Chinese takeout containers, empty paper towel rolls, or oatmeal canisters
Matching boxes in various sizes
Two-sided tape
Steps
Master the basic technique
Master the basic wrapping technique: Begin by placing the gift box on
the paper, top side down. Fold one end of the wrapping paper over the
box to see how much paper you’ll need to completely cover it.
Add two inches to that length, and cut the paper there.
Center the box
Center the box, noting how much paper is on the short sides that are
going to be folded and taped. Having enough paper to cover two-thirds
of those sides when the paper is folded down is ideal. Any more, and
it will bunch up when you try to fold the edges.
If you have excess paper on those sides, push
the box to the ideal distance on one side and trim the other side
accordingly.
Start
folding
Fold one end of the paper over the top of the box. When you’re
sure it’s straight, tape it to the box. Then fold the other end
over it and tape again. If one edge of the paper is uneven from being
cut, fold it over a bit to create a straight edge.
Use double-sided tape for a more polished look
Fold
the edges
Now fold the paper down over one of the sides of the box. Take the diagonals
that have been formed and fold them inward. Then bring the bottom flap
up and tape it in the center. Repeat with the other side.
Add
a bow
Press on a stick-on bow, or cut a piece of ribbon that’s about
five times the length of the gift box & wrap it around the top of
the package, lengthwise, until the ends meet in the middle of the bottom
of the box. Twist them around each other at the center of the box, bring
them back up to the top of the package, & make a knot before tying
a bow.
If the ribbon is ribbed, take a pair of scissors,
hold the ribbon ends taut, and pull the blade along them to make curls.
Solve
the size problem
Wrap an oversize present by taking apart some large cardboard moving boxes
and building one big bottomless box that you can cover in paper and place
over the gift. Or, just smother the present in balloons.
Cover
in fabric
Wrap gifts with sharp edges in fabric; it won’t tear like paper.
Just plop the item in the center, gather the material at the top, and
tie with a thick ribbon. Fabric shops offer great deals on end-of-the-bolt
pieces.
Recycle
household goods
Think about everyday items that could hold hard-to-wrap gifts: Chinese
takeout containers, empty paper towel rolls, oatmeal canisters.
Create
a gift set
A dramatic way to present three or four gifts of varying sizes is to create
a gift tower: Place the presents in matching boxes of descending size,
wrap the boxes in the same or complementary paper, stack them, and tie
the tower together with ribbon.
Master the basic technique
Center the box
Start
folding
Fold
the edges
Add
a bow
Solve
the size problem
Cover
in fabric
Recycle
household goods
Create
a gift set
