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Whether you have your gift shopping well underway or have yet to start, it will soon be time to do some wrapping. Bright, colourfully wrapped gifts are one of the many picturesque elements of the festive season, but that perfect look isn’t always easy to achieve.
To give you a hand this year, here’s a step-by-step guide to gift wrapping.
Get everything together
Wrapping your gifts isn’t going to be any easier if you have to run around hunting for tape part way through. Before you start wrapping, make sure you have everything you need:
- Wrapping paper
- Scissors
- Tape
- Ribbon
- A flat surface big enough for the gifts you want to wrap
BONUS TIP: Make life easy for yourself
One of the biggest questions that crops up around gift wrapping is how to wrap oddly shaped items. The simple answer is: don’t!
A square or rectangular box is the easiest thing to wrap, right? So, just put unusually shaped items in a box, using some packing tissue to make sure they won’t slide around.
Figure out how much paper you need
It pays to get this right. Too little and you’ll have to start all over again; too much and you’ll make things more difficult as you fight with bundles of excess paper.
Unroll your paper, and place the gift on it. Pull the paper over the gift until you have enough to cover all four sides. Then, estimate how much you’ll need to cover the ends.
Fix things in place
Wrapping is much easier if the gift isn’t sliding around all the time. Fold one side of the paper up and over the gift until it is halfway across the top. Use a piece of tape to hold it there.
Fold the next side over
Bring the other side of the paper over until it overlaps with the first one. Don’t tape it down yet, though. However well you cut the paper, the edge can be a little ragged. For a neater look, fold over the edge of the paper to create a seam, and then tape it down.
Now for the ends
This part is a little more difficult but easy enough once you get the knack. Start with the side of the paper that is on the top. Fold it down against the end of the gift, creating a sort of wing. Do the same with the other side of the paper.
Next, flatten the two “wings” you have created against the end of the gift. That will leave you with a triangle of paper, which you can also flatten against the end of the gift. Again, to create a neat seam, you can fold over the point of the triangle. Tape this in place to secure the end of the gift.
Repeat this process with the other end.
Tying the perfect ribbon
OK, we’ve dealt with the paper, now for the finishing touch. Start by cutting the right length of ribbon — around five times the length of your gift.
- Lay the wrapped gift upside down on top of your ribbon (lengthwise).
- Lift the ribbon ends up and cross right over left, pulling them widthwise.
- Holding tight so the cross you have made doesn’t slip, turn the gift over and bring the ribbon ends around over the top of the gift.
- Bring the ribbon ends under where it runs lengthwise across the top of the gift.
- Double-not the ribbon around the lengthwise section.
- Tie a bow. Neaten the bow’s loops with your fingers after you have done so.
- Finish off your bow by cutting the ribbon ends. First, pinch the ribbon, and then cut at 45 degrees. This creates the forked ends.
Voila! You’re done. (Except for all the other gifts, of course.)
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