Ten steps to the perfectly wrapped gift

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Published Date 12/13/2023

Are you one of those people whose mom delighted in wrapping tons of gifts at holiday time, but forgot to teach you how?

Well, Country Living’s Charlyne Mattox cared enough to offer you some simple steps to follow so that the gifts you give don’t look like a jumble of paper thrown around a box with tape all over it.

First, the basics. “It’s so much easier to wrap something square or rectangular. Do yourself a favor and pack your gift into a box,” she says. Taping it shut is recommended — especially with double-sided tape if you can get your hands on some.

She goes on. The cardinal rule for choosing wrapping paper is — the thicker, the better. And try to find rolls with grid patterns on the back. Get yourself a very sharp pair of scissors with a comfortable handle to make cutting the paper a snap but also ensure that the ends of your ribbon have clean cuts.

Step 1: Cut the wrapping paper

Place the box facedown on top of your gift wrap, leaving the paper attached to roll. Use your scissors to cut paper along one side, making a wide enough sheet to cover both sides of the box. You may have to do a “roll around” to make sure there is a bit left over before cutting. Not having enough means wasting paper and starting over, or piecing paper together — which looks bad.

Step 2: Fold it over

“While standing on the same side of the table as the roll, pull paper tautly up and over the far end of the box,” she advises. “Adhere with double-sided tape, and crease paper along the box's edge with thumb and forefinger.”

Step 3: Join the ends

Now unroll the paper and bring it to meet the already wrapped end. With as straight a cut as possible, cut paper from the roll, leaving an inch of overhang. Fold that inch under and crease along the fold. (The extra width can make up for a crooked cut if folded straight.) Adhere using double-sided tape.

Step 4: Close the open ends

Mattox says now it's time to tackle one of the open ends of the box. “Push the sides of the paper inward, creating four 45-degree-angle flaps. Kind of like how an envelope looks. Then crease it along the flaps.

Step 5: Fold it down

Fold down the top flap. Crease it sharply along the top of the box, then crease again where the paper meets the bottom edge of the box. Cut the paper along that bottom crease. Adhere it to the box with double-sided tape.

Step 6: Get rid of the excess paper

No. Not the rest of the roll. Just the excess paper on the bottom flap so that it lines up perfectly with the top of the box. Apply double-sided tape to the bottom flap, then fold it over the top flap and adhere.

Step 7: Close the other side

Now it’s time to repeat steps four through six on the box's remaining open end. Finish all sides by running your pinched thumb and forefinger along the edges to create sharp lines.

Step 8: Add the ribbon

Yes. You need a ribbon. A wide ribbon is more fun. Lay the wrapped box face-down on a length of ribbon approximately five times as long as the box. Pull the ends of the ribbon up bringing the right end over the left. Pull it width-wise so they cross.

Step 9: Thread the ribbon

Now turn the box over. “You should have two ribbon ends of about the same length,” says Mattox. “Thread each end under the ribbon already in place.” Then make a double knot and tie it into a simple bow. Use your fingers to shape the loops.

Step 10: Trim the ends

We’re almost done. Pinch the ribbon ends lengthwise and cut at a 45-degree angle to create forked ends, or just leave them angled.

That's it—all wrapped up and ready to gift! Oh. And there are plenty of gift-wrapping vids on YouTube to give you the visuals.

CountryLiving, TBWS

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