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By Laura Drinan
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The checklists are nearly completed, the shopping is coming to an end, and the gifts are piling up. With two days of Hanukkah left and just a week before Christmas, Sherborn residents needed to start wrapping.
Gift-wrapping can be a daunting task, though, especially for those who tend to opt for the easier route and use a gift bag stuffed with tissue paper.
Renée and her mother, Joey, use ‘upcycled’ materials to create festive gift-wrap in preparation for Christmas.
One of the library’s wrap-a-thon participants creates a uniquely wrapped present with a map-printed paper, a stamped gift tag, and a shiny bow.
Thankfully, the librarians at the Sherborn Community Center offered a wrap-a-thon to inspire and teach patrons how to create custom gift-wrap and provide a space for visitors to make their own.
Liz Rowland, Sherborn’s public services librarian, who joined the staff earlier in the fall, lead the casual holiday activity and worked on her own personalized gift tags and decorations. With songs of the season playing in the background, Liz cheerfully greeted each participant, explaining the array of materials available to them and sharing inspiration on how to further customize their creations.
The idea for an afternoon of gift-wrapping with the community came from a conversation between Liz and Library Director Elizabeth Johnston, and snowballed into an event that would impress the elves in Santa’s workshop.
“We were trying to think of materials that aren’t too wasteful, so we have a lot of recycled things to use,” said Liz, as she created a fabric bow that could be used from year to year.
Sherborn residents Joey and Renée use a variety of gift-wrapping materials at the library to wrap Christmas gifts.
The participants also enjoyed the idea of “upcycling” and reducing the amount of waste that usually accompanies the holidays. The gift-wrappers were also thankful for the library’s willingness to host such a potentially messy event. Fearlessly experimenting with glitter, glue guns, and pine needles and winterberries from outdoors, the participants created unique gift-wrap and decorations that they would not have dared to attempt at home.
Checking in on the event, Elizabeth was amazed to see how festive and special each creation was. “If this doesn’t put you in the spirit, nothing will,” she exclaimed.
