Knowing how to wrap a gift can be a useful trick to make a nice gesture be even more special. It shows the person that you are giving the gift to that you care about them enough to go the extra mile for them. There are many easy gift-wrapping techniques that you can master by following a few simple steps. Whenever you want to add a special touch to your presents, coming up with a creative way of wrapping it will work in your favor. It’s also worth doing a bit of digging when it comes to wrapping oddly shaped gifts that you can’t really fit inside a box.
If you’re looking for some new ideas on how to wrap Christmas gifts or for some wacky wrapping styles, here are a few useful techniques, suggestions, and hacks to help you stay on top of any occasion. Try to think outside the box when choosing your next gift-wrapping fabric or style. There are some great, creative wrapping ideas out there that can make opening the gift part of the celebration and of the experience.
First thing’s first. Before we tap into some crazy gift-wrapping ideas we should cover our bases and go through the classic wrapping style. For many presents, it’s the ideal wrapping solution because of its simplicity. It only takes minutes to wrap a present the old fashioned way so, if you’re ever in a hurry, this is the wrapping style to go for.
How to Gift Wrap a Box
A Gift Wrapping Tutorial for Boxed Presents
The traditional gift-wrapping style is the quickest way to wrap a box-shaped present. You can follow the steps below to successfully wrap a boxed gift with little effort. See the image above for a visual aid. You have to:
- Measure your wrapping paper before cutting it. Make it twice the size of your box and make sure it is wider than the box so that you can cover the edges. Place the box face down on the paper. Make sure you center the box in the middle of the paper. Bring the sides of the paper together and secure them in place with tape.
- Pin down the upper edge of the wrapper as seen in the second frame. You can tape it down or hold it with your fingers as seen in the third image.
- Fold in the triangular sides of the wrapper. Make sure you have a triangle of paper at the base, like the one in the fourth image.
- Fold the tip of the triangle at its base to create a rectangular piece of wrapping as seen in image 5.
- Bring the rectangular up on the box and tape it to the rest of the wrapping paper.
- Always tie a nice bow on the box to make it seem more festive.
Now that we’ve covered how to wrap a Christmas gift, birthday gift, or any other kind of present that might typically fit in a box, we can move on to the unique presents that might require a different kind of wrapping.
How to Wrap a Gift Basket
Gift baskets often come in handy when shopping for a great gift. Putting together a personalized gift basket can be a great way to show your loved ones that you know what they like and that you are willing to put time and effort into making a one-of-a-kind present for them. Wrapping a gift basket, however, might prove to be a bit more difficult than wrapping a traditional gift. Here are some quick and tips on how to wrap gift baskets, as well as on how to put them together creatively.
- Choose an appropriate size basket for your items. If it is too big it will seem empty when you place your gift items inside. If it is too small you risk it falling apart when you wrap and carry it.
- Think outside the box in terms of wrapping. If you don’t need a transparent plastic bag to cover your basket, don’t use one. Colorful paper, a scarf, or a decorated basket can substitute the classic plastic bag or foil.
- If you want to use plastic foil, measure a piece that is taller than your basket by about 5 inches, then roll the foil under the basket and measure the same height foil on the other side of the basket. Make sure the sides are even before cutting the foil. Alternatively, you can use a transparent plastic bag.
- Get creative with your ribbons. Tie a large, lovely bow to close the bag over the basket. Decorate the ribbon and the knot with crystals, colorful rope, pearls, or decorations that fit the theme of your basket.
- Tie a hand-written card to the bow and ribbon. Write the name of the recipient on the card to personalize it.
How to Wrap Gifts that Don’t Fit the Mold
Tutorial on How to Make a Gift Box
Wrapping uniquely shaped gifts can be tricky because you need to adapt to each case differently. But there are a few fail-proof tips to help guide you through finding a great gift-wrapping technique for uniquely-shaped gifts.
- Make your own gift box according to the size and shape of each present, as seen in the image above. This way you can wrap your gift nicely without having to tape together lots of wrapping paper.
- Think outside of the box when choosing your wrapping materials. Colorful yarn or string can easily be wrapped around any object so you can easily create unique gift-wrapping designs for any present.
- When in doubt, decorate it. Just put a massive bow, glitter, or colorful stickers on a larger gift instead of wrapping it up completely. It will make it look all the more impressive without forcing you to spend hours on packaging it.
Tutorial on How to Tie a Bow Out of Ribbon
The easiest way to take something from simple to gift-worthy is to put a bow on it. Use the tutorial above to help you learn how to tie a bow out of a ribbon. Remember to try new ribbon colors and to decorate bows for an extra touch. Try out some new designs and ideas and keep the ones you like the most.
Picture Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.