Wrap it Up
I used to be all thumbs when it came to wrapping presents–I saw it as a chore instead of an opportunity to be creative. Now that I take my time and work through the process, wrapping presents can be kinda soothing.
Here are some resources to help you:
- Who else but Oprah would have a set of very clear instructions? I especially like the last part, where she creases the edges of the gift–it really does make a difference.
- Here’s how your average monkey wraps a package
- Carolyne Roehm also has a line of gift wraps available, and her material and style is very elegant. I thumbed through her book one day, and it is stunning. The presents look too perfect to open.
Some tips:
- Use double-sided tape–you won’t need as much as single-sided, and it really does make a difference in the final presentation.
- Fold-over the “raw” edges of your paper–this gives you a clean line, much like a hem, and your packages will be less likely to tear if handled roughly.
- My grandmother taught me to use a butter knife to cut the paper–just make a fold, and use the dull knife to gently rip it along the fold line. It is both faster and more even than using scissors.
- Choose a single wrapping paper and stick with it, then mix it up with a variety of ribbons.
- Larger packages require wider ribbons. While a small package might look OK with a wide ribbon, a big package looks absurd with a small one.
- I stock up on wrapping paper once a year and choose something like green paper and gold ribbon, so I can use it for any occasion.
- Create your own, personalized gift tags with your favorite drawing software. Why go to all the trouble to have amazing packages, only to have a post-it note as the gift tag?
The most important thing to remember is to have fun, even if you’re wrapping all your gifts late on Christmas eve. I mean, that champagne isn’t going to drink itself, now is it?
