Christmas Wrapped

I’m in the pre–holiday season thinking stages already, and one of the hardest not so eco–friendly parts of the holidays are definitely gift wrap, and as a user experience junkie – it’s also one of my favorite parts! The whole process of opening a gift is just incredible to watch, as the giftee peels through the layers, opens the box, removes the tissue paper… then that rewarding look of excitement as they find the unexpected surprise within…

So, i thought a fun post to kick off the ideas would be alternative gift wrapping! While i was out in Topanga Canyon today, stopped by Hidden Treasure (unbelievable amount of vintage/resale goodies, in the most incredible space – definitely a must see if you’re in the area) ~ and the treasures i found were three large trunks of vintage silk scarves beneath a fishtank. All of these were 3–4$, so totally affordable, and fun enough to pick from all sorts of colors and patterns, you can see the ones i couldn’t resist in the picture above.

Now the next step is… how do i fold/wrap gifts with the scarves? Back in 2006, “Ms Yuriko Koike, Minister of the Environment, has created the ‘Mottainai Furoshiki’ as a symbol of Japanese culture to reduce waste. Furoshiki is a Japanese traditional wrapping cloth which is used repeatedly in a stylish way.” See the diagram after the jump for 14 gorgeous ways to wrap various shaped gifts – from boxes to balls, bottles to pouches.

Good luck! Feel free to share other ideas you have in comments, and pictures if you make some gorgeous scarf wrapped gifts ~ or invent your own Furoshiki techniques, but first ~ see the how–to diagrams after the jump!
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When it comes to hosting a party, you can never have too much ice. The typical mid-party ice run means spending money on something you can make better for free. And who wants to leave their own party in the middle of all the fun?

Fill your freezer with as much ice as you can fit in there. But remember ice can do more than just keep a drink cold. It can be pretty. It can be a conversation starter. It can be fun!

In addition to using creative ice trays, like this one that makes ice kebabs, there are a few simple things you can do to make your ice gorgeous.

~ Make Clear Ice
Homemade ice is usually cloudy. To make ice crystal clear, use distilled water and boil it before putting it in the tray. Make small, clear cubes and it is like chilling your drinks with diamonds.

~ Make Flavored Ice
Choose flavors that will compliment the beverages being served. Then, make flavored ice cubes by using two tablespoons flavored syrup for every cup of water. As the ice melts, a subtle flavor will be added to the drinks rather than watering them down. For instance, lemon ice cubes would compliment iced tea or a gin and tonic, while cherry ice cubes would compliment a cola or bourbon.

~ Make Special Ice
After filling your tray with water, add berries, edible flowers or mint leaves so they’ll be suspended in the ice. Get creative! This is a chance to make an edible garnish that will make your drinks stand out.

~ Make Ice That Doesn’t Pick Up Unwanted Flavors
Keep the ice safe from being the other things in the freezer by storing it in a covered container.

Gingerbread houses are fun to make, beautiful to look at and tasty to eat. That makes them a great party theme, gift idea and dessert ~ all in one. How’s that for holiday multitasking?

For inspiration, check out these amazing gingerbread houses. From a modern gingerbread dollhouse, complete with tiny designer furnishings, to a gingerbread skyscraper ~ if you can imagine it someone has probably rendered it in gingerbread form. Click on each image to find out more.

Of course, most of us aren’t advanced gingerbread architects. However, all it takes to get started is stocking up on some supplies like special bake sets, molds, decorating tools and cookie cutters in addition to the oh-so-important candy toppings and gingerbread.

If your gingerbread house doesn’t turn out quite the way you want it, you can always have a little fun with it before eating it.

With all the holiday shopping and planning and general running around, we could all use some fun. Toys aren’t just for kids!

Give mini-marshmallow shooters and Nerf blasters, and the whole family (or the whole office) can run around having a good time. Part of the gift is the time you’ll spend together having fun! If it’s warm enough where you live, get a Super Soaker for the kids and let them water the plants while they play. A Christmas morning home laser tag game is a good way to burn some calories. Do you need any more practical excuses to have fun?

Click on each image to find out more.