NationStates Jolt Archive

I am going to a party Saturday night and we are playing a gift swapping game, the difference is at this party we are supposed to bring a new book, instead of misc. presents. There is another tradition at this particular party to wrap the book "creatively"

so NSG, give me ideas!

(an example of creative wrapping is one might buy The bathroom reader and wrap it in toilet paper)

buy a blender and put some instructions inside :p

Buy a Hemingway's book and put it in a scotch bottle.

Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape (http://www.homegroundproject.com/index.html) brings together forty-five poets and writers to create more than 850 original definitions for words that describe our lands and waters—terms like flatiron, bayou, monadnock, kiss tank, meander bar, and everglade. The writers, including Barbara Kingsolver, Luis Alberto Urrea, Jon Krakauer, Charles Frazier, Antonya Nelson, and Samantha Chang, draw from careful research as well as on their own distinctive stylistic, personal, and regional diversity to portray in bright, precise prose the striking complexity of the landscapes we inhabit, from Missouri’s woody draws to Virginia’s runs, from the desire paths of cities to the rondes of Midwestern farmlands, from California’s bajadas to Alaska’s pingos and Hawai`i’s shield volcanoes. An advisory board has ensured the scientific accuracy of the prose. Included are one hundred black-and-white drawings by Molly O’Halloran and an introductory essay by Barry Lopez.

I asked for this for Christmas, it sounds very cool. You could wrap it in a map of the US, preferably one that shows landforms rather than just towns and cities and roads.

Odd Thomas - it comes with those book cover things that have stuff about the author and book in it. Take two or three of those covers and rip them up, then wrap it in the macrame you can make from it.

I also like John McPhee's Oranges. It was written back in the 1960's, most of it as a series of those interminably long articles The New Yorker magazine is famous for. It's a small book but a wonderful read, as are many of McPhee's books. You could make a box out of a couple of orange juice cartons, I suppose, or just get some really bright orange paper.

i know this is unoriginal and it's not a new book, but you could get the hitchhickers guide to the galaxy and wrap it in a towel with "don't panic" scrawled on the front.

i know this is unoriginal and it's not a new book, but you could get the hitchhickers guide to the galaxy and wrap it in a towel.

that's what hubby is doing.......freak stole my idea, because that was my first thought.

try the brilliant book Hard Work by Polly Toynbee and wrap it in enough paper to keep them busy for at least 20 minutes ;)

that's what hubby is doing.......freak stole my idea, because that was my first thought.

doh, o well. i had a feeling that might be many people's first thought. it is a classic though.

Get The Romanov Prophecy by Steve Berry and try and find wrapping paper or something that looks like old parchment or that looks like a Russian newsprint...

try the brilliant book Hard Work by Polly Toynbee and wrap it in enough paper to keep them busy for at least 20 minutes ;)

I like that......I could really make it hard work to open.

Bill Bryson's Mother Tongue? It's a look at the English language and how it evolved. Actually pretty entertaining, in general. You could wrap it in some photocopied dictionary pages.

Buy "Singularity Sky" of Charles Stross and put it in the box of a phone ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singularity_Sky )

or buy Interface of Stephenson and wrap it in printed out text of the constitution ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interface_%28novel%29 )

Bill Bryson's Mother Tongue? It's a look at the English language and how it evolved. Actually pretty entertaining, in general. You could wrap it in some photocopied dictionary pages.

Or, if you can find them, those wonderful Rolling Stones tongue emblems, over the package with those.

I like that......I could really make it hard work to open.

cover it all round with stickytape too! :D

Or, if you can find them, those wonderful Rolling Stones tongue emblems, over the package with those.

Ahah, yes!

Edit: oops, it DID appear... well, another idea would be a Goethe book in a pillow :)

You could get a book about dogs and wrap it in a dog puppet.

((Sorry, got dogs on the brain))

You could get a book about dogs and wrap it in a dog puppet.

((Sorry, got dogs on the brain))

I thought about buying this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quantum-Physics-Beginners-Guide-Guides/dp/1851683690) book, and wrapping it in a shoe box labeled "Schrodinger's book"

but wasn't sure if they would get the joke.

I thought about buying this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quantum-Physics-Beginners-Guide-Guides/dp/1851683690) book, and wrapping it in a shoe box labeled "Schrodinger's book"

but wasn't sure if they would get the joke.

I like that! :p

1) Buy alot of those small, really small books and put them in an old VHS tape case.

2) Buy Two hardcover books and swap covers, then wrap them up seperatly.

3) By a Large Puzzle Book and those cushioned Lap Desks. Wrap together. Include pencils with no erasers.

If the person you're buying it for often complains of not having time, buy them cliffnotes.

I thought about buying this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quantum-Physics-Beginners-Guide-Guides/dp/1851683690) book, and wrapping it in a shoe box labeled "Schrodinger's book"

but wasn't sure if they would get the joke.

Hehe, that would be cute (if they got it) and just funny (if they didn't).

I thought about buying this (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Quantum-Physics-Beginners-Guide-Guides/dp/1851683690) book, and wrapping it in a shoe box labeled "Schrodinger's book"

but wasn't sure if they would get the joke.

If you're going to by a Quantum Physics book, get the one by Richard Feynman
Quantum Electrodynamics: The strange theory of light and matter (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Q-E-D-Strange-Theory-Penguin-Science/dp/0140125051/sr=1-8/qid=1165952548/ref=sr_1_8/026-3663875-9001243?ie=UTF8&s=books) for example. He's a legend, and writes really well.

Get Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman and wrap it up in a box with "This Side Up" and "Fragile" on it. Extra points if it's in like a glass bowl or something inside the box.

Edit: Don't get this for anyone who would be terribly shocked by a sex scene, unless you take that story out.

If you're going to by a Quantum Physics book, get the one by Richard Feynman
Quantum Electrodynamics: The strange theory of light and matter (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Q-E-D-Strange-Theory-Penguin-Science/dp/0140125051/sr=1-8/qid=1165952548/ref=sr_1_8/026-3663875-9001243?ie=UTF8&s=books) for example. He's a legend, and writes really well.

Dang, beat me to it. Or maybe a copy of Feynman's Six Easy Pieces.

Dang, beat me to it. Or maybe a copy of Feynman's Six Easy Pieces.

I am on the phone with the local book store trying to track down the poetry book you mentioned. It is way different than anything else that might show up, I think it will be interesting.

still looking for alternative ideas though people.

Try and find Mark Z. Danielewski's House of Leaves. Wrap it in...well, leaves.

Or get Jennifer Government and wrap it in a copy of the constitution.

Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy is a good one for people who enjoy nonsensical humor.

Get Fragile Things by Neil Gaiman and wrap it up in a box with "This Side Up" and "Fragile" on it. Extra points if it's in like a glass bowl or something inside the box.

Edit: Don't get this for anyone who would be terribly shocked by a sex scene, unless you take that story out.

add to that. place a small tin (altoids or something), or sealed box filled with broken glass... and tape that to the bottom of the box. just so that the person hears the rattling of broken glass as the box is moved.

add to that. place a small tin (altoids or something), or sealed box filled with broken glass... and tape that to the bottom of the box. just so that the person hears the rattling of broken glass as the box is moved.

Perfect!

I am on the phone with the local book store trying to track down the poetry book you mentioned. It is way different than anything else that might show up, I think it will be interesting.

still looking for alternative ideas though people.

;) Yeah, it sounded neat to me. One of the other things I asked for is a biography of Edgar Rice Burroughs, he who invented Tarzan, if you could find one of those, you could wrap it in a leopard skin loincloth.

Oh, and ther's a new bio of Charles Addams out this year, there's some creative wrapping could be done with that!

I am on the phone with the local book store trying to track down the poetry book you mentioned. It is way different than anything else that might show up, I think it will be interesting.

still looking for alternative ideas though people.

Anyone of these books...

The Isle of Stone by Nicholas Nicastro
The Romanov Prophecy by Steve Berry (already mentioned by me)
Spartan by Valerio Massimo Manfredi
J Pod by Douglas Copeland*

* This is my first choice; very contemporary and so pointless. It;s a good read for even a casual reader.

how about wrapping adam smith's wealth of nations in photocopied money.

it's rather hard since we don't know who you're buying it for or what you're buying.

like stain the box with red paint and put a murder mystery inside...

Stain the box with cooking oil and after it dries put in a book about puppies/animals.

for poetry... I'm thinking a nice velvet wrapping then put the whole thing in box filled with wrapping tissue.

ideas for wrapping paper...

the sunday funnies is a classic.

the yellow pages

pages from a horrible book that you have read.

a book that was made into a movie wrapped in video tape. or at least with a video tape bow.

Bring "The Speed of Dark" by Elizabeth Moon, and wrap it with crazy patterns.

It's a superb book about an autistic guy, really enjoyable read.

it's rather hard since we don't know who you're buying it for or what you're buying.


I don't know who I am buying it for either, I know 3 people that are going to be at the party, me, hubby, and the woman who invited me and hubby.

Here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Santa) is basically how the game works though.

Can I suggest Choke by Chuck Palahniuk?

I dunno, I guess you could wrap it in condoms...

Trilby63;12074560']Can I suggest Choke by Chuck Palahniuk?

I dunno, I guess you could wrap it in condoms...

Why condoms? Isn't that the one about the guy who likes to go into restaurants and choke on food? Maybe wrap it in Heimlech Maneuver instructions.

Of course, Fight Club wrapped in soap is one that they're much more likely to get, either way.

Last time I was at Barnes & Noble they had a bunch of collective works of famous authors. Bronte, Hemingway, Poe, Hawthorne, Verne, etc

Why condoms? Isn't that the one about the guy who likes to go into restaurants and choke on food? Maybe wrap it in Heimlech Maneuver instructions.

Of course, Fight Club wrapped in soap is one that they're much more likely to get, either way.

you know.. with all the sex and stuff.. though your idea would be better..

How exactly do you wrap something in soap anyway?

I don't know who I am buying it for either, I know 3 people that are going to be at the party, me, hubby, and the woman who invited me and hubby.

Here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dirty_Santa) is basically how the game works though.Ahh.. we do that at our club christmas party. one change tho. there is ONE extra gift that is returned next year. so the rule of no food is there.


Buy a book... any book, it don't matter.

Wrap it up.

Place that in a larger box... say if you have an old dictionary or bible box... Perfect!

wrap that up.

It's hard when you know they know they're getting a book...

ummmmm......Candide by Voltaire ..... with some thrush cream.........


:confused:

Ahh.. we do that at our club christmas party. one change tho. there is ONE extra gift that is returned next year. so the rule of no food is there.


Buy a book... any book, it don't matter.

Wrap it up.

Place that in a larger box... say if you have an old dictionary or bible box... Perfect!

wrap that up.

but the fun of the game........as I mentioned earlier, is partially in the wrapping at this party.

I only got invited because this woman thinks I am "fabulous" I don't want to show up with a crappy book

but the fun of the game........as I mentioned earlier, is partially in the wrapping at this party.

I only got invited because this woman thinks I am "fabulous" I don't want to show up with a crappy book

"Fabulous"...

still going with the poetry book?

This reminds me.

My friend likes Sudoku and I was telling her I was going to get her an electronic Sudoku just to piss her off because she hates electronics. I was going to get a book and put it in a Sudoku game box, but they don't come in boxes. Damn.

This reminds me.

My friend likes Sudoku and I was telling her I was going to get her an electronic Sudoku just to piss her off because she hates electronics. I was going to get a book and put it in a Sudoku game box, but they don't come in boxes. Damn.

that's when you buy the large Sudoku puzzle book and remove the cover...

"Fabulous"...

still going with the poetry book?

nope, they don't have it and can't get it in time:(

Edit: oops, it DID appear... well, another idea would be a Goethe book in a pillow :)
I don't get it. :(

But I love all the ideas in this thread! *takes notes*

nope, they don't have it and can't get it in time:(

Bummer :(

nope, they don't have it and can't get it in time:(

Get a blank book, a diary. wrap it in cotton, include a pen, wrap it entirely in white. and put a lable on the book.

"Some assembly required."

Buy MASH or Catch-22 and wrap it in cloth from an Army fatigue jacket.

The Communist Manifesto and wrap it in a Soviet Union flag.

Get a blank book, a diary. wrap it in cotton, include a pen, wrap it entirely in white. and put a lable on the book.

"Some assembly required."

A Moleskein (http://www.moleskines.com/?gclid=CMCy_JD8jYkCFSdrMAodKFCn7g) notebook, these things are awesome!

Get a copy of Crime and Punishment and wrap it in the corpse of an old female money-lender.

Get a book with lots of pictures, a coffee table book which people can look at, something like fashion, design, photography, or art. Wrap it in old magazine covers.

I gave my dad Macgyver S1 a couple years ago. I wrapped it in newspaper, then taped a counting-down clock to it. I threw it at my dad with 1 min on the clock; alas, he failed to 'disarm' it in less than the minute, and we all died. My dad ain't no Macgyver I guess. :(

um. the moral of the story is to buy a book about bombs and wrap as explained.

One for the Money -Janet Evonivitch

handcuff it... (funny novel about a novice bounty hunter)

the third policeman by flann o'brien.

it inspired the series lost.
its a weird phillosophical sci-fi thriller. that doesnt make any sence until the end. unfortunately it was never finished but its still considered to very good.

A Modern Instance by William Dean Howells, and wrap it in divorce papers
Europe Central by William T. Vollman and wrap it in paper decorated in the soviet and nazi symbols
Moby-Dick and wrap it in paper that alludes to, but never actually shows, penises.

The Cat Who... (series)
By Lillian Jackson Braun
Mystery.
A detective ends up with a pair of Cats and the two feline companions help him dig up clues with their usual Catty Antics.

Packaged in a cat box filled with clean kitty litter (or sand)

I gave my dad Macgyver S1 a couple years ago. I wrapped it in newspaper, then taped a counting-down clock to it. I threw it at my dad with 1 min on the clock; alas, he failed to 'disarm' it in less than the minute, and we all died. My dad ain't no Macgyver I guess. :(
I love it! :p


Moby-Dick and wrap it in paper that alludes to, but never actually shows, penises. *tries to imagine said paper*

*fails, sadly*

I love it! :p


*tries to imagine said paper*

*fails, sadly*
you need something to help give it it's shape... 4 pie tins wound't hurt either...

I love it! :p


*tries to imagine said paper*

*fails, sadly*
It could have hotdogs and hamburgers, bananas and coconuts, eggs and sausages (What? I haven't had dinner yet!) strategically shaped palm tree, etc.
Or, ans JuNii said, shape and color

http://www.infowars.com/headline_photos/April/Obelisks.jpg

?

http://www.infowars.com/headline_photos/April/Obelisks.jpg

?
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Well, you never said it had to be subtle, so I guess that would work, too. :p

The Fellowship of the Ring. Wrapped in wedding paper, with those inexpensive "gold" plastic rings attached.

http://www.infowars.com/headline_photos/April/Obelisks.jpg

?

those're some pointy penises!

If you'd like to try something a little more philosophical, get Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. Wrap in a tin of fresh-baked scratch cookies.

Jitterbug Perfume: Include a music CD inside... or spray it with perfume

any mystery novel: in a wooden box, fitted with various small locks that hold it closed wrap it up and in the ribbon, you put the ring of keys... if you want to be very nasty... have more keys than locks.

If you'd like to try something a little more philosophical, get Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet. Wrap in a tin of fresh-baked scratch cookies.
Another one I don't get. *feels stupid* :(

Get Sophie's World. It's a novel incorporating much of philosophy as it has progressed through the ages. Very good story.

You could put it in a cheap magician's top hat, since one of the reacurring themes is to to never leave the tips of the hair of the great rabbit which is being pulled out of the hat of the universe.

Another one I don't get. *feels stupid* :(

I guess that's because I'm not tryng to be clever here. For me, personally, nothing sums up the book quite like a tin of fresh-baked scratch cookies. Plus, they're yummy!

Who moved my cheese and wrap it in dollar bills

I guess that's because I'm not tryng to be clever here. For me, personally, nothing sums up the book quite like a tin of fresh-baked scratch cookies. Plus, they're yummy!
Oh well, alright then. :p

Maybe the Goethe/pillow thing I didn't get upthread was also just some random association. *hopes*

I am going to a party Saturday night and we are playing a gift swapping game, the difference is at this party we are supposed to bring a new book, instead of misc. presents. There is another tradition at this particular party to wrap the book "creatively"

so NSG, give me ideas!

(an example of creative wrapping is one might buy The bathroom reader and wrap it in toilet paper)

Buy 1984 and wrap it in USSR newspapers.

Buy 1984 and wrap it in USSR newspapers.

or if you're feeling prescient, wrap it in the stars and stripes.

perhaps not, you might get linched in the bible belt.

Oh well, alright then. :p

Maybe the Goethe/pillow thing I didn't get upthread was also just some random association. *hopes*

It's an association, but not random. Have you read Gibran? He speaks of many things, including making things with love. Does anything say "love" like fresh baked cookies?