Total Package.

I've often been made fun of for some of my more anal qualities. One if them is wrapping paper. I don't mind receiving gifts in bad wrapping paper, but never will I wrap a tacky package. I unknowingly promised myself this long ago.I can even remember being given extra boxes during gift drives in middle school because of my immpecable corners.
I consider myself a price conscious person, however nice wrapping paper comes at a cost. My best bets are Gracious Homes and Kate's Paperie and they ain't cheap! I swallow it and purchase though. Why you may ask? Well, if what is inside is something I enjoy and purchased for someone else, I want it to have style right off the bat. Don't judge a book by it's cover I hear you saying? Puh-lease. We all do. Of course we all learn our lesson that this is often a mistake (Balenciaga bag in a silver hologram CVS gift bag, matching tag on the nylon handle? Yes please. New neighbor with horrific dye job = nicest person on earth? We can't all have taste and Ill take kindness over quality highlights any day), but when the outside can look as good as the inside, why not? Instinctively, and for survival purposes, we make snap judgements every day. If I take an extra moment of care to sticker a UPS box, dress nicely, clean my apartment or just smile at a stranger then I've put a little more taste, care, thought, kindness--simply on the outside--in the world.
And PS. The gift above I wrapped this AM for my precious Julie's birthday tonight. In the spirit of the green movement AND too many Whole Food's bags Ive been using both them and The NY Post to wrap lately. As long as you have cute/approp ribbon, it looks adorable and so very in! See? Doesn't always have to be pricey.