What's The Next Step Down From A Napkin

DY357LXDY357LX Playing since day 1. Still can't Comm.England Join Date: 2002-10-27 Member: 1651Members, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">Looking For Creativity.</div>A few years back I inadvertently started a new game/tradition between my sister and I.

Whenever we get each other a Christmas/Birthday gift, we wrap it in odd ways.

For example, last year I wrapped her birthday gift <b>entirely</b> in <a href="http://www.themovecrew.co.uk/brown_parcel_tape.jpg" target="_blank">parcel tape</a>. It took her 20 minutes and a pair of industrial-strength scissors to open it.
The same year my gift from her was wrapped in brown parcel paper, complete with string bow.
(I also accidentally wrapped my mothers' gift in "Happy Birthday!" paper, inspired by the superb Demitri Martin, I wrote "Jesus" under it.)

It doesn't sound like much but to innocent bystanders we look very weird and very cheap. But the game is well under-way and both of us refuse to return to normal shiny/festive wrapping paper for the other. That would mean losing.


My sister has just been to visit and dropped off this:
<img src="http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/5171/birthdayxx.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
That's right, my gift (Uncharted 2 for the PlayStation3) is wrapped in a napkin with a smiley face drawn on it.

I now have to plan ahead to Christmas and decide what to wrap her present in that's one step below a napkin.

I'm thinking either a toilet roll (complete with cardboard tube attached) or clingfilm (I don't know what the American's call it).
(But does it still count as "wrapped" if you can see what's inside?)

Here is a picture of clingfilm for you non-Euro's.

<img src="http://georgetteculley.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/cling-film.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

And here's a picture of a car that's been cling'd (appeared on Google Image Search when I was getting that previous picture.)

<img src="http://www.thismakesmelaugh.com/Photos/Cars/large/Cling_film_your_car_TODAY__guaranteed_to_stay_fresh_for_up_to_21_days_428.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />


Suggestions welcome!
«1

Comments

  • NossahNossah Join Date: 2002-11-11 Member: 8234Members, Constellation
    edited November 2010
    Depending on what you want to give her you could consider vacuum sealing a stiff plastic bag.
  • lolfighterlolfighter Snark, Dire Join Date: 2003-04-20 Member: 15693Members
    If you use LOTS of cling film you won't be able to see through it. Alternatively, if you should happen to have packing material around, try the ol' "small gift in huge cardboard box" mainstay. Rooting around among styrofoam chips will provide minutes, nay, seconds of fun! Bonus points if you have TWO small gifts and they only find one of them (and then later on you point this out to them and they have to start the entire delightful process all over again).
  • NeonSpyderNeonSpyder &quot;Das est NTLDR?&quot; Join Date: 2003-07-03 Member: 17913Members
    Tinfoil or newspaper.
  • Kouji_SanKouji_San Sr. Hινε Uρкεερεг - EUPT Deputy The Netherlands Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16271Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    Duct tape can fix anything, even a problem of this scale!
  • AlignAlign Remain Calm Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 5216Forum Moderators, Constellation
  • SvenpaSvenpa Wait, what? Join Date: 2004-01-03 Member: 25012Members, Constellation
    If your gift comes in its own box, sharpie the crap out of it until unrecognizable.
  • monopolowamonopolowa Join Date: 2004-05-23 Member: 28839Members
    a pillowcase

    grocery bags

    if it's a video game, maybe the case for a different video game? (or an otherwise empty CD spindle)
  • XythXyth Avatar Join Date: 2003-11-04 Member: 22312Members
    Take a phonebook and hollow out a spot inside of it for the gift. Wrap the phonebook in brown paper and shipping tape. For extra points use the USPS labeled packing tape that is available at their stores.
  • Nil_IQNil_IQ Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15520Members
    edited November 2010
    Weirdly, my family does the same thing from time-to-time. Its not a competition, we just acknowledge that a gift has to be wrapped, and if we don't have appropriate wrapping paper on-hand we get creative. My parents have done the brown paper and string thing (they'd told us beforehand it was going to be a cheap christmas because we were saving up for disneyworld), they've done the "tiny gift in a big box" thing and I recently used a plastic shopping bag with a ribbon tied around it. That'd be my vote to be honest, plastic bag with the handles tied in a bow. If you want it to be hard to open you could use a whole roll of clingfilm, which has the added bonus of making the gift look about twice as big as it actually is.

    Also, my sister once sent my dad a fathers day card which was actually a 5th birthday card which had previously said "Guess who's five?" with "five" tippexed out and "Dad" written on in pencil. There were plenty of fathers day cards, she just liked that one better.

    *edit*

    On second thought, if you really want something that's a step <i>down</i> from a napkin, how about a burger / sandwich wrapper, or other piece of repurposed rubbish?
  • X_StickmanX_Stickman Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
    edited November 2010
    Blutack.

    Buy a couple of packs of blutack and just cover the gift in a layer about 2cm thick.

    Other than toilet paper or clingfilm, I can't think of anything that is a step "down" from a napkin.

    Maybe wrap it up in clingfilm, then use a black marker and go to town on it? Or just use a black bin bag.
  • DiscoZombieDiscoZombie Join Date: 2003-08-05 Member: 18951Members
    phonebook idea is the best so far I think. I was going to say a grocery bag, too. Except, not just throw it in a grocery bag and hand it over, of course - cut it into a square and wrap it properly with one.
  • remiremi remedy [blu.knight] Join Date: 2003-11-18 Member: 23112Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS2 Developer, NS2 Playtester
    I like the phonebook idea most too.
  • ScytheScythe Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 46NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation, Reinforced - Silver
    Go in the other direction. Get some tin sheeting, some pop rivets and a pair of tinsnips. Make a solid cube she cannot open without heavy-duty tools.

    --Scythe--
  • DroggogDroggog Random Pubber Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 3293Members, Constellation
    A dead chicken. Ask one with internal organs to your local butcher!
  • FaskaliaFaskalia Wechsellichtzeichenanlage Join Date: 2004-09-12 Member: 31651Members, Constellation
    Encase your present in jelly.

    And once she opens the outer jelly-shell and removes the wrapping make sure that there is another layer of jelly, covering the actual present.
    Repeat as needed.
    Also make sure that the actual present inside the multi jelly-wrapping shell is:
    Jelly-Powder.
  • palliepallie Join Date: 2009-10-12 Member: 69028Members
    The obituary page of your newspaper.
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    edited November 2010
    <!--quoteo(post=1805715:date=Nov 15 2010, 10:29 PM:name=Svenpa)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Svenpa @ Nov 15 2010, 10:29 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1805715"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->If your gift comes in its own box, sharpie the crap out of it until unrecognizable.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Too much work.

    Spray paint!
  • [WHO]Them[WHO]Them You can call me Dave Join Date: 2002-12-11 Member: 10593Members, Constellation
  • SvenpaSvenpa Wait, what? Join Date: 2004-01-03 Member: 25012Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1805724:date=Nov 16 2010, 05:56 AM:name=Xyth)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Xyth @ Nov 16 2010, 05:56 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1805724"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Take a phonebook and hollow out a spot inside of it for the gift. Wrap the phonebook in brown paper and shipping tape. For extra points use the USPS labeled packing tape that is available at their stores.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I like this, but with a bible. Perhaps not if seriously religious.

    Otherwise, dig it down outside the victims house or cut off the top grass layer and wrap it in with strings, holding it together.
  • lolfighterlolfighter Snark, Dire Join Date: 2003-04-20 Member: 15693Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1805760:date=Nov 16 2010, 02:15 PM:name=pallie)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pallie @ Nov 16 2010, 02:15 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1805760"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->The obituary page of your newspaper.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I like this one.
  • Chris0132Chris0132 Join Date: 2009-07-25 Member: 68262Members
    If you combine cling film and araldite you might be able to make fiberglass.
  • InsaneInsane Anomaly Join Date: 2002-05-13 Member: 605Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts, Future Perfect Developer
    Leaves, taped together.
  • ThansalThansal The New Scum Join Date: 2002-08-22 Member: 1215Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1805934:date=Nov 16 2010, 09:20 PM:name=Insane)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Insane @ Nov 16 2010, 09:20 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1805934"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Leaves, taped together.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    that's fairly damn good.
  • DrfuzzyDrfuzzy FEW... MORE.... INCHES... Join Date: 2003-09-21 Member: 21094Members
    edited November 2010
    My sister gives me my christmas presents every year completely wrapped in about 20 layers of duct tape. It always makes me laugh haha

    The phone book idea is funny, but instead of wrapping the phone book, super glue all the edges together so you have to cut into the book. I might have to do that one this year haha.
  • That_Annoying_KidThat_Annoying_Kid Sire of Titles Join Date: 2003-03-01 Member: 14175Members, Constellation
    edited November 2010
    <!--quoteo(post=1805749:date=Nov 16 2010, 02:21 AM:name=Scythe)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Scythe @ Nov 16 2010, 02:21 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1805749"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Go in the other direction. Get some tin sheeting, some pop rivets and a pair of tinsnips. Make a solid cube she cannot open without heavy-duty tools.

    --Scythe--<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    This one requires a shop, so I really like it

    [edit]

    lets start with what you are getting her

    Or you can do actually metal box in HUEG cardboard box with packing foam

    [/edit]
  • DY357LXDY357LX Playing since day 1. Still can&#39;t Comm. England Join Date: 2002-10-27 Member: 1651Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1808452:date=Nov 22 2010, 08:27 AM:name=That_Annoying_Kid)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (That_Annoying_Kid @ Nov 22 2010, 08:27 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1808452"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->This one requires a shop, so I really like it

    [edit]

    lets start with what you are getting her

    Or you can do actually metal box in HUEG cardboard box with packing foam

    [/edit]<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I don't know what I'm getting her just yet but I'll report back promptly when I do.

    At the moment I like the leaves idea. The other ideas are good but I'm not capable of welding/crafting :-P
  • chubbystevechubbysteve Join Date: 2002-10-14 Member: 1496Members, Constellation
    edited November 2010
    A sock.

    Pop her present in a used, fading and worn sports sock. Takes two seconds, speaks volumes.

    Edit: put loads of leaves in the sock like packing foam. Because you care.
  • X_StickmanX_Stickman Not good enough for a custom title. Join Date: 2003-04-15 Member: 15533Members, Constellation
    Don't wrap it in anything, leave the price tag on.

    Throw it at her and scream "MERRY ###### CHRISTMAS" and then run out of the house.
  • lolfighterlolfighter Snark, Dire Join Date: 2003-04-20 Member: 15693Members
    I like Stickman's. Do that one. With the right delivery, it's hilarious. With the WRONG delivery, it will cause a lasting falling-out with your family, probably followed by heavy alcoholism and suicide attempts. Which is STILL hilarious, just not for you.

    Also, that ended up a little darker than intended, and now I feel bad.
  • ScytheScythe Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 46NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation, Reinforced - Silver
    <!--quoteo(post=1808475:date=Nov 22 2010, 07:48 PM:name=DY357LX)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DY357LX @ Nov 22 2010, 07:48 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1808475"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I don't know what I'm getting her just yet but I'll report back promptly when I do.

    At the moment I like the leaves idea. The other ideas are good but I'm not capable of welding/crafting :-P<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Man up! Tin sheeting is cheap and can be bent with your bare hands even if you're a girly woman man. Hit it with a hammer until it's vaguely cubic, drill holes and pop some rivets in. Dead simple.

    --Scythe--
Sign In or Register to comment.