Wrapping Gifts for Christmas, The Simple Life Way

Since we raised four children money had to be spent wisely.  There was also chronic illness for years that took a pretty good chunk of our income.  So that was an extra incentive to use our funds as frugal as possible.  To this day my daughter (#3) tells people her mom can make a penny scream.  Christmas was no different in our house.  I had to pick and choose what was priority when it came to wrapping and presentation.  There were years I used brown grocery bags decorated with a Christmas sticker and hand drawn pictures.  Not the best pictures, but pictures non the less.  There were no dollar stores back then.

Today, (yea!) we have multiple dollar stores to choose from.  They have the best wrapping paper and party supplies for - you guessed it - $1.00.  It's where most people go for wrapping items and I'm no different.  I still have paper left from last year, but I did buy one roll this year that matches the ones I had in the stockpile.

I'm happy to say that with a ball of twine (I can't remember where I got it), two rolls of 3M brand tape from the dollar store, and a few rolls of paper, I'm off to a good start.  I'm also using tags I got free from a coupon Hallmark sent me.  I wouldn't use tags unless they are free or under .25.  The normal procedure is to hand write the recipient's name right on the package.  So for a total of $5.00 I will wrap gifts for eighteen people.  The grandkids will get more than one gift under the tree at my house, which makes it about twenty five gifts for a cost of .21 cents a gift.  I like the primitive American look which is enhanced with using twine to replace ribbon.

The first two gifts of the season wrapped and ready to be sent to the North.  Both of these wraps came from the Dollar Tree. 

The little Christmas trees came from Michael's with a 40% off coupon.  The set included 21 trees of different sizes.  They will be used to create a forest around the Nativity set.

Have you started shopping yet?  What do you use to keep costs simple when wrapping gifts?  I'm excited that Christmas is so near!!!!