Furniture with secret Santa storage!

When you’ve been as busy as a Christmas elf shopping for the perfect presents on your shopping list, the problem becomes where to hide all those gifts before they are wrapped…especially when they need to be kept hidden from the kids or the overly curious, such as myself. As an eight-year-old, I delved into the Christmas closet, opened all the packages, and then cleverly replaced all the ribbons. Or so I thought. Of course, I was found out, and my punishment was not having the fun and excitement of Christmas morning. Here are some ingenious ways to conceal your gifts and keep the magic of the holiday.

Package shakers beware!

• Truly Fool-the-Eye Hand painted Drawer Chest

Santa himself might be challenged to discover the wondrous space behind the two doors with faux drawers.

It’s a cache that works every day of the year, but especially during the holidays. In addition, there are 10 drawers…and one might have to guess which one conceals that one special present. The delicately hand-painted chest from the Rhapsody Collection is welcome in every room where the family gathers, perhaps right next to the tree.

For special Christmas wrapping, make copies of your kids’ drawings or have a create-a-wrapping day when the youngsters make special artworks with a holiday theme. You can even frame several for display on top of the chest.

• Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

What small secret do you hold? Good things come in small packages. For several of these special kinds of gifts, this mirrored jewelry storage armoire is just the place. When closed it is a richly carved mirror, distinguished by a breakfront base and fluted pillars. There are several shelves to house those tiny gifts along side your own jewelry.

Christmas is often the time when family treasures are passed along from one generation to the next. So, perhaps this is the place where you select that necklace that grandmother brought back from Europe years ago and now will be passed along to a new bride, for example. At our house, such gifts are signed “from the Lindemeyer collection.”

• As Bright as a Christmas Ornament Mirrored Chest

The shiny service of this useful mirrored chest almost looks like shadowy snowflakes. A good place for your holiday storage? The two center doors have removable shelves.

You might also be inspired decorate the top of the chest with a clear class bowl filled to the brim with silver ornaments…or use candlesticks with silver candles. As for gifts, tinsel is so holiday–and so are packages wrapped in silver papers. Save time and shop online at Papyrus for several of their stunning silver papers. Papyrus stores are busy places at the holidays with rolls of shiny paper popping out of shopping bags. Their website has lots of products that can arrive at your door if the shop in the mall intimidates you–and you have more time to make the perfect selection. Dominique Schurman is the doyenne of papers at the company started by her father; she continues to bring quality products to shoppers.

• Holly Berry Red Credenza

This tall, ample piece needs space, but it is well worth it. At holiday time, it adds special warmth with its red-rubbed finish. Drawers and space aplenty–lined with wallpaper–will house just about all of your packages or gifts before you are ready to wrap them.

Wallpaper scraps, by the way, make wonderful and inexpensive giftwrap. I have some old wallpaper books I came upon and I now use the papers for small gifts. And for tiny packages, dollhouse wallpapers are a lovely choice.

• Teen Helper’s Bed

Enlist your resident teen and “rent” the space in the six drawers in the platform bed in the young adult’s room. You might have to displace a few “treasures”–but the holiday season is short and those shorts and sandals can find another place for a few weeks.

Making Christmas gifting a family affair can have its own jolly rewards. For a unique wrapping paper, create rubber stamps with individual family names. Use red and green ink pads and have the helpers stamp away on craft paper. Stamps can also be made from pictures for even more smiles. Time for cocoa and cookies is reward enough.

For more wrapping inspiration, look to the work of Jane Means, the English guru of package wrapping. What I especially like about Jane’s design is how she includes elements besides paper and ribbon; such as a bit of lace trim laid along side the ribbon. Following Jane’s lead, think about the interests of the recipient, or perhaps even given a tiny give-away as to the contents of the package. It’s allowed! For a music lover, you might select paper with a manuscript; wrap a small gift in sheet music found at a garage sale.

Many other ideas like the gift packaging shown below can also be found on this gift wrap ideas website.

After a gift-wrapping session, it is time to reward yourself and your helpers with some Christmas goodies like these mincemeat cupcakes from the great cook Nigella Lawson. Make and enjoy yourself or give to family and friends.

Happiest of holidays to all of you. Enjoy the minutes and hours with your family and friends…this is the best present of all.