The Christmas countdown is now well and truly on. We’re already on the second day of the advent calendar, and with just over three weeks left to get everything ready in time for the big day, the excitement has truly set in.
For most, the Christmas shopping will be almost complete, with carefully selected gifts for your loved ones hidden away, waiting to be wrapped up and shared on the most magical day of the year.
But especially if you’re trying to do it in secret, present wrapping can be a challenge unto itself. Follow our step-by-step guide for everything you’ll need and how to get those special prezzies wrapped, without anyone knowing a thing.
First: Make a list of all of the presents you have bought, or intend to buy, so that you have an idea of how much wrapping paper and Craft Twine you’ll need. For reference, 25 metres of wrapping paper, and a 100-metre reel of Craft Twine should wrap approximately 50 gifts.
As you buy your gift paper, twine, and any other elements you might want to add on, like stickers, tags, ribbons, or decorations, try and have a colour theme in mind. This will make all of your gifts look much more appealing when presented together or placed under a Christmas tree. It’s also a good tip for saving a bit of money, because you may only need to buy one set of each material this way.
Once your theme is selected and you have bought your materials, gather anything else you may need. For example, scissors, tape, a pen, and your decorative elements. If you’re wrapping for children, it may be worth waiting until they go to bed, to make sure they don’t see any of the gifts you’ve bought for them. If this isn’t a possibility, take yourself away into another room and crack on with the task in peace and quiet.
I tend to start with the biggest gifts first, because you may be able to use any off cuts for smaller gifts later on. Roll out your paper with the pattern facing the ground and place your gift face down. Cut above the gift towards the roll, leaving enough paper on either end. Then, with the gift centered on your piece of paper, lift one side up and tape it halfway across the gift. This helps keep the present in place.
Unroll the paper, lift it all the way to the end of edge of the gift and cut. Fold the end in so you have a clean line and tape it down. All that’s left to do now is to tackle the ends. Taking one at a time, tuck each side inward to make four 45-degree-angle flaps. Take the top and fold it down, creating a sharp crease where it meets the bottom of the box. Finally, lift the bottom flap up, fold the top for a clean line, and tape down. At this point, you can flip the present so that it's the right-side up to repeat step five and fold in the last side.
With the gift now tightly wrapped, you can start adding your decorative elements. If you’re using twine, wrap it tightly around the gift, and tie into a bow at the top. Add tags and decorations until you’re happy with the design. But remember, sometimes less is more.
Now all you have to do is repeat all of those steps again and again, until the gifts are all neatly wrapped. Place them neatly back in their hiding place, or under the tree until the big day. For some present wrapping inspiration, head over to our Instagram, where there are some examples of beautifully wrapped gifts.