Dear Yolinda: Wrapping Christmas packages is either one of the chores or the pleasures of the season, depending on your point of view. Actually, I have been known to embrace both viewpoints, but it is only the former when I am just doing the “same ol”, same ol’” stuff.

If you want to enjoy wrapping presents, my personal opinion is you DON’T work with the discount rolls you picked up a year ago with teddy bears wearing wreath halos. If you do, it is too easy to have it become just a job to get done at the best price, and as quickly as possible. You want to remember that the gift wrapping is the “first impression” of your gift. Ideally it should be a reflection of you, the giver, and personal to the recipient of the gift.

Spend a little time looking for wrapping papers that are more than a commercial cliché. There are some wonderful ones out there that are either elegant or humorous, nostalgic or “artsy”, etc. Consider choosing a paper that is appropriate to the gift such as an expensive piece of jewelry presented in a rich foil (or, conversely, directly inappropriate, such as the same piece of jewelry wrapped in newspaper and string!)

Never be locked into only looking at “Christmas” wrapping paper for your gifts. There are literally hundreds of great papers out there that can be used for seasonal giving that are not specifically “Christmas”, and many of them can be far more personal to the person receiving the gift. For an avid fishing fan we used our “Fresh Fish” kraft wrapping paper, then cut one of our Fake Fish in half and hot glued each half to either side of the package, making it appear that he was swimming through it. A sprig of evergreen and small pinecone gave it the necessary seasonal touch and our fishing friend knew that we had put thought and time into not only his gift, but also how it was presented to him.

We have mentioned in other articles to “think outside the box”, but in this context, we mean it literally. There is no rule that says the gift must be in a box. For another friend who is the “outdoorsy” type, we rolled up two bright red T’shirts (so the bears could see him coming) and wrapped a large, flexible piece of birch bark around the roll, tying it off with a matching swath of natural raffia. To add a bit more “woodsy” charm we added a big piece of Bark Wire, and curled and coiled it to look like twisted twig pieces.

And, speaking of natural and woodsy looks, we are living right in the middle of a cornucopia of goodies. Pods, pinecones, leaves, sticks, etc., etc., etc. are everywhere, right outside our doors, just waiting to be picked up and turned into something wonderful. Last year we did a program on AM Northwest on seasonal wrapping with a Northwest touch, and it was amazing, even to us, how much fabulous natural material we have available here that works beautifully for Christmas wrapping.

For someone with a hat fetish we covered a hat box (with a funky, handmade hat) in a handmade paper, then LOADED the lid with evergreen sprigs that still had their pinecones attached, dried grasses and a few corkscrew willow twigs, all gathered within 500 feet of our warehouse. We added a festive touch and seasonal color with loops of jewel toned Lingerie Ribbon. The finished result is not only a great looking presentation for our gift, but the box can be saved and used to store the hat she is receiving, or other treasures of her choice.

Lastly, consider letting the gift itself be the presentation. Many foods are perfect for this since they often have great visual appeal to begin with. Fresh fruit, nestled into some open, natural birch bark boxes looks fabulous all by itself. Add a bit of mixed evergreens, or a burlap ribbon and you have a gift that will be appreciated first by how it looks, and later by how it tastes!