Antique Christmas Wrapping Paper

What can I say…I love old wrapping paper……Christmas Wrapping paper is the most awesome: It’s colorful, it is cheerful, it makes people notice the gift and it is art

Wrapping paper can make even the most impersonal offerings—gift cards, electronics, appliances—seem meaningful. …it makes the gift even more special.

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If you want to see an awesome collection of Antique Postcard Pictures ….click here

blue background with poinsettia's Christmas Wrapping paper

Using paper as a covering for gifts has been a longstanding tradition in the western world, if largely luxury-oriented, practice: Upper-class Victorians regularly used elaborately decorated paper or fabric—along with ribbons and lace—to conceal gifts. …below are a few samples I pulled from Pinterest to give you a visual comparison. More effort was put into the gift presentation than the gift itself back then. these are beautiful examples.

lace and flower embellished gift wrapping

It is estimated that Americans spend $2.6 billion on wrapping paper a year. That’s a lot of money towards something that will just be ripped off and may or may not be recycled. It seems like a lot of wasted money, but what is the price of joy?

But the tradition of wrapping gifts started over 100 years ago. In the early 20th century, tissue paper became popular and people began wrapping gifts in it.

Then in 1917, a pair of brothers running a stationary store in Kansas City, Missouri were having such a successful holiday season, they sold out of the standard tissue paper that people were using.

Ito replace it, they put out the fancier paper that was used for the inside of envelopes. People fell in love with this idea and they also sold out of this paper….and THAT is how ornate and fancy wrapping paper was invented.

The brothers then began producing and selling their own wrapping paper in 1919…..the brothers were known as Joyce and Rollie Hall. Their store…….Hallmark….still the industry leader in holiday and gift products. Impressive