I come from a long line of thrifty Yankees. One of our holiday traditions was the “brown ribbon.” Some decades earlier, an uncle had received a package trimmed with the most hideous ribbon anyone in the family had ever seen, made of dark brown gauze with gold threads running through it.
The following year the ribbon reappeared on a package addressed to another family member from the original (and now smirking) recipient. After that, the brown ribbon’s fate was sealed: It reappeared on a package each year. And just who would be honored with it was the subject of much conjecture beforehand.
Brown ribbon tradition or not, here are a few suggestions to help you decorate gift packages for your family and friends without spending much (or any) money on wrapping. Plus, with these tips you won’t add to the inevitable avalanche of ripped-apart paper that gets tossed into the trash this time of year.
