Wrapping Scheme 2025: Pasta Pasta Lotsa Pasta

We're quickly approaching 20 years of gift wrapping schemes! While I have a year to think about what my 20th wrapping scheme will look like (should I do a commemorative black, white and pink?!), this year is the most out-of-the-box theme yet. 

Last summer, my friend Lauren jokingly sent me this cheeseburger wrap as inspiration, and we got to talking and she joked I should do a bread or pasta theme. It made me laugh and in 2025, a laugh is sorely needed. I did a cursory search of Etsy and, lo and behold, if you can dream it, Etsy sells it as wrapping paper. 

I liked the idea of a comfort food theme, and pasta, red sauce and basil somehow manage to still be in the traditional holiday colors! Inspired by my favorite children's book, "Pasta Pasta Lotsa Pasta," I present the gift wrapping scheme of 2025: when you're here, you're family. 

A bit whimsical, but still every bit beautiful. The traditional Italian restaurant tablecloth wrapping paper is from Ruby Stripe, who heroically 2-day shipped me a replacement when my roll got lost in the mail. The watercolor pasta paper is by Wrapping Birdie. The hand-drawn Italian treats in black-and-white paper is by Peachie and Tink Gift. When you need a gorgeous illustrative paper, you'll always score with Cavallini & Co. And in homage to my tomato-loving toddler, painterly tomatoes on the vine from Central 23 and watercolor tomato slice tags, also by Ruby Stripe. 

Ribbons are a mix of Michael's and classic raffia to evoke pasta. 

Detail of the illustrated Italian goodies — farfalle, fish, prawns, penne, pizza, rotini and more.

Our Italian feast laid out, ready for Christmas! This might be one of my favorite trees we've ever had. 

Now, to brainstorm for my 20th anniversary wrapping scheme! Any ideas? 

For a walk down memory lane:

• Joyeux Noel de Paris in 2024
• Old World Glamour in 2023
• Regency in 2022
• Interstellar in 2021
• Blue and White in 2020
• Rainbow in 2019
• Pink and Green in 2018
• Woodland in 2017
• Blue and Orange in 2016
• Plaid in 2015
• Icy purples and blues in 2014
• Celestial in 2013
• Green and Gold in 2012 
• Silver and Gold in 2011
• Blue and Gold in 2010
• The first four years: pink and black; pink and gold; red, white and turquoise; red and purple

Wrapping Scheme 2024: Joyeux Noel de Paris!

 For the diehard OG readers of this ancient artifact of mine, I present to you — the 2024 Christmas Wrapping Scheme! I'm only two years away from my 20th anniversary of challenging myself to creatively wrap gifts along a color scheme or theme, and I can wholeheartedly say it always brings me great joy to see it all come together. This year felt like a race to the finish line, between a condensed and busy holiday season and life with a 2.5-year-old who wants to fight about everything. But I got it done and it's a beaut. 

Inspired by finally taking my dream trip to Paris, I decided to pay homage to the city's beautiful green gardens, mint accents, dusty pinks and bold reds, with touches of gold. Picture Laduree boxes and elegant women with red lipstick. The red bow, red-and-pink stripe, and funky boomerang-shape papers are all from Target. The muted pink and green stripe is from Have You Seen the Paper on Etsy.

Although I still shop around a bit in standbys like Target and TJ Maxx, I am loving the wide breadth of wrap available from makers on Etsy, and it makes me glad to support their businesses. I bought two beautiful watercolor print papers from A Thing Created, including this one of the gardens of France.

And this one of Jardin du Luxembourg, complete with the iconic green chairs. 

I picked up this rose velvet ribbon trimmed in gold and the marble design tags at Boxwood in Alexandria.

The tags are by Rebecca Woolbright and gave the gifts that extra special pop!

Eagle-eyed readers will recall I actually did a pink and green scheme in 2018, and was able to reuse some materials from that theme. Now I have to start dreaming about 2025!

See the whole retrospective of wrapping schemes here:

• Old World Glamour in 2023
• Regency in 2022
• Interstellar in 2021
• Blue and White in 2020
• Rainbow in 2019
• Pink and Green in 2018
• Woodland in 2017
• Blue and Orange in 2016
• Plaid in 2015
• Icy purples and blues in 2014
• Celestial in 2013
• Green and Gold in 2012 
• Silver and Gold in 2011
• Blue and Gold in 2010
• The first four years: pink and black; pink and gold; red, white and turquoise; red and purple

Wrapping Scheme 2023: Old World Glamour

Oh hello! It's me in my...*checks notes*...THIRD post in 2023. Bless those of you who actually read this! 

It's time again to celebrate my passion, my art, my muse — gift wrap. 

When I initially embarked on my gift wrapping scheme journey, I was trying to subvert the traditional wrapping. I was zigging where Christmas paper zagged. So, after all these years, it felt like the biggest wild card yet would be leaning into an Old World palette — Christmas, but make it Gilded Age. I was trying to explain to my Mom that it's "Dutch masters meets Henri Bendel's" and she rightfully so was like, "Huh?"

It wasn't until I put the packages together that I saw clearly where this inspiration came from: Samantha, an American Girl doll. Samantha was basically my childhood icon and her wardrobe consisted of velvets, burgundy satin, brown checked taffeta and giant bows. So the inspiration may theoretically be "Old World" but it's mostly "Samantha Parkington, Victorian Orphan in New York."

I wanted something that looked *rich* and was delighted to find this Baroque still life wrapping paper from the Etsy shop SoChroma. The ribbon is from Michael's.

I've had a hard time finding burgundy wrap that fit the bill, but this wine-colored print by JunebirdPaperCo on Etsy was exactly what I'd been seeking! This ribbon was from Target.

And to pull it all together, I loved this brown stripe paper by RubyStripe that reminds me of the classic Henri Bendel's packaging (as modeled here by Fran Fine), and feels very "quiet luxury." 

Lest you believe what you see on the internet, you should know I had to immediately hide all these presents again because my toddler does not yet respect my process. 

See the whole retrospective of wrapping schemes here:

• Regency in 2023
• Interstellar in 2021
• Blue and White in 2020
• Rainbow in 2019
• Pink and Green in 2018
• Woodland in 2017
• Blue and Orange in 2016
• Plaid in 2015
• Icy purples and blues in 2014
• Celestial in 2013
• Green and Gold in 2012 
• Silver and Gold in 2011
• Blue and Gold in 2010
• The first four years: pink and black; pink and gold; red, white and turquoise; red and purple

Wrapping Scheme: Regency-Inspired Blue and Green

Hoo boy, a lot has happened since the last time I opened a fresh, clean post window here. The short version: we adopted a baby!!!! The long version: I also started a new job in 2021 that kept me very, very busy and let's be real, we're all hanging out on Instagram. 

But for posterity's sake, it's imperative to share my wrapping schemes here until I figure out the next phase of my online life. 

I've toyed for a while with the idea of green and blue. With quite a bit of blue left over from my blue schemes in 2020 and 2016, I decided it was time. Since the pandemic, I've expanded my searches for wrapping paper to Etsy, which is where I've really found some exceptional options and I like that I'm supporting independent stationary/paper designers. I had an idea of Regency-inspired Wedgwood blue and sage green in my head and found perfect options to get started from Ruby Stripe, a fantastic Etsy shop. 

I supplemented with striped paper from Target and Joy Creative and a beautiful floral I picked up at Penny Post in Old Town Alexandria. In addition to ribbons from my existing stash, I found some beautiful frayed chiffon ribbon on Amazon that really brought it all together. 

I found this beautiful sage stripe ribbon from Anastasia Marie.

The whole scheme has me ready to take a turn about a garden or play the pianoforte!

See the whole retrospective of wrapping schemes here:

• Interstellar in 2021
• Blue and White in 2020
• Rainbow in 2019
• Pink and Green in 2018
• Woodland in 2017
• Blue and Orange in 2016
• Plaid in 2015
• Icy purples and blues in 2014
• Celestial in 2013
• Green and Gold in 2012 
• Silver and Gold in 2011
• Blue and Gold in 2010
• The first four years: pink and black; pink and gold; red, white and turquoise; red and purple

Wrapping Scheme 2021: Interstellar

This marks 15 years since I first decided I didn’t want to buy any paper I couldn’t use year-round and thus launched a gift wrap odyssey. In a wildly bold move, Sean gifted me two rolls for my birthday and said, “I think the theme should be ‘Interstellar.’” I’ll hand it to him — good idea!

I did a moon theme maybe 10 years ago, so this is the remix. The papers are from Mongrel in Richmond, Etsy and World Market.

Sean chose the star chart and swirly marbled papers from Mongrel, while I found the celestial black and white option from Once Upon a Witch on Etsy. It was fun to pick up iridescent ribbon to really make it have a futuristic pop.

Find past schemes here:

• Blue and White in 2020
• Rainbow, black & white in 2019
• Pink and Green in 2018
• Woodland in 2017
• Blue and Orange in 2016
• Plaid in 2015
• Icy purples and blues in 2014
• Celestial in 2013
• Green and Gold in 2012 
• Silver and Gold in 2011
• Blue and Gold in 2010
• The first four years: pink and black; pink and gold; red, white and turquoise; red and purple

Gift Wrap Scheme 2020: Blue & White

Gosh, y'all. I'm out here, surviving, trying to use up produce, doing my make-up frantically at my desk before Zoom meetings like the rest of you. The holiday season seemed to hit me in the face this year, and I've done more online shopping in the past two weeks than maybe my entire life. 

One of the bright spots of this was the revelation I could maybe, perhaps, finally realize my gift wrap dream: a blue-and-white scheme that was not comprised of Hanukkah or baby shower wrapping paper. I'm a sucker for the timeless combo and go weak in the knees for Wedgwood, Spode, Delft and Meissen. 

Usually I pick up my papers while I'm out and about Christmas shopping at Target, Paper Source and TJ Maxx. But this year, I'm staying close to home and decided to nab some paper online, hoping to support some small businesses at the same time.

Cue Carrie Bradshaw voice: "I couldn't help but wonder...could my white whale wrapping paper be lurking right there on the internet?"

And reader, the lovely designers on Etsy and Society 6 speak my love language, and I think this combo may have exceeded my wildest dreams. 

I scooped up the following rolls, supplemented with some sheets of scrapbook paper (that's my favorite hack for small gifts):

• Delft Blue Wrapping Paper
• Ginger Jar Wrapping Paper
• Staffordshire Dogs Wrapping Paper
• Blue Pagoda Chinoiserie Wrapping Paper
• and WILD CARD (not pictured here): Shibori Wrapping Paper

When I compiled my wedding registry 10 years ago and was trying to pick china, I really couldn't commit to a pattern and was not hurt one bit when no one bought any of it. They must have sensed it wasn't meant to be. A few years later I decided to embrace my noncommittal attitude and started buying mismatched blue-and-white and it was the best decision. I'm so delighted to recreate my collection in this cheeky paper mix!

This is, also, the very first time I've allowed red and green in my Christmas wrapping scheme! A momentous occasion. I picked up some moss green and red ribbon options, along with some fake greenery to zhush up some of the wrapping.

My friend Lauren and I had a nearly 24-hour text discourse the other day about how Staffordshire Dogs suddenly became pop icons (we've decided to give some credit to this Gucci collection). This is, by far, my favorite of the papers I ordered because it's just so damn funny. Granny chic forever!

I'm enjoying gazing at the pile for a couple more days before all these packages get boxed up and FedExed to their destinations. Our cat, Freya, is probably already counting down the hours until she gets the solitude of her Christmas nest back. 

Next year will mark 15 years of doing my Christmas wrapping scheme! Hard to believe. 

If you'd like to take a trip down Christmas wrapping memory lane with me, here you go:

• Rainbow, black & white in 2019
• Pink and Green in 2018
• Woodland in 2017
• Blue and Orange in 2016
• Plaid in 2015
• Icy purples and blues in 2014
• Celestial in 2013
• Green and Gold in 2012 
• Silver and Gold in 2011
• Blue and Gold in 2010
• The first four years: pink and black; pink and gold; red, white and turquoise; red and purple

Christmas Gift Wrapping Scheme 2019

Excuse me, would you like to join me in my petition to never again allow Thanksgiving to occur less than one month before Christmas? Because if the holidays normally feel like a marathon, this has felt like an Ultramarathon. I don't know about you, but I am behind on basically all of it! I feel like I go into every Christmas Season hoping to get an A+, even though, you know, this isn't graded.

BUT, I'm happy to reveal I've managed to wrap some presents, and this is my Gift Wrap Scheme for 2019: Rainbow! I was lacking a little in color inspiration this year, so I decided why settle when you can use most of them? I opted to use neutral patterned papers from Paper Source, TJ Maxx and Target paired with a rainbow of ribbons and bows, along with these cute little rainbow tags I spotted at Target.

It's just a joyful, riotous mix of color and pattern in a year when I think all of us could use a dose of riotous joy. Let's get a closer look at some of the patterns. 

I got this great ink blot-polka dot paper from Paper Source, marble slab paper from Target, a Rifle Paper Design gray floral, a subtle white-on-cream polka dot from Paper Source and a speckled star print from Target. The gray herringbone is left over from previous years' schemes.

My very favorite is this black and gold Jackson Pollock-inspired print. I want that print in a dress.

I also love this watercolor-stripe gray paper from TJ Maxx that has a cool ribbed texture and cuts like a dream. Gift wrappers know the true satisfaction of gliding your scissors through quality paper like you're Kristi Yamaguchi at the Olympics.

I've now been doing a gift wrapping scheme for 13 years. It feels like eternity, especially when you've resorted to using all the colors of the rainbow! I'm actively taking suggestions for color combo ideas for the future, so lay your ideas on me.

See previous wrapping schemes:

• Pink and Green in 2018
• Woodland in 2017
• Blue and Orange in 2016
• Plaid in 2015
• Icy purples and blues in 2014
• Celestial in 2013
• Green and Gold in 2012 
• Silver and Gold in 2011
• Blue and Gold in 2010
• The first four years: pink and black; pink and gold; red, white and turquoise; red and purple

2018 Wine Club Christmas

Christmas season is in full swing and our dance cards have been packed with parties and get-togethers. I again had the chance to host Wine Club Christmas last week and we had a lovely time! Here are some snapshots from the night, along with some recipe links to the delicious treats we ate.

I set the table with a red striped runner and these very, very cute scalloped-edge napkins from Target. Wherever I go, red, white and blue always seem to pop up.

I love any excuse to bust out all the blue and white china I've collected over the past few years, and show off my handmade mug collection. Using storebought puff pastry, I made two types of breadsticks (both delicious!) based on this Martha Stewart recipe. It was so easy peasy! One batch was parmesan and cayenne pepper, while the other was Everything seasoned.

I welcomed our guests with some good old-fashioned Glogg (that has to be one of the most fun words to say out loud) — wine mulled with spices and served warm.

I did some prep but Sean did the heavy lifting, so here's a great shot of me wearing my mom's apron while Sean does all the work.

My favorite Pinterest-sourced idea: a Christmas tree veggie tray! I used a cookie cutter to trim slices of cheddar into stars and then laid some pretzel sticks to form a trunk.

I also served my very first hard-but-worth-it sugar cookies with royal icing (these deserve a whole separate post). I used this Tasty recipe for the cookies and bought royal icing mix, just to make the whole process a little easier for a newbie. I may have lost my mind and made custom icing colors matched to my gift wrapping scheme because...well, I'm a little bit extra.

I completely forgot to take a picture of the piece de resistance, so here's an old screengrab from an Insta Story: Sean's extra delicious Bucatini Amatriciana with crispy prosciutto. He's made it twice now and it is a bonafide HIT and everyone in Wine Club loved it.

And as if all that wasn't enough, I also tested my baking skill and made this hot cocoa cheesecake, which required a water bath that — of course — seeped a little bit in at the bottom and maybe made my crust too soft. You can't win 'em all, but the cheesecake itself (topped with a layer of ganache) was perfect.

It was a wonderful night of fellowship with my best gals to close out our NINTH year. Obviously we have to make 2019 a truly baller year befitting our decade of monthly get-togethers!

Christmas Wrapping Scheme 2018

The holidays turn my Martha Stewart-wannabe levels up to 11, and wrapping presents is no exception. I'm now in my 12th year of choosing a wrapping scheme and running with it! I started doing this my first Christmas after college and it's such a fun little design challenge for my brain to see how many combinations I can create from a tight color or pattern scheme.

This year's scheme is — drum roll here — GREEN AND PINK! I had this vision in my mind of a Wes Andersonian color scheme of variations of mossy green and bubblegum pink, with accents of gold. It took me a minute to realize apparently "The Royal Tenenbaums" title card has imprinted on my brain!

The idea sprung from a roll of peachy-pink floral paper designed by Kelsey Garrity Riley that I picked up at O'Suzannah in Charlottesville, one of my all-time favorite gift and stationary stores. From there, I picked up beautiful marbled green and pink papers, plus watercolor greenery paper, at Paper Source. I found the polka dot green paper at Target and the perfect bubblegum pink at Dollar Tree.

My very favorite part of wrapping, however, is getting very frisky with the trimmings. I picked up a spool of pale pink velvet ribbon at Target, dip-dyed green ribbon and moss satin ribbon from Michael's, and pink sequin trim, pale pink vine and olive ribbon at Hobby Lobby. In the scrapbooking section, I found a bag of gold tassels for $2.99.

Check the detail on that marbling! So pretty.

Wrapping presents is truly one of my favorite parts of this season. I totally zen out wrapping, drinking eggnog and watching cheesy Netflix Christmas movies in my Terrific Lady Room (my version of a man cave). May I recommend "Christmas With a View" starring nobodies, alongside Vivica A. Fox and Patrick Duffy?

See previous wrapping schemes:

• Woodland in 2017
• Blue and Orange in 2016
• Plaid in 2015
• Icy purples and blues in 2014
• Celestial in 2013
• Green and Gold in 2012 
• Silver and Gold in 2011
• Blue and Gold in 2010
• The first four years: pink and black; pink and gold; red, white and turquoise; red and purple