Sunday, February 24, 2008
It's a wrap!
This should have been published February 4.....
In Sweden, as in many European countries, it's quite typical that shops will offer to wrap a gift for you, no matter the size or cost. They don't usually use boxes but simply wrap the item with a festive paper and tie it with a ribbon. The grocery, toy, and general merchandise stores will have tables located at the end of the check out where you can wrap your purchases with paper and ribbon provide for free. That, however, is changing. The people who own a grocery chain here (ICA) apparently decided they were missing a chance to make some money. I stopped in at one of their Maxi ICA stores last evening and saw that in addition to a free generic brown paper (with fall leaves) they had a vending machine which held a roll of bright pink floral paper that, with deposited money, will dispense a specific length of paper! I guess I shouldn't have been that surprised that Swedes were now charging for paper since it is the norm to use coin deposits for your grocery carts, pay for your shopping bags, and spend 5 SEK (about 75cents US) to use the WC (bathroom). (I've gotten very good at keeping coins handy!)
I confess I've been consumed with wrapping. I spent yesterday and today wrapping my purchases, not with fancy paper but rather bubble wrap and corrugated cardboard as I readied my paintings and mirrors for shipping. The container should ship out some time later this month and I will fly out tomorrow. What can I say? Good bye Stockholm, it's a wrap!
In Sweden, as in many European countries, it's quite typical that shops will offer to wrap a gift for you, no matter the size or cost. They don't usually use boxes but simply wrap the item with a festive paper and tie it with a ribbon. The grocery, toy, and general merchandise stores will have tables located at the end of the check out where you can wrap your purchases with paper and ribbon provide for free. That, however, is changing. The people who own a grocery chain here (ICA) apparently decided they were missing a chance to make some money. I stopped in at one of their Maxi ICA stores last evening and saw that in addition to a free generic brown paper (with fall leaves) they had a vending machine which held a roll of bright pink floral paper that, with deposited money, will dispense a specific length of paper! I guess I shouldn't have been that surprised that Swedes were now charging for paper since it is the norm to use coin deposits for your grocery carts, pay for your shopping bags, and spend 5 SEK (about 75cents US) to use the WC (bathroom). (I've gotten very good at keeping coins handy!)
I confess I've been consumed with wrapping. I spent yesterday and today wrapping my purchases, not with fancy paper but rather bubble wrap and corrugated cardboard as I readied my paintings and mirrors for shipping. The container should ship out some time later this month and I will fly out tomorrow. What can I say? Good bye Stockholm, it's a wrap!
Labels: Swedish Antiques
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