How to Wrap a Gift

Christmas only comes once a year, but we still give away presents year round for plenty of other reasons and knowing how to gift wrap a present is therefore always a valuable skill to have. These gift wrapping instructions are for a rectangular gift box, but can be applied to any size or shape of box.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. To wrap a gift, first gather your materials and lay them out on a clean, flat work surface. Remember to remove the price tag from the gift before wrapping it.

2. Place the box containing the gift along the length of wrapping paper and unroll enough paper to wrap it around the box, leaving at least a 2-inch overlap. Make sure there is enough wrapping paper at each end of the box to cover the ends completely when folded over them.

3. 
    

   Use a pencil to mark where this overlap ends and cut the wrapping paper in a straight line at this point. Fold the paper or use a yardstick to guide you in cutting a straight line.

4. Eyeball the wrapping paper at the ends of the box. Trim away any extra paper so that the remaining flaps are long enough to cover the box but short enough to fold over smoothly into flaps.

5. 
    

   Open the paper you've just cut and lay the box in the center of the unprinted side, top down.

6. 
    

   Bring one lengthwise edge of the wrapping paper to the center of the box and secure it with tape. Turn the opposite edge of the paper under approximately 1 inch and bring this to the center of the box as well so that it overlaps the first edge, and tape it down.

7. 
    

   Position the gift box so that one short end is facing you. Grasp the left and right edges of the wrapping paper and push the sides in so that top and bottom flaps are formed. Make sure the edges are pushed in as far as they will go without ripping the paper. Tape the edges to the box.

8. Bring the upper flap down against the side of the box, making sure the flap is sharply creased at its folds. Tape the flap to the box.

9. 
    

   Bring the lower flap up against the side of the box. Crease and secure it as you did the upper flap.

10. Repeat for the opposite end of the box.

11. Position the package so the seamless side is facing down.

12. Wrap a long piece of ribbon around the gift box lengthwise, then twist the ribbon at the lengthwise seam to wrap it around the box width-wise.

13. Turn the box over so that the seamless side is facing up and tie the ribbon into a bow on top of the present where the ribbons cross.

14. If you have a card, slide it under the ribbon and secure it with tape on the underside. If you have a gift tag, use the loose ends of the ribbon to secure the gift tag (if it has a hole in it), or adhere it directly to the gift (if it has adhesive on it.)

Tips & Warnings

• If your gift is not rectangular, find a box to put it in for easy wrapping. Nestle the gift in tissue paper to add another layer of unveiling.
• Check the label on any package of gift-wrapping paper to make sure there is enough paper to wrap your gift box.
• Choose gift-wrapping paper that comes on a tube instead of pre-cut sheets of paper that come folded into squares. The latter have deep creases, which can give your package a crumpled, untidy appearance.
• Transparent cellophane tape, especially the non-glossy kind, will give your package a tidier appearance than can be achieved with other types of tape.

[ksaund]

on 12/25/2009 Lol I had forgotten how to wrap a gift! Thanks for reminding me I appreciate it.

[johnrapp]

on 12/22/2009 So that's how to wrap a gift, I get it.

[oceansidehomes]

on 12/19/2009 Very good! Happy Holidays :)

[pieceofscrap]

on 12/18/2009 Very detailed article. Thank you for sharing! I am not a very good gift wrapper, so many of my packages are in gift bags. Very quick and easy! :)

[remiramcharan]

on 12/10/2009 Great one! But a store works best for me.

Thanks for sharing.