How to Gift Wrap Birthday Presents

A complement to the perfect birthday gift is a perfect gift-wrapping job. Part of the fun of opening a present is the mystery that lies behind a beautiful, colorfully decorated box. Instead of clumsily wrapping an oddly shaped gift, using bland wrapping paper or excessively taping down corners, it's possible to make a bold statement before the birthday girl or boy has even opened your gift.

Things You'll Need

• Plain gift box Decorative tissue paper Birthday wrapping paper Curling ribbon Scissors Scotch tape

Instructions

Preparation

1. 

   Purchase an appropriately sized plain gift box; it doesn't need to be decorative because it's going to be covered anyway. Make sure there is enough room for your gift.

2. 

   Crunch a few pieces of tissue paper and layer the bottom of the box with them. This will cushion the gift.

3. Place the gift into the box and pack more crunched tissue paper around the sides of the gift. This will not only provide more cushioning, but it will also keep the gift from jostling around, making it harder to guess what it is.

4. 

   Close the gift box and fasten it shut using thumb-sized pieces of tape to keep the cover on while wrapping.

Wrapping

1. 

   Unroll your birthday wrapping paper and place the gift upside-down onto the paper. There should be an equal 3 inches or more of paper on the two opposite ends of the gift; however, this may vary depending on the width of the box.

2. Fold one edge of the wrapping paper over the bottom of the gift; the end of the paper should reach to the middle of the bottom of the gift box. Tape the end of the paper to the box.

3. Take the opposite end of the wrapping paper (with the roll still attached) and fold it over the bottom of the box until it overlaps the taped-down end of the paper.

4. 

   Cut the wrapping paper piece off of the roll and tape the leftover end onto the box, overlapping the other end. If your cut was jagged, simply fold the end over about ¼ inch and then tape it down.

5. Take one open end of the wrapping paper and pinch the two sides of it together until both sides are touching the box. You should have two triangles of paper left, one on the top and one on the bottom.

6. Fold the bottom triangle up and tape it to the bottom of the box, then fold the top triangle down and tape it on all three corners using thumb-sized pieces of tape.

7. Repeat Steps 5 and 6 for the other open end of the wrapping paper.

Ribbons

1. 

   Unroll a large section of ribbon and, without cutting anything, place the wrapped gift in the center of the piece face down.

2. Pull both sides of the ribbon up to make sure both ends are even, then cross them over each other and pull them into opposite ends.

3. Turn the gift over, pulling the two loose ends of ribbon over the ends of the box. Cut the ribbon off of the roll and tie the two ends into a bow in the center of the box.

4. 

   Open your scissors, take one of the bow ends and, starting from the bottom up, slide the blade along it while holding the ribbon tight against the scissor with your thumb. This will create curly bow ends.

Tips & Warnings

• For an added effect, wrap colorful cellophane around the box before adding the ribbon. When choosing ribbon color, make sure it matches at least one color in the wrapping paper.

• When curling the ribbon, be careful not to cut your thumb with the scissors. Safety scissors can be used for extra protection.

Resources

• Superior Gift Wrap