One of my special pastimes before Christmas is making arrangements and wrapping presents for my friends. I am reminded of the love and care I used to lavish upon my Mother’s special gift each year. That pleasure is no longer afforded to me but doing the same for friends brings back cherished memories.
Upon writing this I was thinking about how the gift wrapping all started and was amazed to find it started in China.
• Gifts have been wrapped since the invention of paper in 105 A.D. in China. The paper-making process was kept a secret by the Chinese for centuries, but by 800 A.D. the process was known in Egypt. The secret spread to Europe, where the first paper mill was started in 1085.
• Wallpaper, first made in England in 1509, was the forerunner of gift wrap and was used briefly, but it cracked or tore when folded. By the early 20th century, gifts were wrapped in plain brown paper or tissue.
• America’s gift wrap industry had humble beginnings in Hallmark founder Joyce C. Hall’s downtown Kansas City, Mo., store in the early 20th century. Hall is known for being the founder of the greeting card industry, but he can also be credited with the “invention” of present-day gift wrap. Hallmark’s launch of printed gift wrap came about almost by accident.
My creations this year feature a lot of bling and special little ornaments gathered in my travels which have special meaning for the recipients. Maybe they will inspire you to spend time with your own creative interpretations and start a memorable tradition.
