ONE MORE BITE

‘Tis the season for giving! Whether you’re gearing up to visit family and friends or simply delivering a gift of gratitude to a neighbor’s doorstep, a hand-made touch can make the holidays even more special. 

The whimsical artwork you may have noticed around our stores is the hand-made handiwork of acclaimed local papercut artist Annie Howe, who we are overjoyed to be working with again, partnering to produce custom artwork for Eddie’s paper grocery bags during the holiday season. This is the second consecutive holiday season that Eddie’s and Annie Howe Papercuts have teamed up, and this year the beloved feelings of the holiday hustle and bustle are depicted in the form of hand-cut people, presents, and even our Eddie’s delivery van! 

But this is no ordinary grocery bag—it was designed with the intention of being reused* multiple times:
•    First, for toting your groceries home; 
•    Second, for use as a gift bag; 
•    Finally, for use as wrapping paper! 

Here are some easy and fun ways to bring an extra sparkle of thoughtfulness, creativity, and resourcefulness to gift giving—whether that’s during the holidays or simply anytime you are in the spirit. Try them at home, or register to join us on December 18 for a DIY Bouquet Workshop featuring a meet-and-greet with Annie Howe.

Getting Started

1.) Gather your supplies: Scissors, tape, single-hole puncher, and 24” of string/twine

2.) Cut the front, bottom, and handles off of the bag, leaving only the remaining three attached sides.

3.) Clip the gift tag off the front side of the bag and hole punch the corner.

Pro Tip: Sometimes unfolding the base of the bag can leave behind finicky edges! Trim off any excess paper frays to get all four edges of your paper gift-ready.

Wrap Option #1: Floral Bouquet

1.) Place kraft paper diagonally on the table, print side facing down (blank side up).

2.) Position bouquet centered on top of the kraft paper.

3.) Take the bottom right corner of the kraft paper and roll it over twice for a nice structure.

4.) Wrap the left side of the kraft paper over the bouquet, then the bottom section, then end with the right section.

5.) Lay your twine underneath the center of the wrapped bouquet and carefully tie a knot, before looping on your gift tag and closing the twine with a bow.

Pro Tip: This technique works great with both dried and fresh bouquets, but fresh flowers benefit from some extra attention to preservation. 

Wrap Option #2: Wine Bottle

1.) Place kraft paper straight on the table, print side facing down (blank side up).

2.) Position the bottle along the right side of the kraft paper.

3.) Fold the bottom of the kraft paper up and carefully begin rolling the bottle and folded kraft paper together, towards the left, until the bottle is fully wrapped.

4.) Stand the bottle upright and tightly squeeze the kraft paper along the bottle’s neck in, to cinch it for adding the twine. 

5.) Tie the twine in a tight knot, loop your gift tag on, then tie the twine in a bow and you’re ready to gift away!

Pro Tip: Receive complimentary engraving on your bottle of RouteStock Pinot Noir or Cabernet Sauvignon Baltimore artist Laura Condouris on December 17.

Wrap Option #3: Gift Box

1.) Place kraft paper straight on the table, print side facing down (blank side up).

2.) Flip the box over so that the front/face of the box is in contact with the blank of the wrapping paper.

3.) Position the long side of the box parallel to the long side of the paper, making sure the paper extends past either side of the gift box in this orientation.

4.) Wrap the long side of the paper midway across the long side of the box and tape it down. 

5.) Wrap the opposite side of the paper around the box, overlapping the taped-down piece, and cutting off (or folding under) any excess. Tape into place.

6.) Fold paper around the sides and corners on both exposed sides, trimming any excess, folding flaps into place, and taping them down to secure. 

7.) Lay your twine underneath the waistline of the wrapped box and carefully tie a knot, before looping on your gift tag and closing the twine with a bow.

Pro Tip: Eddie’s exclusive, limited edition “To Market, To Market” 1,000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle is the perfect sized box to wrap.

Have ideas of your own? Share them in a post with the hashtag #madespecialbyeddies and discover more inspiration for holiday gifting in our 2021 holiday catalog.

*The bag is also 100% recyclable when its useful life expires, and is made of 100% recycled paper (minimum 40% post-consumer recycled content).