scarves I have.)

Greg: On the Day of Christmas, I hope you get panettone!

Mouse: I'm horrified that there's been a delivery mix-up. No sign of the box yet?
Anyway, get wrappin'.

Chilebrown said...

Only in Marin.

Nancy Ewart said...

What great ideas! One of my favorite books is about how Japanese wrap presents. I love their sense of design anyway and to get a package wrapped in a lovely piece of cloth would just double the pleasure of the gift.

Anonymous said...

I'm loving the giftwrap idea... a gift within a gift? Hope you have a lovely Christmas.

El said...

Happyhappyjoyjoy!

We, out here in the hinterlands, saw down conifer saplings and call them "good" for the holiday at hand. Too bad its sad branches can't hold the (detritus) stuff of grandmothers' and great-grandmothers' gifts...but, well, clothespins, frankly, would work quite well.

And what the heck were you doing, wandering around such a store? Had you had an appointment nearby?

SallyBR said...

Merry Christmas to you, all your loved ones, and a Merry First Christmas to the cutest puppy in the world!

ChrisB said...

What a brilliant idea! Happy Christmas xx

cookiecrumb said...

Chilebrown: Well, I could come over and hang a bra on your East Bay tree!

Zia: Only my husband used new clothing to wrap presents in; I used old socks and scarves. :( Lucky me, I got a too-tight turtleneck! Merry Christmas.

El: I was walking THROUGH the store. It has openings on both ends. Heh.
Happyhappyjoyjoy.

Sally: And a most joyous day to you!

Chris: Aw, thanks. Have a wonderful Christmas.

Steph said...

Wow! That is the best thing I've seen in a long time. I may have to take off with my own riff on this theme next year.

Think of the possibilities Valentine's Day could hold...

cookiecrumb said...

Steph: I'm still very pleased with it. But what would you do for Valentine's Day? The thong tree?

Ms Brown Mouse said...

Delivery arrived on the 24th just as we were running out the door! Yay for little chicken purses!

cookiecrumb said...

Mouse: Such timing. Remember, "not a Christmas present." Cluck cluck.