How to wrap a gift

Let me tell you a story about my friend Molly (the name has been changed to protect the innocent).

It was getting close to Christmas and Molly had some amazing gifts for her friends and family. She had spent a lot of time finding the perfect gift for each person. It was time to get ready to give the gifts but Molly had a problem. She doesn’t know how to wrap a gift and make it look nice. Sure, she can wrap a gift, but it looks like it was wrapped by a 3-year-old. That is not the impression she wants to make on her friends and family.

Wrapping gifts is easy. Some tricky parts can be intimidating but, once you know the steps, gift wrapping is a cinch. Here are some tips to help you become a gift-wrapping pro.

Step 1: You need to gather your supplies. It’s frustrating to get the perfect fold on the wrapping paper only to discover you don’t have any tape. The supplies you need are: wrapping paper, scissors, tape, a gift box (if your item is a weird shape), ribbon or bows (optional), and a gift tag (so they know who it is to and from).

Step 2: You need to measure and cut your wrapping paper. Place your gift in the center of the wrapping paper. Ensure you have enough paper on each side to cover the entire gift and then cut the paper. Make sure to leave a bit of excess paper on all sides.

Step 3: You need to fold and tape the wrapping paper. Fold one side of the paper over the gift and secure it with tape. Repeat on the other side, making sure the edges align neatly in the middle.

Step 4: You need to fold the ends. This is the part that intimidates many people, but it’s easy. With the open end toward you, take the wrapping paper on top and fold it down. Secure it with tape to the box. The right and left sides of the fold will form flaps. Take one of those flaps, bring it to the center, crease the paper, and secure it with tape.  Repeat on the other side. You should have a triangle on the tabletop with the remaining wrapping paper. Fold this up and secure it with tape.

Step 5: You need to attach a gift tag. This can be something purchased, or you can cut a piece of paper and tape it to the gift. It needs to say “To” and “From” on it, so the receiver knows the gift is from.

Step 6: This step is completely optional. You can choose to add decorative touches such as ribbons or bows to the package. This can make your present stand out.

You did it! You successfully wrapped a present, and you did it like a pro. Now grab the rest of your gifts and make them all pretty!