apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

ack! i'm hoping that picture is a dramatization.

How is this any more a waste of money than spending $12 on a roll of wrapping paper - stuff that gets used once and put in the garbage?

At least the recipient of this could cut it up and use the money...

Judging by the size of the box and where she's making that cut, there will be no complete dollars on the finished gift. Brilliant.

the fact that a washington lobbyst's wife did that is making me SICK. what kind of society is this???

here's a link to the video this stupid-woman-wrapping-presents-in-money comes from:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXj-oQm-NbE

i dig a little blogging about it. i think it's disgusting. it's not that it costs more than wrapping paper, it's the ethics behind AN INCREDIBLY WEALTHY SOCIALITE/LOBBYIST WRAPPING PRESENTS IN MONEY. wait til you see the woman in the video...i was absolutely disgustivated by her.

How about using a roll for toilet paper, too?


pretty please?

"Judging by the size of the box and where she's making that cut, there will be no complete dollars on the finished gift. Brilliant."

Actually, if you have a bill that is greater than 50% of the size of the whole - You can take it to any bank and exchange it for a whole bill.

Total waste, tacky, ugly, cannot even begin to understand why one would do this.

This is really gross, especially the fact that it's being used by a bourgeois Washington wife, who clearly doesn't know the value of a dollar. Or what a few extra bucks can mean to someone living paycheck to paycheck. Why not roll a few bucks into a bundle and toss it into the fireplace and use it for novelty kindling?

unbelievable. disgusting.

I think it'd be cuter to photocopy money (with a different face or something so that it wouldn't be illegal - or a varied size) and make your own paper... that might be cute though not much cheaper.
Maybe if the bills were scattered across the paper rather than lined up.

But you know... there is much cuter paper out there.

Gross.

Agree with all comments, it's like the last decadent days of a sick, silly society, a snapshot from some Bravo series on the amusing fetishes of the super-rich. Also, I though defacing US currency was ILLEGAL. Or is that another lobbyist loophole?

Things like this are usually signs of a revolution. I'm not saying that we are specifically heading towards one (especially considering that I think of most Americans as too checked-out to care much, but that might be changing as they can't refinance their house to buy a new big screen to watch America's Next Model) but when you look throughout history, when there is SUCH a discrepancy between the wealthy and not that there are flagrant displays of class differentials while many are just trying to get by...people get angry. "Let them eat cake!"

"Also, I though defacing US currency was ILLEGAL"

Um, No it's not...
...counterfeiting/photocopying US money is.

america, america! promise of the world, what has happened to us?

this totally disgusts me

Wow, and I'm struggling to pay my electric bills some months.

obnoxious and revolting.

I think it's a matter of bad taste. It kind of send a message that, "We have so much many, we can cut it up into pieces and throw it away". If you just like the look, why not use gift wrap paper that looks like money?

It's like buying a hot dog and throwing it on the ground or running your show for 10 minutes for no reason. Sure it you ate the hot dog, you would still spend the same money and if you took the shower, you would still use that same amount of water but, why waste things that are so hard for so many to come by if you don't need to?

Obviously, it's stupid for general use, but I think it could be cute for the right situation, like a birthday present for a child. They get a gift AND some money.

Also, I think it would be fun for kids to cut bills out of a big sheet. I remember reading an article about Steve Wozniak a long time ago which had a picture of him cutting out $2 bills from a sheet with his kids.

Isn't it defacing a US flag that's illegal?

I have to admit I'd like to see one of these money rolls in person.

In such bad taste it's utterly astonishing..

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/casecode/uscodes/18/parts/i/chapters/17/sections/section_333.html

It actually is illegal to cut bills to intentionally render them useless.

Anyway, this reminds me of a few funny stories about people buying sheets of 2 dollar bills to use. One was from Steve Wozniak who bought a bunch and got a friend of his to cut them and put them in a perforated book so he could tear them out to give people as tips and stuff for fun. If I remember right the policed were called one time or he got thrown out for using "fake money" or they said it was illegal to cut money like that (it isnt since they were just cut to the standard size out of sheets)

http://www.woz.org/letters/general/78.html

Heres the 2 dollar bill story if anyone cares to read it, its pretty funny.

"Isn't it defacing a US flag that's illegal?"

Nope - That's not illegal either.

I agree with eowes and laurabelk- who does this wife think she is? Marie Antoinette? with a deficit as large at it is, what a calously horrid display! what does that say to the rest of the world? we dont take our own economy or the face of our leaders pasts very seriously. America is joke!

viva la revolution!

I don't think you can actually cut unused currency sheets and use them as legal tender (legally). A lot of times, these bills were not cut for valid reasons: printing errors, serial coding errors, etc. Other times, they were printed for the expressed purpose of being sold as novelty items (wrapping paper, for one). This is kind of the same thing as shredded bills being sold by the jar. It just looks and sounds extravagant, but in reality it is what it looks: just paper.

Finally, I love all the "how bourgeois!" comments. Uh...this is a design blog. Who are you calling bourgeois?

Okay. She's getting the sheets at a significant markup, it's not like there's anything innappropriate going on at the mint, which is what would probably concern me most. She has the money to do so, and theoretically, these dollars would, at some point, then be redistributed via economic means. If she wrapped it in taped-together $1 cheques, would that be any different? Yes, it's decadent. It's stupid, and as the poster above said, it certainly does have a "let them eat cake" appearance to it, which might well be used as an indictment in a revolution.

However, it's her money, and hers to do with what she will. Conspicuous consumption may be distasteful, but it's hardly either illegal or immoral.

These sheets aren't REAL money and cannot be used as such, even if you cut out each and every dollar bill. I think I have one of these sheets somewhere from when I visited the mint when I was a kid.

Really it is just expensive wrapping paper. If you have the $ to burn why not?

there are so many better things to do with cash and even if I had the cash I know how people all over the world live and it's just the principal.

Yes they ARE REAL money.

You can buy uncut sheets of legal US tender straight from the US Mint.

They CAN be cut and used.

http://www.moneyfactory.gov/store/section.cfm/69/84

I guess since it already comes in rolls, they can just use it as toilet paper. Or maybe in their fireplaces. Nothing says opulence like the smell of money burning in you chimney.

Tacky indeed! It undermines the notion that gift-giving consists in something other than passing around sums of cash. Plus, american dollars aren't even attractive, as currency goes.

There is one thing that would make this okay in my book:

If no dollars were cut in the wrapping, rendering all the money useable after the gift is opened. Wrapping paper hardly gets more "sustainable and reuseable" than that.

If it's part of the gift and none of the money is cut in the wrapping process, how is it any different than getting a $20 in a card from grandma?

I keep thinking about people in some third world companies who work an entire month just for one dollar. What must they think when they see this?

Not illegal. Not any different than buying expensive and unnecessary wrapping paper.

So, so tacky.

I guess if you're the type of person who thinks spending $55 on ugly and pretentious wrapping paper is a good idea, whomever you're sending the gift to is apt to be like-minded, so no harm done.

Nesagwa, it doesn't say anywhere that you can use it, not even in the FAQ. My bet is that you can't. I'm sure it would be illegal for the mint to sell usable money for more than it's worth.

kdkaboom: disgustivated! lol!

She's so cheap! I use the more colorful $10 bill sheets, it's much cuter.

hilarious and unlimited true comment from somedudeinvicenza:

"Finally, I love all the "how bourgeois!" comments. Uh...this is a design blog. Who are you calling bourgeois?"

http://www.moneyfactory.gov/store/section.cfm/69/83
You can buy them from the U.S. Treasury.

http://www.treas.gov/education/faq/currency/sales.shtml#q2

this is awful, but i thought of a great project runway idea! make an outfit entirely out of money.

My boyfriend: "You could use Zimbabwe currency...thats cheaper than wrapping paper...."

Jesus... it doesn't even look good, not to mention this is just EXTREEEEMELY lame. I'd rather use Monopoly money! :D

Re: how this is different from wasting money on wrapping paper.

Wrapping paper can't be given to a homeless person for food. Buying wrapping paper contributes to someone's livelihood. Consumption (when it is purposeful or necessary) contributes to a variety of people's ability to earn money and support their families.

This is just ostentatious and ridiculous. It's a sign of decadence and being completely out of touch with the difficulties of lower income people in the current economic climate.

ha ha ha... i won't do it. but, love it!

I think this is a very "green" solution to an otherwise very "ungreen" practice! Ha!

"I keep thinking about people in some third world companies who work an entire month just for one dollar. What must they think when they see this?"

Probably the same thing as when they find out someone has paid $100,000 for a fancy sports car (which aren't really uncommon. My husband and I see them all the time in our relatively modest sized city). Or when someone spends $10,000 on a diamond ring (also not too uncommon). I'm sure this woman does not stand out to that poor third world country person as the epitome of decadence. I'm sure most of them will never even see this story. I ask, why if you have the means, should you not enjoy some of it? It seems that in this case, most of you seem to have some bias against the lobbyist giving HER money to the government. I'm not exactly sure why though, since it is our government. You seem to have no problem with any of us giving it to large companies like Hallmark, but the government? Watch out! Nevermind our government helps pay for all sorts of the social services we have available. Like Fannie and Freddie and if the legislation I heard they were proposing passes, potentially low-income housing.

"Wrapping paper can't be given to a homeless person for food."

Should we all run out and give the homeless/hungry a few dollars now? Or put our credit card info in the computer and donate our money to UNICEF right now? You all are very preoccupied with giving this woman's money to the poor and homeless.

Why has everyone here decided the "rich" should be so in touch and concerned with the difficulties of lower income people that they can't splurge on wrapping paper, when it is not really their job to support the poor and needy? It would be nice if they were concerned with them, (and I bet they donate more to needy organizations and charities than any of you, the wealthy actually tend to do that) but I'd turn the tables on you all and say I think it's gross and disgusting that you all judge them so harshly, and that you actually think it's fair for you to decide what she should do with HER money.

The woman has more money than most of you. Her husband makes more as a lobbyist. It's capitalism and it is fair and I can't see how this makes her an immoral person. Does it make a person immoral if they don't donate to charities? No, of course not. People should be allowed to live their lives how they like, as long as they obey the law and don't hurt others, and unless they do something meriting judgment like this, I don't see how it's moral of the AT community to judge her. You don't even know her or what she's like or what she does. You've taken one thing you know about her and based all your ideas about her on that one thing.

I wouldn't wrap gifts in it, but my father used to work for the Federal Reserve Bank and has a sheet that is signed by the same person (Secretary of the Treasury I think?) whose signatures are on all the bills. It would be weird if he had that and hadn't worked in the cash office for the Fed for a long time, but I think it's a pretty cool memento for a former job!

Maybe if she gift-wrapped me a car, but seriously, can you imagine being the adult recipient of such a thing? From a lobbyist's wife? Would you not find the suggestion that you could cut up the wrapping and buy some Tic-Tacs to be vaguely insulting?

There is nothing about this that is not skin-crawlingly tacky.

I just have to re-post part of somedudeinvicenza's comment because it is so awesome:

'Finally, I love all the "how bourgeois!" comments. Uh...this is a design blog. Who are you calling bourgeois?'

I think this is a clever and interesting way to wrap gifts. I don't see why it is tacky at all. I would totally do it.

"there are so many better things to do with cash and even if I had the cash I know how people all over the world live and it's just the principal."

There are always better things to do with cash, but how often do YOU do them?

I say everyone is entitled to do what they want but that is such a waste. My friends and I have created fun and creative wrapping ideas that are fun and inexpensive. Wrapping a gift in the funnies with a big bow or turning and ordinary grocery bag and embossing a design onto it. As I stated before to each his own.Personally I like putting creative touches on gifts,it is thoughtful.

Why is it more of a waste than other things??? It's a waste to spend $200 on stationery, but I guarantee you people do it. If you're a very rich lobbyist's wife, a gift wrapped in money is your personal, creative touch.

She says specifically that the gift is for a politician, and she's wrapping it in cash.

Hello?

I can see someone using a sheet of these to wrap a box that only contains the note: "Happy Birthday! Here's $20. Love, grandma"

I think this is so funny.

On this very blog, I have read people seriously discussing the merits of $1500 end tables, $2,000 beds and $5,000 sofas. And you think a $55 sheet of dollar bills used as wrapping paper is disgusting????

What hypocrites some of you are.

My opinion is that this lady,as wife of a Washington Lobbyist, giving gifts wrapped in money is totally dumb. I am not saying she is dumb, although she might be, but she is doing something dumb. Even if it is not morally, ethically or legally wrong. Everyone that I know that has seen this is appalled by this. To represent a lobbyist, by being his wife, it just gives the wrong impression. Makes you hate the whole system more. Like a little part of you just died.

On a side note. Ms. Pea, apartment therapy , in my opinion, is not about $2000 beds and $5000 sofas. It's about making your life better by improving yourself, your space and how you carry yourself. As someone who just spent almost $3000 on a dinning room set, which I love and would have not had the confidence to buy if I wasn't reading this blog, I can tell you that there is a difference between $55 wrapping paper and a piece of furniture that can be passed down generations.

i don't get what the big deal is...i don't see how spending your money on well... 'money' is any different than spending it on furniture or anything else. although i do see the philosophical point of "we're so rich we can cut up money and use it as packaging" as gross. but i think this is kinda cool, i might even be inclined to get some and wrap something in it, it wouldn't be with vulgar intent. the markup is okay its a BIG piece of money so hence it costs more plus they have to roll it up and send it to you.

It's "dining" not "dinning". If you're going to spend $3,000 on it, at least know how to spell it.

Ha! She wanted to make an ostentatious display of wealth like some successful rappers do, but her self-financed record flopped... so she resorted to being a wrapper!
Bling Fail!

Re: Should we all go out and give homeless people money for food now.

Yes. Yes, we should.

When I come across homeless people, I always give them 500 or 1000 yen ($5-$10). I'm not saying everyone has to give that much, but what's a buck to most people?