I can’t believe Thanksgiving is a week and a half away! I guess winter really is on the way now. I’m giving in and switching all my summer clothes (in my closet) out for winter clothes later today. 
I knew the holidays were approaching when I started getting emails from the Black Friday ad websites. Although I haven’t actually gone out to stores on Black Friday in years, I still like to keep tabs on what stores are putting on sale, what good “steals” people have scored, etc. If I shop at all on Black Friday or the weekend after Thanksgiving, it’s usually online.
It reminded me of something I keep meaning to post though. This actually applies more to the after-Christmas sales, but some stores might have Christmas wrapping paper on sale for Black Friday so I thought I’d write this NOW before I forget.
Last year we hit the after-Christmas sales and scored some great deals on things like Christmas cards and wrapping paper. When the first gift-giving holiday after Christmas rolled around (Mother’s Day, since the birthdays here don’t start until June), I realized I had no non-birthday wrapping paper to wrap my mom’s gift. I thought, “Well, let me check the Christmas paper” and voila! There were two non-Christmassy rolls of wrapping paper there, perfect for wrapping gifts all year long. One is kind of a tan and green plaid pattern, vaguely masculine and perfect for guy birthdays and Father’s Day, as well as my plaid-loving daughter…so it actually works for all the gifts around here! The other paper was maroon/burgundy with lighter stripes, kind of pinstriped. On top of the versatile patterns, this paper is THICK and really good quality. And it was on clearance for 75% off, so I paid probably $1 for this massively huge roll of wrapping paper!
So my tip of the day is: check those sales (Black Friday and after Christmas) for wrapping paper that isn’t obviously a holiday or Christmas pattern. It’s a great, cheap alternative to those $3.99 rolls of thin birthday wrapping paper that wrap one or maybe two gifts. Score!
I tried the after-Christmas shopping…to see if I could get some wrapping paper for the next Christmas. Stores were putting them away. No wrapping paper. I guess I’ll try the pre-Christmas, way early, and see if they are cheaper. But hey, gotta have some “wrap” music, too…hee.