How to Wrap Christmas Presents Like a Pro
Ready, set, wrap! With the help of these step-by-step instructions, the gifts under your tree become beautiful decorations in themselves.
Now that your porch has officially been taken over by Amazon Prime boxes, it’s time to transform them into beautifully wrapped gifts to put under the tree. We’re breaking down how to wrap Christmas presents like a pro in just a few simple steps. So turn on your favourite Christmas tunes—Santa’s got a job for you!
To get wrapping, start by gathering all of your supplies. You’ll need your wrapping paper, scissors, tape and any extras like bows, ribbons and gift tags. If you’re wrapping a gift for a child, opt for fun, colourful paper. For a more sophisticated look, rustic brown kraft paper with red string will look beautiful under any tree.
How to Wrap a Gift Box
If you have a variety of shapes to wrap, start with something easy like a gift box. A gift box can hold most items and is perfect for clothes, home items and food gifts.
- Start by rolling out your wrapping paper on a large surface like your kitchen table or island. Place your box in the centre of the paper and measure how much wrapping paper you’ll need. It’s tempting to want to move quickly and just eyeball it, but measuring almost always saves time in the long run.
- Once you’ve cut your square of wrapping paper, pull one side over the gift box and secure it with a piece of tape.
- Gently pull the other side of the wrapping paper over the box and tape it down.
- Next come the sides of the present. With the seam-side up, fold the top of the wrapping paper over the side of the gift box and place a piece of tape.
- Flatten the side into wings and fold them into pointy shapes, one at a time. Pull both sides in over the gift box and secure with tape.
- Finally, pull the bottom side of the wrapping paper up and tape it to the box.
Still need to do some shopping? You’ll find 50 great gift ideas under $50 in our Canadian gift guide.
How to Tie a Ribbon on a Gift
When it comes to bows and ribbons, look for a variety of colours, textures and sizes. Keep proportions in mind, saving the largest bows for the largest gifts. For most food gifts, you can skip the wrapping paper and jump right to the fun decorating part.
To tie a classic ribbon around your gift box, follow these easy instructions.
- Lay the ribbon out straight on your table and place the wrapped present upside down (seam-side up) on top of it. Don’t cut the ribbon just yet, to make sure you have plenty to work with.
- Pull the two sides of the ribbon up and join them with one twist.
- Wrap them over the opposite sides of the present.
- Flip the box over right-side up and tie the two ends of the ribbon into a knot to secure.
- Make a bow, then trim the ribbon to the desired length.
If you’re feeling really crafty, you might want to tackle these DIY holiday decorations, too!
How to Wrap a Gift Without a Box
Gifts without a gift box are a little trickier to wrap. If the gift comes in a beautiful container, a simple bow and gift tag will look festive and elegant.
If your gift still needs to be wrapped, follow the same steps for gift box wrapping or use the tried-and-true gift bag solution. A colourful gift bag with fluffy tissue paper can handle just about any present.
Add DIY Gift Tags
Adding DIY gift tags is the perfect way to top off a thoughtful gift. Tie simple brown gift tags with red and white string around gift boxes, bags or ribbons. If you’re not exactly a DIYer, print off pre-made tags from Etsy or your favourite online shop. Now just sign your name and do your best to wait until Christmas Eve.
Now that you know how to wrap Christmas presents like a pro, check out our collection of all-time favourite Christmas cookie recipes.
