During the holiday season, we give gifts to those we love. In the process of researching, designing, and personalizing the gifts themselves, we can lose sight of the presentation of the presents. Whether you have a perfectionist’s eye for packaging or are a gifting novice, here is the ultimate guide to gift wrapping for this holiday season.
The Gift Wrapping Tools
When gift wrapping, you need to consider the ordeal in two parts: the tools and the process. Without the proper preparations and equipment, you cannot complete the wrapping process. The following are some of the important gift-wrapping tools you will need this year.
Gift Boxes and Bags
Gift boxes and bags are essential for those gifts you have no way to package easily or discreetly. It’s hard to wrap something soft like a sweater with gift wrap. You will want to slide it into a gift box that you can wrap and tie off with a ribbon. Look for simple gift boxes or themed ones. You can either present the box as is or choose to wrap it in festive paper. Gift bags are also a simple option when you have a handful of smaller items that you cannot present easily. These bags come in all shapes and sizes, so find which ones will fit your gifts best. Gift bags are great to have on hand for any last-minute wrapping.
Tape and Rope
Gift wrapping often means gift taping. Without the right tape, your beautiful wrapping will fall apart. You don’t need a special kind of tape, but if you find holiday-themed tape, you can use it for some added flair. Otherwise, clear desk tape will do the job, since it is invisible once applied and holds up well for long periods. If you have a larger, more cumbersome box, you can also opt for rope instead of tape. You don’t need thick fabric, but you should have some brown rope or sturdy holiday grosgrain ribbon like ours at Ribbon By Design to hold down any unruly flaps or loose ends. Be sure to use scissors to cut through the tape, rope, or ribbon when assembling.
Wrapping and Tissue Paper
With boxes and adhesives at the ready, you can focus next on acquiring the wrapping and tissue paper. Wrapping paper works best for moving around sharp corners of boxes and products, while tissue paper is great to put inside gift bags. Depending on your wrapping needs, you will likely need at least two rolls of wrapping paper, both for practical length purposes and for differentiation in design. Find wrapping paper that best fits your holiday colors and themes. For example, Hanukkah themes include blue and gold colors, while Christmas features more reds and greens.
Ribbons Galore
Though sturdy ribbon is great for securing the gift boxes initially, you should add decorative designer ribbon to furnish your wrapped gifts. Designer ribbon is a type of specially printed ribbon with images or patterns. You can choose from established patterns or customize it yourself. Check out our winter ribbon selection with candy cane patterns and snowmen prints, or send in your favorite holiday design to personalize a roll of ribbon. There are plenty of ways to use ribbon as the central decorative element in your gift packaging. If you are looking for ribbon, reach out to our team at Ribbon By Design to find the right solution for your holiday needs!
Sticker Labels
After wrapping all your gifts, you may find it challenging to remember the intended recipient. Sticker labels help in this respect; among the sea of gifts, you can be sure your special present will find its way to the correct person.
The Gift-Wrapping Process
Once you have all the necessary items, you can begin the gift-wrapping process. Lay out all your gifts and packaging items, and set aside at least one hour to complete some gift wrapping. Depending on the number of gifts, you could spend a decent amount of time wrapping this year!
Style and Match
When wrapping gifts, think about the gift itself and the personality of the recipient. Try to match them to the wrapping paper colors and ribbon themes. This may sound insignificant, but consider the following: giving a children’s cartoon-themed wrapped gift to your elderly parent. Think about what the gift means and find the right level of coloring and patterning to match the sentiment. If you plan to give your partner a romantic gift, try using a deep red ribbon over golden wrapping paper to set the tone.
Measure and Cut
Once you connect each gift with the right wrapping materials, you are ready to start measuring and cutting. You can skip this step if using gift bags and tissue paper.
You should measure out how much wrapping paper you need per gift. Roll out a few feet of wrapping paper upside down, proportional to the size of the gift. Then, place the gift on the paper and adjust to cover the entire base of the gift. You should also have enough paper to go over each of the sides and the top. Cut this piece from the roll, and you’re ready for the next step! There are plenty of video guides you can use, but don’t fret if you mess up the first time. You can try again or find a way to seamlessly wrap the uncovered section.
Fold, Tape, and Tie
With the detached piece of wrapping paper underneath, fold the edges over the four sides of the gift and secure with tape. If you need to secure any unruly flaps, tie it down with rope before you tape. This will leave two ends open with extra wrapping paper placed over them. Fold these edges in, and create a cone of sorts. Then, flatten and tape them together to finish the gift wrap.
Decorate
Once the gift wrap is secure, it’s time to decorate the gift! One of the most elegant and ornamental add-ons is ribbon. You can create bows, wrap the gift around each side, or use it as a curly adornment. When you add the ribbon, you can either staple or tape it to the outside of the wrapping paper. However, be careful that you do not rip the paper and undo the hard work from earlier. With the final decorative touches complete, you can write down the names on the label sticker and place it somewhere visible for the day of gift-giving.
Use the ultimate guide to gift wrapping to navigate the holidays this year. With the right supplies and planning, you can complete your gift wrapping well in advance and present beautiful presents to those you love.
