Top Tips On Wrapping That Present

By Iain McDonald - December 8, 2020

Shutterstock / Prostock-studio © present

Shutterstock.

If you picked up a copy of our first bumper Christmas issue, you’ll have read our piece on professional present wrapper Jo Clydesdale.

We’re continuing the theme here, with some top tips on wrapping up for Christmas from Hippychick’s Rose Slocombe.

Every year, Rose is dedicated to the task of offering a gift-wrapping service, which can see her wrapping hundreds of gifts every week.

“Fortunately, most of our items are boxed, which makes life pretty easy when it comes to wrapping” Rose says.

“But cuddly toys, especially rabbits with long ears, which are unboxed can prove particularly tricky. And items that are more triangular than square, can throw people completely off track.”

Looking to get the perfect wrap every time? Here’s Rose’s advice:

The quality of the wrapping paper is EVERYTHING. There might be a lot of cheap paper around to tempt you, but poor-quality paper can tear easily, and is therefore a false economy. But you don’t need to go overboard. Brown parcel paper is always a good choice and leaves you with plenty of scope for artistic licence – with ribbons, felt tip pens and colourful gift tags.
Layered tissue paper is also surprisingly strong and flexible – ideal for wrapping soft gifts such as cuddly toys.
Never trust your instincts. You need to be absolutely sure the paper you are working with is the right size. There’s nothing more frustrating than working with a piece of wrapping paper that doesn’t quite meet in the middle!
Place the gift in the middle of your wrapping paper. Make sure that the paper will cross with room to spare, over the largest part of the gift. Err on the side of generosity – always! You can cut back, if necessary.
Preparation, preparation, preparation. Use a table (not the floor, particularly a carpeted one). Make sure you have all the tools you might need to hand and within easy grasp including sharp scissors. A steel ruler will tear paper with great accuracy and a sharp edge.
Find a box! As we all know, wrapping something with straight edges is so much easier and neater. So always keep things like shoe boxes to accommodate particularly awkward shapes.
Double sided tape will add a professional touch. And always double fold the paper to create a neat, straight edge before applying the tape.
Use your fingernail along a fold line to create a sharp edge.
Put on some Christmas music. There’s nothing like a Christmas classic to get you in the mood for a wrap.