How to wrap a gift – Easy, quick and beautiful tips

With Christmas just around the corner, your creativity and gift-wrapping skills will be put to the test. If you’re one of those people who doesn’t know where to go with the sticky tape and wrapping, this article will help you make your gift even cooler.

The story behind gift exchanges

Did you know that the tradition of exchanging gifts at this time of year has many origins? At first it is believed that the act of gift-giving had its beginnings at the birth of Jesus. The three wise men, together with their offerings, began a tradition that continues to this day.

Although there are signs of this tradition, back in Ancient Greece. The Greeks not only exchanged gifts on random dates throughout the year, but also transformed them into an act of gaining trust and rapprochement, since gifts were intended to establish relationships for commercial and political purposes.

Why do we wrap gifts?

Once we understand where the tradition of giving gifts came from, we need to know why we wrap them. This other tradition, in the same way as the previous one, emerged in Europe, however, it is a little more recent. Initially gifts were delivered without packaging or wrapping, however, this changed in the Victorian Era, when it became elegant to wrap gifts in fabrics and bows.

Paper wrapping as we know it today was a maneuver to overcome the lack of decorative fabrics that a store in the United States found in 1917, as a result, we followed the tradition of covering our gifts with decorative paper.

How to wrap gifts

Now that you know the historical context of this tradition, how about learning some tactics to make your packages even more beautiful? Here are some tips.

Classic Folding

This type of wrapping is more suitable for gifts with a square or rectangular shape. Firstly, you must place the gift on top of the paper to measure the proportions that will be used to wrap it. Ideally, the paper cut should be twice as large as the gift.

Next, you must fold the sides of the paper towards the inside, take the side parts and position them one over the other and stick a piece of adhesive tape.

Then, fold the top of the lid on both sides, then, with the excess paper on the sides, make a triangular shape. If there is excess paper at this stage, cut it so that it is in the exact proportions for the height of the gift.

Finally, with the bottom part of the packaging, you cover the triangular part and glue a piece of adhesive tape on top. If you want to decorate, you can glue a bow to the top of the package or some card.

Reminder: Before wrapping the gift, make sure you have removed all the pricing tags.

Wrapping with bread paper

Although it looks a little unusual, bread bags add a retro charm to your gift wrapping and it’s still pretty simple. Firstly, you must have a clean bread packaging, we suggest using baking paper inside the bag, it will add extra charm. Then, simply position the gift inside the packaging and tie.

To tie, use a ribbon bow or sisal rope, the result is a delicate and different package.

Wrapping for cylindrical gifts

Cylindrical shaped gift wrap

This item will require a little more dedication to wrap. Initially, you must measure the proportions of the object, width, diameter of the base and circumference, with everything, in the latter, you must add another 10 centimeters to the final result, as this excess will be necessary to give a better finish to your wrapping.

Then, cut the paper into a rectangular shape. As previously stated, the length proportions must be the result of the object’s circumference + 10 centimeters, while the height is the result of the base diameter + object length.

Then, position the object in the middle of the rectangular paper and start rolling it. Once the two parts (top and bottom) of the paper meet, you must overlap them and then stick a piece of tape on top. Finally, twist the sides until the packaging resembles a candy shape or fold them into a triangular shape and seal with a piece of tape. For a more special touch, you can add a bow on one side.

Finally, a compilation of how to wrap gifts quickly…

If you need to wrap the gift at the last minute and don’t have as much dexterity as the previous options, here’s a tutorial on how to do it quickly and effectively.

Did you like it ? Now it’s time to get your hands dirty and make your gifts even more beautiful and ready to be delivered.

For more tips like this, check out our Tips & Tricks tab by clicking here. It’s full of news to spice up this Christmas.

Ahh, if you’re thinking about what to take for dinner, check out this French toast recipe, delicious and very practical.

Sources: Ana Maria Braga, Wikihow, Faz Fácil, El País Brasil and Ecycle.

Images: I got itThe Hymns and the Carols of Christmas e Money Crashers.