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Mar 06, 2023

How to wrap Christmas presents: 3 holiday gift

Every family has one — that person who wraps their holiday presents like a pro.

Every family has one — that person who wraps their holiday presents like a pro. They take their time wrapping each gift, carefully folding corners, curling bows, and adding just a touch of creativity to each present.

If that person isn't you, this holiday season could be the start of something beautiful. But what if you don't have a creative bone in your body — or a ton of extra time? There are a few tricks that can turn a sad wrapping attempt into a nearly perfect package.

"Wrapping a gift nicely doesn't really take much longer or any extra skill but it does make gifts extra special and shows you care not only about what's inside, but the outside as well," Ashely Wittenborn previously told the Courier Journal when she was an employee at the Paper Source, a stationery store at 3727 Lexington Road in St. Matthews that offers custom wrapping.

Although rectangular cardboard boxes are the most commonly wrapped Christmas present, sometimes you're presented with an oddly shaped gift. But, no need to fear. With these tips and tricks, you can make any package look holiday-ready.

"No matter what you are wrapping, you should always start with a large clean surface and all your supplies," Wittenborn previously said. "You need a pair of sharp scissors, wrapping paper, tissue paper, ribbons and double-sided transparent tape."

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She also suggests keeping a small basket or plastic bin close by with your scissors, tape, gift tags, pens or markers, ribbon, bows, and anything else you like to use for adornments. That way you won't have to waste time searching for these items between packages.

Here are the three ticks and tricks for how to wrap the perfect Christmas present.

First, lay out your paper with plenty of extra on all sides. There is nothing worse than getting halfway through a project and realizing you don't have enough paper to finish the job.

A professional-looking wrap job is all about crisp, smooth edges and corners. You'll want to run your thumb across the creases at the edge of the box to give it that "extra-crisp" look.

That "crisp" look is also achieved by not seeing a lot of tape. Use double-sided tape on your packages to hide the tape while keeping the paper taut.

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Because scissors never seem to cut a straight line, do what the pros do and fold a small amount of paper under to make a straight edge. Your wrapping will look tidier, and you'll be able to match up the pattern — an aesthetic bonus!

There's nothing worse than an oddly-wrapped gift. But Wittenborn has a fool-proof trick.

"Whether I am wrapping something like a wine bottle or a teddy bear, the 'Tootsie Roll' technique usually works best," Wittenborn said previously.

Cut your wrapping paper large enough to be able to completely cover your gift when it's rolled up inside. You'll also want a few extra inches of paper on either end.

You'll want to start to roll the paper around your gift. A tip for keeping the paper taught as you roll: As you make your first roll, place double-sided tape on the first edge of the paper. As you continue to roll, that tape will help keep your paper tight.

Roll the gift to the end of the wrapping paper and tape the other end down. Now you are left with a long tube.

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Simply tie a ribbon around each end, and fluff the paper beyond the ribbon to create the elegant, yet simple "Tootsie Roll" look.

Using an ample amount of ribbon, start by wrapping the ribbon from the front of the box to the back. Then flip the box over, twisting the ribbon into a cross shape at the center, and then flip the box back to the front to tie the bow.

Next, cut a separate piece of ribbon and tie a second bow around the first bow at a slightly different angle. This creates extra volume with little effort on your part.

You can also make the edges of the bow look more professional by folding the ribbon vertically and snipping a small section downward near the tip. This quick addition makes a tiny "v," which looks nicer than a straight edge.

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Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at [email protected].