Few people dislike giving gifts, but most of us hate the expectation that they need to be properly wrapped first. It’s why gift bags must be a billion dollar industry at this point, and why these simple elastic ribbons could possibly be the greatest to happen to birthdays since cake and frosting.
They do take the surprise out of the gift, but they make up for it other ways. The giver no longer feels discouraged after battling gift wrap and Scotch tape for half an hour, and the giftee can reuse the elastic for office-related tasks. There’s nothing left over that needs to be tossed or recycled, and even at $US12 for a pack of 10 in two different sizes, they will probably be more appreciated than a giant wad of tissue paper. [Animi Causa]