All wrapped up...

I love a good cohesively themed pile of wrapped gifts. I love it so much that not even doing xmas out of a box (or three!) was going to stop me from having one. Luckily I'd decided on this year's theme early on - black wrapping with white, silver and gold highlights. 

Aside from the odd rogue gift tag, all my supplies were from The Wrapping Paper Company. A Twitter friend put me on to them and I'm so glad they did - gorgeous products, timeless designs and made in Melbourne too! I especially love their 'belli-bands', and the calico and linen ribbon (and look at these lovely striped herringbone ribbons!). But be warned, they are mainly aimed at retailers so everything is sold in semi-bulk packs and you need a minimum order of AU $100 (very easy to do, believe me…). 

Anyway, I'm pretty pleased with how it all turned out - the black wrap adds a degree of classiness, yes? 

ps. I've already got ideas for next year - I'm thinking super bright pink and aqua with pops of gold, white and black. And polkadots, lots of polkadots!

Xmas in a Box!*

This xmas we are kind of nomads. The Big Project isn't finished (we were pushing for a pre-xmas move-in but we realised that was insane, so now it looks like a late January move-in), and we are kind of completely over paying so much for the serviced apartment - especially when a) we can't even have our furry friends with us and b) we already have two separate trips away planned and booked over the next month anyway. 

So tomorrow we check out of the place we've called home since we touched down in Sydney three and a bit short months ago. It's the right thing to do, and we'll make it fun (with a week in Melbourne, a week in Bondi, a week in the city, a week in…). But...it has meant life has been a bit of a logistical nightmare of late. 

It's been a whirlwind of shopping and wrapping and packing and sorting and figuring out what clothes are needed where, and when. Things have been moved to our storage unit in methodical order, so we can go back and access what we need, when we need it. (Including all the doggie things which we'll need come January 1 when we are reunited with Ferdi and Elfi, for good! Best new years gift ever!)

We have three boxes marked XMAS! which will be pulled out of storage xmas week. They'll join us at a serviced apartment in Bondi Beach, where we'll have a festive lunch before heading to the in-laws for dinner. 

Here's what's in my xmas in a box: 

- All the presents for the big day

- Stockings for the step-sons, stuffed with fun things

- A rather festive table runner 

- A handful of xmas decorations - paper ones that pack flat like these (I need to decorate something, living vicariously through Instagram will only soothe my inner Martha Stewart so much…)
- A few precious vintage baubles, brought via Etsy at a time when I thought we'd be in the new house by xmas (*sigh*)

- Xmas crackers, the ones with bad jokes inside (I don't get this trend towards 'fun facts' or 'mottos' - it's not a cracker unless it comes with a bad joke…)

- Champagne and chocolates (of course!)

- Barbecue Shapes in the shape of xmas trees

- Spare wrapping paper and ribbon, and a few gift tags and cards, just in case I missed someone (somewhat likely...)

*Technically it's in three boxes…

ps. How are your festive preparations going? Have you done xmas out of a suitcase before? With a family? How did you manage it?