Wrapping your holiday gifts can be really fun and a great expression of your personality! Think outside the box and have fun while you wrap!
Find a signature wrapping style that you come back to time and time again. Or choose a different theme each year and then wrap all of your presents in that style. (Hot tip: My husband opts for the not so glamorous but convenient plain newsprint found at your local newspaper–he buys a big roll of the stuff and wraps for years with his signature plain white paper with his block print in Sharpie. Everyone knows who the present is from!)
Basic Supply list: sharp scissors, wrapping paper, clear glossy tape, boxes in various sizes, a trash can, colorful tissue paper, gift tags and pens and markers.
Over The Top Supply list: hot glue gun, pipe cleaners, feathers, pom poms, double sided tape, paper punch, little birds and butterflies and the list goes on. (Michaels is a great resource for all of these supplies and much much more)
Technique tips:
1. Before you begin, set up a temporary area in your house where you can leave your supplies. I use a Costco folding table in my bedroom.And try to buy all of your supplies at once so you don’t have to go out again at the last minute.
2. Does the item fit appropriately in a box? If so, then line the bottom of the box with tissue paper folded with a neat crease in the middle and then place the item in and cover with another layer of tissue (over the top–wrap the item in tissue so the suspense is even greater). I prefer boxes that have not been taped so I can reuse them. Oddly shaped items can be wrapped in tissue and a cellophane bag or a fabric reusable bag –they become part of the present!
3. Judge how much paper you’ll need by laying the box on top of the paper and wrapping around the box and then cutting it. Fold the edges of the paper over about an inch so that the rough edges don’t show. Here’s a link to great step by step instructions on how to wrap a present. Use as little tape as necessary. (Over the Top tip: fold edges so they land on the edge of the box or even better, don’t use tape at all!)
4. Tie your present with ribbon and attach a gift card. There are many beautiful ribbon techniques out there. Check the web for other how-tos.
Here are some other fun ideas:
• layer printed paper over solid, textured ribbon over solid satin or grosgrain ribbon and cards over cards with deckled egdes
• visit a fancy paper store (like Ro Sham Bo here in Bozeman) to pick out really special wrapping paper to use as accents
• skip the bow and use wide ribbon instead to make your gifts easy to ship
• use geographic maps and twine to make a traveler excited about an upcoming trip
• use brown packing paper or blueprints from an architect’s office or butcher paper from the local meat shop and embellish the gift with ribbon and all the extras.
• one year my sister wrapped all of her presents in the weather page (really colorful) from the USAToday newspaper and the
n glued big jeweled sequins on the boxes in lines to represent the ribbons.
This year, I am wrapping everything with red and gold tissue and then covering the tissue with cellophane. The cellophane makes each present shiny and sparkly. I am slipping a card with an inspirational quote on it in between the tissue and the cellophane with the recipient’s name on it. Then a big bright bow and I’m done. When they are all lined up, they look so festive and pretty!
