My ex-mother-in-law used to wrap gifts perfectly…with NO TAPE. The ribbon would hold the paper on the package. I have no idea how she did that, but she was of a generation that knew all those little tricks lost now to time. After all, back generations ago, who had Scotch tape?
Hah! I found this comic again, I had forgotten which one is was. Husband reminded me that I knew about what used to be done to wrap gifts.
Until the Victorian period gifts were not traded at Christmas as they are now. In the 18th century and before gifts at Christmas were rarer than now. Parents would give small gifts to children and servants (including slaves) on Boxing Day. Christmas Day was a religious day spent in church. Cultures which followed the idea of having St. Nicholas give gifts the on his day did not give Christmas gifts. Gifts were not necessarily wrapped as paper was not inexpensive and one would not want to waste it – so gifts were given unwrapped or in small boxes which could be reused.
Gifts were not given to parents or by parents or other adults to each others. Children did not give gifts to their parents and so on. Gifts were only given to one’s “inferiors”, those below one on the social scale.
In the Victorian period as more gift giving starts to occur and the Christmas tree becomes common, gifts would be put in boxes which might have ribbon on them, but were not wrapped.
So it is a 20th century idea to wrap gifts in paper. In prior centuries and at the start of the 20th century if a gift was wrapped instead of being handed to the person plain or in a box, it would wrapped in fabric with a ribbon.
M2MM over 5 years ago
Great cover story! :D
dlkrueger33 over 5 years ago
My ex-mother-in-law used to wrap gifts perfectly…with NO TAPE. The ribbon would hold the paper on the package. I have no idea how she did that, but she was of a generation that knew all those little tricks lost now to time. After all, back generations ago, who had Scotch tape?
Perkycat over 5 years ago
C’mon! You both know the grandkids could do a much better job that that!
cuzinron47 over 5 years ago
That why they have gift bags now.
Dry and Dusty Premium Member over 5 years ago
Lier lier pants on fire, Ben. Shame on you!
mafastore over 5 years ago
Hah! I found this comic again, I had forgotten which one is was. Husband reminded me that I knew about what used to be done to wrap gifts.
Until the Victorian period gifts were not traded at Christmas as they are now. In the 18th century and before gifts at Christmas were rarer than now. Parents would give small gifts to children and servants (including slaves) on Boxing Day. Christmas Day was a religious day spent in church. Cultures which followed the idea of having St. Nicholas give gifts the on his day did not give Christmas gifts. Gifts were not necessarily wrapped as paper was not inexpensive and one would not want to waste it – so gifts were given unwrapped or in small boxes which could be reused.
Gifts were not given to parents or by parents or other adults to each others. Children did not give gifts to their parents and so on. Gifts were only given to one’s “inferiors”, those below one on the social scale.
In the Victorian period as more gift giving starts to occur and the Christmas tree becomes common, gifts would be put in boxes which might have ribbon on them, but were not wrapped.
So it is a 20th century idea to wrap gifts in paper. In prior centuries and at the start of the 20th century if a gift was wrapped instead of being handed to the person plain or in a box, it would wrapped in fabric with a ribbon.