We’re going out ti dinner with three other couples tonight to celebrate one friend’s landmark birthday. It will be a happy evening of celebrating.
BUT her birthday is not the only thing to celebrate this weekend; tomorrow is Father’s Day. Since it’s June and our garden is in beautiful bloom, it would be a nice thing to do to cut bunches of rose bud stems, wrap them into cheerful nosegays and present one to each father.
Cutting done, thorns and spent blooms removed, they were each wrapped in moist paper towels. Now to finish the job with some masculine wrapping paper. It’s going great so far. No bug stings from wandering in the garden and no scratches from rose bushes. I go downstairs to my gift wrap box and look at my collection.
Masculine paper: hmm: what is a masculine gift wrap, what’s it’s design; what does it look like? Here is what I found. There were three rolls of gift wrap that were meant for men. One design was of English horns, rifles, and deer with huge sets of horns traipsing across the paper. The second was pipes, tobacco tins and large stuffed easy chairs. Finally the last paper, a design with flowers etched in black on a tan colored background. Is that what masculinity
is? Is that what you think of when you consider the modern man?
If I were a designer for men’s gift paper maybe I’d show pictures of computers or men pushing small children on swings of gardens etched in anything but black. Or perhaps lawnmowers, large construction machinery and tools. Or uniforms. Something relevant to today’s world.
How would you design men’s gift wrap paper?
MorristownMemos 
Comments on: "FATHER’S DAY" (27)
I’ve got to unfollow your blog, then refollow it. Your posts are not showing up in my reader anymore :*( This has been happening to blogs I’ve followed the longest. Sigh. So I missed this post.
If I were to design men’s gift paper, I’d simply use a really good weight paper with great colors in fabulous shades.
What I would use in lieu of this would be newspaper! But such is our simple existence 😉
I’ll bet newspaper would look quite attractive, especially when tied with colorful ribbons.
I think The best wrapping paper for men is the Funnies out of the newspaper. In fact I collect them throughout the year just for wrapping paper. Though there are certain people who think i am cheap by wrapping presents in newspaper, these people get the help wanted page. have a lovely day.. bet your dinner was fab! c
Funnies are a great idea, and the wrapper can have a good time and perhaps a giggle or two while wrapping.
Oh yeah, Celia – I was just saying to use newspaper, so there! We think along similar lines 😉 My youngest daughter sends all our gifts for whatever occasion in newspaper. It’s what’s inside that counts!
I would use solid colours. Navy, grey, brown, burgundy, cocoa. Or I would use stripes, in all kinds of colour combinations. Navy, red and white, light blue and grey, darker blue and brown. Or I would make it look like men’s suiting fabric — pinstripes, grey flannel, tweed, glen plaid etc. Or prints from ties, shirting fabric, etc.
That sounds very appealing; maybe I’ll toss out the wrapping paper I have in my stash!
Thanks! Maybe I should start a new career as a wrapping paper designer. 🙂
Ronnie, put on your marketing hat and contact Hallmark. I think your ideas are current and more fitting than some you describe. (I confess, however, that I’ve often used the funny papers – the ones in color – to wrap some of my gifts. 🙂 )
Pictures of chocolates…
…So there isn’t much difference between men’s and women’s tastes after all.
Brown paper and string has a good look, as does newspaper: as long as it’s not a crap newspaper, in which case the adjective before “newspaper” tells you what to do with it 🙂
…and it’s inexpensive, too.
I think Gail had the perfect solution.
Paul
If it looks like a cheap solution, I could think of it as being a one person conservationist.
Wrapping a package for anyone should depend on their interests. A guy who likes antiques should have a paper that has old objects on it, while a guy who likes golf should have golf balls and tees. Just as for a child, you select the paper that depicts their latest interest.
Great suggestion; now all I need is gift wrap showing Tin Tin books and aquarium designs.
As a man I’d say, “don’t know either.” Maybe paper with power tools or beer bottles or something. Expect for my occasional use of power tools and total lack of understanding why you need to wash dishes if there are more clean ones in the cupboard, I am not a very masculine man.
Personally I like paper with balloons or nice garden scenes.
You have lovely tastes, Andrew, and I love your philosophy of not washing dishes when there are clean ones in the cupboard. That is a very mannish thing to say.
I agree with Gail. If wrapping at all is even necessary.
Some stores consider a box or bag with their name on it gift wrapping enough.
A thought provoking post! I think I would design the paper with kitchen tools and barbecues, or men working in the kitchen or folding clothes. Or is that all wishful thinking?
Not sure, but what a beautiful fantasy.
Golf balls and tees. Plaid. Fish.
How about a plaid fish hitting a golf ball?
When in doubt, decorate an inside-out grocery bag and use thick recycling twine to tie it up.
That sounds like a great, masculine look.