HOW TO WRAP A GIFT

Holiday greeting!

I am doing my best to be organized this Christmas season, trying to get a head start on shopping and wrapping.  Many of my gifts will have to be shipped this year, so they will need to go out shortly in order to reach their destination by Christmas.

Fortunately, wrapping is an enjoyable creative outlet for me, not drudgery.  I love beautifully wrapped gifts under my tree.

The paper must be of good quality, the ribbons wired and attractive, and the wrapping done with care.  Otherwise the package does not go under my tree. That’s because to me, Christmas gifts are an extension of my Christmas decor and I want everything to look beautiful.  I have found that many people are clueless when it comes to wrapping technique, so today I thought I’d show you how to wrap a gift.  With the right supplies and a little knowledge of technique, you can make your gifts extra special and especially appreciated by their recipients.

A pretty package on the outside makes everything inside so much better!

No matter what the gift is, clothing or anything else, I always line the gift box with tissue paper.  I start by folding two layers thick of tissue to fit the inside of the box.  Place the gift inside, then fold the tissue over it, concealing and protecting the item.

Fold over one raw edge of the tissue into itself and secure it with a decorative sticker.  I usually buy them at Target.

Costco sells large rolls of good quality wrapping paper.  I typically use Costco’s solid gold and silver wrapping paper, which is also great because the reverse side of the paper is conveniently printed with cutting lines. Place your gift box on top of the paper and determine how much paper is needed to wrap your box, both width and lengthwise.  I allow enough width to fold about 2/3rds of the way down the side of the box.

Cut only the amount of paper needed for each box to avoid waste and the need to trim the paper while wrapping it.

I also use only double sided tape to wrap my gifts.  It gives a much cleaner appearance.  I have a tape dispenser that holds the large roll of tape, and purchase two or three packages of double sided tape each holiday season. This way I can use generous amounts of tape without running out.

Place the gift box upside down on the cut wrapping paper and center it on all sides.  I use my scissors to hold down the long side of the paper while I fold over one raw edge.  I then place one long strip of double-sided tape along the folded edge of the paper.  The tape then serves both to keep the folded edge folded in place and to tape the wrap down onto the gift.

I then wrap the raw edged side of the paper over the package, stopping just past the center point.  Then fold the taped side over the raw edge side and press down to make a nice finished and sealed edge on the back side of the gift.

With the box still upside down, fold down the bottom side of the wrapping paper over the edge of the box.  I often add a small piece of tape to keep the paper folded down tightly and neatly against the side of the box.

Then carefully fold in the sides of the paper as shown below.

Finally, fold over the raw edge of the wrapping paper and tape it in place with a long strip of double sided tape.

Fold the taped flap up toward the bottom side of the box and seal it tightly in place.

Repeat on the other side of the box and voila, you have a beautifully wrapped gift with zero tape showing, cleanly folded paper and little waste.

Next comes the ribbon. I love ribbon and have plastic totes filled with a wide variety of sizes and colors.  The wired edge ribbon is my favorite because it helps the bows keep their shape.

In order to avoid wasting expensive ribbon, I unravel enough ribbon to loosely wrap it around my gift.

I can then determine fairly accurately how much ribbon I will need before cutting it off the roll.

Cut the needed amount of ribbon off the role and hold it up to find the center point.  With the box right side up, lay the ribbon down over the top of the box.

Holding both sides of the ribbon, flip the box over to an upside down position and twist the ribbon around itself to then wrap it in the other direction around the box.

Bring the ribbon around to the top of the box and tie it in a tight knot.

It is at this point that you can add a gift tie-on.  They really make a gift extra special and can often have a dual purpose. They can be used later as a tree ornament by the recipient, making your gift two gifts in one!

I load up on gift tie-ons at a store in Southern California called Shinoda.  You can visit their website here.  They are a wonderful source for inexpensive decorations of all types and for every season.

Simply slip the tie-on through the ribbon before tying it.

If my ribbon is wide and beefy enough, one big bow on a gift is often all that is needed.

The wired ribbon is easy to work with and makes gift wrapping easier and less time consuming.

Other gifts look better with big, full bows which are made separately.

Stay tuned and in an upcoming post I’ll give you a how-to-make-bows tutorial.

Also, stocking are a big deal with my kids, who even as adults enjoy our ceremonial unwrapping of the contents of their stocking.

In our home stockings are the first things opened on Christmas morning, and I fill them chock full of tiny little wrapped gifts that my kids get a lot of pleasure opening.  So, as I am gift wrapping I save all the small remnants of wrapping paper and ribbon that accumulate as I go along and use them to wrap my stocking stuffers.

It is so much more fun to receive these small gifts wrapped.

So be sure and save all your trimmings for those big gifts that come in small packages.

On a final note I thought I’d mention one more gift-giving thing I do this time of year.  There are always those we wish to remember at Christmas with a small gesture of appreciation such the gardener, housekeeper, postman, etc.  I buy big tins of flavored popcorn or boxes of candy, wrap them up in cellophane, decorate them with an ornament and add an envelope with a gift card and note of thanks.  It just seems a little more festive than simply handing them a card.

I hope you are enjoying this wonderful time of year.  Happy holidays!

So there you have it: HOW TO WRAP A GIFT

Thanks so much for dropping in!

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All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Unless otherwise noted, all photos are the original property of Celia Becker @ www.AfterOrangeCounty.com and may not be reproduced without specific permission. This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.  It’s what helps to make this blog possible. Thanks very much for your support.