Three simple methods to make your gifts look their best.
Three simple methods to make your gifts look their best.
Yes You Can: Wrap Any Gift
By Jolie KerrDecember  2, 2019
How to Wrap a Box
What you’ll need:
A roll of wrapping paper, tape, a hard, flat surface like a kitchen table and fun accessories to decorate!
Tip: Like cutting lumber, you should measure your wrapping paper before you cut — no ruler required!
Step 1
Flip the box on all four sides to measure the length of the paper you need. Leave two inches on each side.
Step 2
Cut the paper you measured off the roll. Remember to use sharp scissors for a clean, crisp cut.
Step 3
Place the box upside down in the center of the paper. Bring one side of the paper over the box and secure with tape. Repeat on the other side.
Step 4
Turn the box so one of the open ends is facing you. Fold the top flap down against the side of the box, secure it with tape. Crease the corners to create triangles on the sides.
Step 5
Fold the two side flaps into the center of the box’s side, making sure they’re tight against the box. Secure them with tape.
Step 6
Fold the bottom triangle up and tape to secure. If the tip of the triangle is too long, fold it to square off the edge.
Step 7
Repeat on the other side of the box. Flip the gift over and add a ribbon, gift tag, card or other adornments.
How to Wrap Something Round
The candy-wrapper style of gift wrap is perfect for bottles of wine, perfume or candles that aren’t boxed. It can also be useful for wrapping small, soft items like stuffed animals, socks or a cosmetics bag.
What you’ll need:
2 pieces of ribbon, tissue paper, tape
Step 1
Unfold your tissue paper. Place the gift in the center. Use multiple sheets of tissue paper if you want it to be more opaque.
Step 2
Roll, roll, roll and tape.
Step 3
Tie each end of the tissue using the ribbon, which will make the gift look like a wrapped piece of candy — yum!
How to Wrap Anything Else
Gift bags are attractive, reusable and, best of all, an easy way to present a gift without requiring any wrapping skills at all.
What you’ll need:
A gift bag, coordinating colored tissue paper, small piece of ribbon
Step 1
Spread out your tissue paper. Pinch each tissue in the center to create a cone. For small- and medium-sized gift bags, use 2 to 3 pieces of tissue paper; larger bags will need 4 to 6 pieces of tissues to achieve the desired effect.
Step 2
Place each pointed end in the bottom of the bag, so that the flared part of the paper peaks out of the top.
Step 3
Place the gift in the bag, nestled among the tissue paper. Fluff the tissue paper to hide your gift well.
Step 4
Tie the handles together using a piece of ribbon to complete the look.
How to Curl Ribbon
Did you know there’s science behind the best way to curl ribbon? According to Scientific American, “if you want to curl ribbons using a pair of scissors, researchers say the secret is to be firm but slow. Conventional wisdom supposes that a quick scrape of the blade makes for tight curls, but slowing things down seems to give the ribbon more time to adjust to its new, curly state.”
What you’ll need:
Curling ribbon, scissors
Try it: Place one blade of a pair of scissors on the ribbon. Hold the blade with your thumb and the ribbon with your pointer finger and sloooowwwwwly pull the blade down the ribbon in a fluid motion.
Videos by Ted and Chelsea Cavanaugh
Produced by Smarter Living