{DIY} Gift Wrap

Since it's now December, I can show you the gifts I wrapped like three weeks ago. Haha.  Wrapping paper is so expensive, especially since the stuff gets ripped apart anyway.  So instead of buying wrapping paper, I bought butcher paper on sale from Amazon, got ribbon from TJMaxx, pulled out my paint, and decorated the gifts myself.  I only have three gifts wrapped so far, and have plenty of ideas for my other gifts, but I wanted to show you all what I have done before Christmas gets too close in case you want to use the same ideas.  Each gift only took me a couple of minutes--since we are hauling these across the country with us, I wanted them simple and sturdy.

   

And there you have it!  Totally personalized and fun DIY gift wrap.

UPDATE:

I got two more gifts wrapped.  I took way too many pictures, but I want to remember what I did for future reference.

 

  

We don't have a tree since we'll be out of town for a month, so these are just sitting in my family room for us to enjoy before they get mangled on the airplane. ;) But really, let's hope not.

This holiday season has been a bit strange so far, for the husband and me.  Maybe it's the stress of school.  Maybe it's the fog.  Maybe it's being away from home.  We started listening to Christmas music a lot earlier than we usually do, I think because we wanted something familiar this time of year.  We're going to have to get used to the unfamiliar.  But we feel grateful for traditions, family, and holiday spirit that is alive and well wherever life takes us.

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.  Here's to looking to a new beginning, a fresh start.  Can't wait to meet you, 2014.