Today is Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day! Are you still stressed out from the holidays? If so, Sealed Air, the makers of Bubble Wrap, have a splendid idea for stress relief: Popping Bubble Wrap. The company is asking Bubble Wrap enthusiasts around the world to begin their week with a “pop!”
Did you know that one minute spent popping Bubble Wrap relieves as much stress as a 33-minute massage? According to the folks at Sealed Air, that’s what popping bubbles can do for you. In fact, there are many ways that Bubble Wrap fans can join the fun and share their favorite way to play with, pop and enjoy Bubble Wrap. They even offer some suggestions to get started:
Roll out a Bubble Wrap carpet and jump for joy.
Keep a box of Bubble Wrap at your desk when you need a bit of stress relief at work.
Create your own Bubble Wrap calendar with tedious tasks behind every bubble and “pop” things off your to-do list each day.
You can come up with some ideas of your own to celebrate the iconic Bubble Wrap, such as getting a co-worker to pop with you. Begin at either end of a sheet of Bubble Wrap, start popping and the one who reaches the middle of the sheet with all their bubbles popped wins! You can then decide what they win. Show how you celebrate by sharing your photos using the hashtag #BubbleWrapDay!
Bubble Wrap (originally called Air Cap) was created in 1957 by engineers Alfred Fielding and Marc Chavannes, who first marketed the material as textured wallpaper. When that failed to “pop” with consumers, they attempted to sell it as greenhouse insulation. But it wasn’t until IBM needed something to protect the shipments of their new 1401 Data Processing System in 1960 that the material really began to take off.
Bubble cushioning isn’t just for protecting your fragile items during shipping; there are many more uses for this material. Here are just a few:
Insulate your windows: Is your home feeling drafty? Simply cut a sheet of bubble cushioning to the size of your window, spray the window with water, and place the flat side against the glass for instant insulation. Since it’s clear, you won’t lose the natural light.
Winterize your pipes: In the colder months, wrap it around pipes and outdoor spouts and tie it with string to help prevent bursting.
Protect your windshield: Tired of scraping your windshield every winter morning? Cover it with a sheet of bubble cushioning the night before to reduce frost. And if it snowed overnight, just pull it off and the snow will come with it!
Keep your pets warm: Insulate your dog’s outdoor house with bubble cushioning to keep him warm when the temperature begins to drop in the fall.
Protect your plants: Before frost hits, wrap your outdoor potted plant containers to keep the soil warm and frost-free.
Prevent damage when moving: When moving furniture, wrap sharp corners of tables and desks in bubble cushioning so they don’t scratch your walls.
Add comfort to camping: Lay down a sheet of bubble cushioning before staking your tent, which will protect you from the ground’s moisture and act as an air mattress under your sleeping bag.
Make a fun placemat: Using rectangular cut-outs of bubble cushioning is not only fun for your guests, it also makes post-party clean up a breeze.
Add a twist to Twister: Playing the popular game with friends? Add a layer of bubble cushioning to give it some extra pop.
Add texture to paintings: Instead of using sponges for texture, dip pieces of bubble cushioning in paint and get artistic.