Posted by Brian Lindsay on Apr 1st 2017
When I was younger, I could get away with terrible gift wrapping skills because no one expected me to know any better. The mere fact that I was young and even thought to get someone a gift bought me some leeway even though my gifts looked like they were wrapped by a drunk chimpanzee.
As time goes by, horrible gift wrapping skills seems to be associated with a lack of sophistication. This may seem unfair, but it’s the world we live in. If you still panic when it comes time to decorate your gifts, breathe deep and work your way through this gift wrapping guide. I promise, your gifts will soon look as classy as can be.
Why do we feel the need to artfully wrap a gift when we know all that hard work will be discarded within a few seconds? I can answer that with just three words: It displays thoughtfulness.
When you deliver an elegantly wrapped gift to a loved one, it says something about the thought and effort you are willing to invest. It sets the tone for discovering what’s inside and elicits a smile right from the beginning.
Before we dive into the mechanics of how to wrap a gift, let’s go over a few items that will make the task easier.
Let’s look at how to wrap a basic rectangular box. Before we do that, I’m going to give you some free advice. If your gift is unusually shaped, make life easier on yourself and find a rectangular box for it. A skateboard in a box is much easier to wrap than one without a box.
To see a video on basic rectangular gift wrapping, check out this video from MonkeySee. Christina Crawford will run you through the process step by step.
If standard gift wrapping seems boring, diagonal wrapping may be what you are looking for. As diagonal wrapping is more complex than standard, it’s best learned from a video with verbal instructions each step of the way. Check out this video by BeatTheBush.
Often enough, it’s the small things that make a gift look nice. Depending on the person it is for and the underlying wrapping paper used, the gift can call for an accent here and there or a whole pile of frillys. You decide.
The right kind of ribbon can finish off a wrapping job perfectly. While there are tons of ways to make a bow, check out this infographic for a fast way to tie a bow into any ribbon.
The next required skill for expert ribbon handling is curling the ribbon. This can be done with scissors. Simply draw some curling ribbon across some opened scissors while applying pressure where the ribbon slides across the blade. The end result is a twirl of festive looking ribbon.
Some ribbons are fancier than others. You may consider using fancy velvet ribbon to embellish a gift wrapped in plain, white paper. The contrast is nice looking.
Rather than tying a ribbon on your gift parallel to the edges, try running a ribbon around two opposite corners and tying it off.
Ribbon isn’t the only thing you can use to tie up a gift. Try using some twine in place of fancy ribbon. While it sounds like a low-budget move, twine over parcel paper can look classy.
Would you like to add some confetti that won’t blow away in the wind? Use strips of double sided tape on your gift. Sprinkle confetti and press it into place. You can make confetti with a hole punch, scissors or get themed confetti from a party supplier.
Transform plain wrapping paper into an intricate looking pattern by making gift wrap cutouts. You’ll need two contrasting colors of wrapping paper, a razor knife and a cutting mat.
Tagging your gift with the recipient’s name is not only an opportunity to make sure it goes to the right person, but it also can provide some flair of its own.
Besides getting the standard gift wrapping technique down, it’s a good idea to have an arsenal of unique moves in case the situation calls for it. Consider these “outer edge” gift wrapping ideas.
Sometimes things just don’t go as planned. I get that. If you find yourself staring at a pile of unwrapped gifts with very little time to spare, there are a few things you can do in a pinch.
If you have been paying attention, you should be able to handle your next gift wrapping session without heart palpitations. While there are many more gift wrapping ideas to be had, I’ll call it a day and leave you with a few tips and reminders to make your gifting occasions a bit easier.
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