From brown paper packages tied up with string to fancy felt bags with filigree, Christmas wrapping has a broad spectrum.
Personally, I love brown craft paper with a few designs on it, going for the less-is-more approach (and recyclable, I should add).
But what are some other ways to present a present?
Traditional wrapping - updated
For the last few years, I've tried wrapping my presents (always to my frustration) correctly. One hack I saw on some social media channel had the wrapping paper laying in a way so it was a diamond instead of a square (you cut the paper and have a big square or rectangle in front of you, leaving you with too much on the ends or sides). This trick works well for square objects. Place your item in the middle of the square and then fold the corners over the object, as you'd typically wrap a present. They should all meet in the middle of the item. All you need is a tape, and then boom, present complete.
For rectangles, stick to laying the paper or wrapping down "normally," so it looks like a rectangle, then place the item in the middle. Fold the sides of the paper over the object and secure with tape.
As for the ends, the less paper you have, the easier and neater it will be to fold. I always push in the sides of the paper so the top and bottom can tuck into the middle cleanly.
Re-purposing household items into Christmas containers
That empty Pringles can might be good for something other than recycling. If you have little trinkets and doo-dads that make up a gift, but you don't have a bag or any idea how to put it all together in an appealing format, try rinsing out the empty can and grabbing your wrapping paper. Wrap the can in your favourite paper, cut to size for the lid, then trim with some tissue or wrapping paper torn into strips for makeshift confetti.
Cloth wrapping
I like silk scarves; there's just something about them. But if you have a multitude of them, you can use them - or other fabric you may have on hand - as wrapping for gifts. Not only are they fashionable, but it's reducing waste if you were just going to get rid of the fabric or scarf anyway.
In Japan, the tradition of wrapping gifts in a special cloth is called Furoshiki. To wrap this way, you'll need your gift and a square piece of cloth or fabric. Like before, turn the material, so it looks like a diamond when you look at it. Place your gift in the middle and then fold the bottom corner over it. The corner will drape over the opposite side of the box. Repeat that step with the top corner. Then carefully, you're going to turn the box on its side and place the draping corner from the second fold underneath the box. Lay the box flat again. From there, you're going to want to gather the fabric on the sides of the box and bring them over the box and tie them together. It sounds complicated, but there are several quick videos online to help!
Little additions make all the difference
I love using fancy gift tags on presents. The intricate designs on them, the fancy writing, even the cute or funny ones add a personal touch to the present. These days you can get them at a big box store, find local artisans that make them or even try your hand at them yourself. A piece of cardstock and a brush pen marker can go a long way.
As for ribbon, I'm not a pro. But I do like the typical curling ribbon you can find in craft and dollar stores. The key to achieving the perfect ringlet is holding scissors to the ribbon with pressure and swiping the blade up the ribbon quickly.
If you’re looking for the big bushy bow look, you’re going to want to get a ribbon that has wire in it that can hold its shape instead of falling flat.
Happy wrapping!
