Can you believe how quickly the holidays came this year? I feel like I blinked once in September and here we are. We usually wrap our presents in newspapers and magazines, but the wrapping paper from etsy shop Norman’s Printery would look really cool under the tree, don’t you think?
The annual Cup of Jo gift guide will start next week—really looking forward to it! Let me know if you have any special requests:)
Very nice paper, where did you get it?
LOVING these! Wow, what a fun variety and definitely something different for the holidays :)
Cheers and thanks!
Lisa
Thank you for sharing valuable information.
Cool!
Your Foodie dad who dreams of being BBQ Pit Master and can’t say no to a challenge.
Your Boy Scout Husband who dreams of living in the woods and loves watching the “A” team.
Your hipster sister who loves to travel and never goes anywhere without her comfy scarf.
Your sweet mom who lives to plan and organize and always looks good in blue.
Beautiful wrapping papers :)
I’d love to see some more ideas for new boyfriends and boyfriend’s families
How about one to delight your Dad who has already inconveniently purchased everything he needed?
I love that galaxy wrap! I would use it year-round!
Oh that galaxy print is lush! Would love to see that under the tree, but think it’ll be stereotypical xmassy paper for us!
Two Hearts One Roof
Absolutely love these papers, Jo! Feeling a bit more festive now…thank you for sharing!
I love the galaxy printed wrapping paper! I wonder if I could DIY it.
Gift Guide Ideas…
1. Add my vote to the “new boyfriend guide” column
2. Gift to give TO a babysitter and a gift to give to the parents/children that you babysit for. I babysat through grad school and became very close to two families that basically adopted me.
3. Parents of “the new boyfriend” when you visit their homes around the holidays
Joanna, do you think you could do a Small Business Saturday gift guide? Not for any family member or friend in particular, but more different places to get gifts for loved ones and support small business owners and makers at the same time? You know, beyond just perusing Etsy (and addicting habit, I might add.)
Thanks!
Georgia
Special request here! It’ll be my first Christmas with just me and my husband. We’ve been together nearly 8 years but were just married in October, and I want to start building our own little family traditions.
We’re going to do stockings (yay:), so this is a twofer:
1. I don’t want to ask my mom to ship out my childhood stocking. I’m ready for a new one to mark the occasion! Where can I find an attractive, knit, traditional stocking? I looked on Etsy a bit and came up empty-handed.
2. What kinds of things are good stocking stuffers for two twenty-somethings with no kids? Both for my guy and to hint about for myself :) So far I’ve thought of fun socks and hot sauce!
Gift guide for vegans
Hurrah! I love your gift guide. I’m a single mom who started dating a single dad in October. So, I’m curious about holiday gifts ideas for the fella you just started seeing…but you know you’re falling for in a serious way. Thanks for your daily dose of sweet inspiration, Joanna.
Hi Joanna,
I just wanted to mention Elfster, which is an online Secret Santa tool. I was living in China when my friends in New York decided to have a Secret Santa gift exchange. They didn’t want to leave me out so they found Elfster which allowed me to participate and not ruin any surprises.
xoxo,
Ryan
Gift guide for secretaries/kids’ teachers/all the people who make life easier. Gift guide for tweens..now that my niece and nephew are 12 and 14, I have NO idea. I think they just want cash but that feels lame.
A gift guide for teenage boys would come in superhandy, I think. That really is the hardest category, if you ask me ;-)
Special gift guide request for teacher gifts, please!
Love the galaxy and floral papers. Thanks for the inspiration!
Please try to make a gift guide for your younger sister who will be graduating college and moving out on her own in May. She loves to bake but doesn’t necessarily need super expensive bakeware. She is an art major. She is probably the best friend anyone could ever have. Also, she likes “experiences”(off the beaten path road trips) more than “physical things”(notebooks, makeup and such).
I would love a gift guide for homemade gifts and small crafts! Xoxo
I don’t celebrate christmas but I do love these wrapping presents to wrap the gifts for birthdays. It will not only create a beautiful gift but also show that we have an effort even to wrap it. Good post <3
Hi Joanna. I love your gift guide, it’s been a great help in the past when I’ve been stumped on what to get for my family. The dad gifts are always great! This year is a little bit special for me, as I’ll be heading to London for the holidays to meet my boyfriend’s family for the first time. I would love it if you could suggest gifts for the “in-laws.” Especially for mums ;)
Happy Holidays!
Dads that are not into fancy things. If I dare got my dad something fancy or even over $50. He’d have a heart attack, and never use it!
I have a request-a new husband-what do you give in your first Christmas as newlyweds. I feel like it sets such a tone for the rest of our lives-and maybe not. last year I gave him a watch-it was nice, but we were just dating at the time. Now we’re married and I feel like it should be more special somehow.
Gifts that inspire young kids to explore and travel.
This year will be so difficult… I’d like to suggest to my family not to buy a gift for each member since our budget is limited, but just make a nice present for one- Secret Santa, you know?
Lots of kisses Joanna! :)
love the starry wrapping paper!
gifts for your very good male friend who seems to have it all or just doesn’t express any profound desires for things? :)
We moved away from wrapping paper to fabric present bags for family several years ago and it is AMAZING. Both wrapping and tidy-up after opening are super quick and it’s reduced a huge amount of waste (and need to store rolls of paper).
Hi Jo! Great wrapping paper choice :-)
My husband and I live abroad in Europe, and are returning to Canada for Christmas, as per usual. We have the same problem every year: how do we pack presents for everyone in the family and still manage to fit clothes that are thick and warm enough to brave a Canadian winter?! If you have any ideas on small, sentimental gifts that don’t take up much space or weight (or can easily be shipped across with Don’t-Open-Until-Christmas label!) that would be super :-)
Dear Jo, i’d love some ideas for my almost 13-year old boy, that is not a video game or anything related…
I’m really drawing a blank, since he has dozens of books to read, comics and mangas all over the place!
Thank you so much, and sorry about my screen name, it’s my husband’s nickname from highschool (and I’m using his account)
A gift for the geeky boyfriend who wears mostly plaid and jeans and vans, who secretly wants to branch out in fashion and accessories but doesn’t want to be flashy (yet wants something that is not too done or common)?
Happy Holiday Joanna!
Christmas gift exchange ideas (like for work parties and stuff)…secret santa…white elephant. that type.
I would love to see your recommendations for people that need little gifts, like neighbors, teachers and colleagues. I always have the toughest time finding little, classy gifts that don’t break the budget. Thanks!
Empty boxes wrapped beautifully like that could be gifts in themselves! -Audrey | Brunch at Audrey’s
Beautiful wrapping paper. Would make any gift extra-special! Look forward to your guide.
How about a gift guide for your girlfriends that you love so much but are really hard to shop for?!
omg boyfriend, brothers (teenage and in 20s), in-laws, best friend, mom, dad, that-one-girl-you-never-talk-to-that-you-got-for-secret-santa, holiday party host, grandparents
!!!!!!
Yes I have a gift guide request! Gifts for teenage boys :) They’re so difficult!
how about gifts for your “boyfriend who is totally into technology but on a level that you don’t understand at all and poo poos anything that could be called ‘techy’ or a ‘gadget,’ who won’t wear anything V-neck because it’s ‘too flashy’ but is cool with wearing bow ties and who actually said to you once, and I quote, ‘buy me something cool and interesting that I’ve never heard of before.'”
It would be super helpful because approaching this, our 7th christmas together. I’m still as clueless as I was in 2008. Thanks!
love all these requests. you guys are the best. xoxoxoxo
@anonlurkermom, first off i love your screen name. secondly, that’s a great request! i’ll be thinking about it!!!
Please do the following types of gift guides:
Your awesome best-friend from college who is basically your sister and who is pregnant with her first baby
Your awesome best friend who has a travel-heavy job and who dreams of living in London
Your cool coworker whose husband was just deployed for the sixth time
Your handsome boyfriend who is charming, has a beard, loves food and Ben Sherman… and who just found out he will need serious bone surgery which will leave him bedridden for most of 2015 :(
Thanks Jo!
For an eco friendly option, I really love Wrappily. It’s a step up from wrapping in ordinary newspaper.
Obsessed with that galaxy paper! I’m looking forward to your gift guide as always. Looking forward to what you come up with for toddler gifts, and request more personalized items, etsy style! xo
Beautiful!
I’d love to see atypical gift ideas for dads. My dad doesn’t play golf, watch sports, fish, or do any of the typical things that dad gifts usually cater to! And he’s so hard to shop for.
Lately I’m into giving experiences as gifts, like tickets to Cirque du Soleil for example.
I am SO excited for your gift guide. I never know what to buy my husband. Basically his requests are `nothing` or `a Roomba` (because he is an anal retentive boy obsessed with cleaning the house). Even harder, is birthday is on Dec 30th, so I always have to double up on ideas. Your gift guide is always such a great help! So, my requests are – more suggestions for the `hard to buy for male who says he doesn’t need anything`. x
Jo, first: my brother a builder uses blueprints for wrapping paper and it is awesome. second, can you suggest a gift or gifts for the woman your 23 yr old tells you is “the one”? He is my eldest, she is lovely and they are comfy together. I think if I were meeting the single mom who raised the man I love I would be tense: she wasn’t! That gets big points from me. But, what kind of gift if any?
gift guide help for a long distance boyfriend who enjoys mushroom foraging, surfing, and cooking.
I think you should do a gift guide for what to get families. My family draws names each year and most of us are still single but my sister is married with 2 kids (and another on the way!) and this year I have her family so I need to think of a good gift that they would all enjoy. Love your blog!
Gift guide request – boyfriend! I can’t get away with clothes or ties, etc. (also doesn’t like to booze) so something other than that would be awesome. He also has a tendency to buy things he wants so I’m at a loss. All gift guides thus far involve tie clips or flasks… gah!
Request – a gift guide that takes the focus off the material or at least keeps costs down and creativity up (but would work for a family where not everyone is super crafty). Every year christmas gets more and more extravagant in my family and it’s starting to feel like a rush to purchase a bunch of things when I wish there was more thought and less amazon prime-ing! Or a group effort to save for a vacation or an experience? But that doesn’t make my shopaholic mom bummed out about not shopping. It’s a BIG ask! xoxo
love the galaxy paper! so cute
come check out my blog?
http://www.jessicajottings.blogspot.com
The more gift guides the better. I’m stumped with the far-away nieces and nephews ranging from 16 to 2. Anything new and cool for kids in various age ranges would be great. Especially under $50.
I’m so excited for the gift guide!! Any time a friend asks me for gift recommendations, the first thing I do is direct them to your gift guides.
I want that galaxy paper really badly!
I always look forward to your annual gift guides! Also, I love wrapping gifts in special papers– almost as much fun as the gift itself!
How about a gift guide for your boss?
Loooooove the annual gift guides! I need tips for men of all shapes and sizes: boyfriend, dad, and brother who are all sick of scarves and bourbon.
My special request is gifts for the in-laws that have almost no hobbies…. Eek!
Love this wrapping paper – I have such a thing maps. I know that I’m a bit younger than your general demographic (I’m a college student), so I’ve got a smaller budget with which to find gifts for my friends and family. So, for those of us who can’t afford to splurge on the more expensive things you’ve featured in the past, could you include some lower-priced items? Maybe prints from somewhere like 20×200, or a great scarf (found on sale!), a suggestion for a fun experience to do together (that works in multiple cities, not just NYC) etc.? Much appreciated!
WOW love the floral ones, also, never one shy to self promote but check out these funky gift wrapping ideas for the designers at the toy company i work at:
http://blog.eeboo.net/2013/11/craft-idea-gift-wrap-inspirations/
I can’t wait for the gift guide! It’s my go-to resource each year. I’m a newly-engaged gal, any tips for fiancees?
I echo the first Christmas with the boyfriend! We’ve become very serious but so (I’m personally) less concerned with how romantic it is but am struggling with how big of a gift to get. I don’t want to get him something small, although money is a concern, but he’s not a “let me spend $1000 on a gift” for you kind of guy either.
Gifts for mother-in-laws…Stumps me EVERY year!!
Can you make a gift guide for “your newly engaged-to fiance who loves sports as much as he loves comics books but not as much as me?” :)
Joanna, could you offer some ideas for a yankee-swap gift exchange for adults? My family does one every year and its really fun, but its so hard to come up with fun, creative (not raunchy, its family) gift ideas… Thanks!
I always spend a lot on wrapping paper and actually love the idea of newspapers with Christmas ribbon! I am in need of a list of what to get the men in my life. The dad who has everything, my NYC husband and the coolest younger brother. Always clueless as to what they might want.
cool!!! angie
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