IDEAS & ADVICE

How to wrap a Christmas present

You’ve done the shopping and bought all the presents, now there’s one thing left to do – wrap them! Gift wrapping and Christmas time go hand in hand. After all, the tree would look pretty bare without them nestled underneath.

Whether you’re a wrapping novice or want to improve your skills, we’ll show you how to wrap Christmas presents in just a few easy steps. From picking the perfect festive wrapping paper to adding the final bow, feel inspired by our Christmas wrapping ideas.

1. Choose your Christmas wrapping paper

The trick to finding the best Christmas wrapping paper is considering the recipient rather than your style. You might love a subtle print, but a fun, quirky design is a much better fit if you're gifting a toy to your nephew, for example.

Buying high-quality wrapping paper will simplify the process and keep wrapping time to a minimum. Need some wrapping inspiration? Here are our favourite paper styles:

Stylish and minimal

For style kings and queens, sleek, minimalist wrapping paper will be a guaranteed hit. Stick to classic designs, complementing colour schemes and subtle patterns that ooze class.

Festive fun

Fun and festive wrapping paper will go down a treat with children and the young at heart. These jolly designs are all about spreading Christmas spirit and putting a smile on the recipient’s face. From cheery characters to seasonal phrases, our brightly coloured collection evokes festive fun.

2. Wrap your Christmas present

To start wrapping, you’ll need a pair of scissors and some sellotape, along with your paper of choice. To prevent wrinkles, ensure you wrap your present on a flat, hard surface. Remember to remove any price tags before you begin!

How to wrap a present in a box

If you have a rectangular-shaped gift, you’re in luck! This is the most straightforward shape to work with.

Place your present in the middle of your paper and cut around it, leaving plenty of space. A common pitfall is not allowing enough paper to cover the gift, so as a rule of thumb, aim for twice the length.

Once you’ve cut to size, fold the left side of the paper over the gift. Then, do the same with the right side and use a small piece of tape to secure it. Tackle the ends by folding the paper into triangles, folding it inwards and securing it with tape.

How to wrap a round gift

Round gifts are notoriously tricky to wrap, but the answer is pleating! Pleating involves continuously folding small areas of paper as you move around the top and bottom rounded edges of the gift.

Pleat the paper tightly around the present, adding tape wherever needed. For a super tidy finish, place a bow where the creases meet.

How to wrap awkward-shaped presents

For the presents that seem impossible to wrap, we recommend reaching for the gift bags. You can find one to fit any sized present, with pillow packs perfect for delicate jewellery and jumbo bags for huge children’s toys.

3. Add the finishing touches

With the gift wrapped, it’s time to add those fancy flourishes. Tie some ribbon to add interest and curl the ends with a scissor’s edge. Then place a bow where the ribbons cross for a polished finish.

For even more extravaganza, tie a festive bauble to the ribbon for an eccentric embellishment and an extra keepsake for your loved one.

Make it personal

Personalisation is the key to beautiful gift wrapping and can be easily woven into your finishing touches. Sign the gift tag with dazzling metallic pens, leaving a meaningful message for your nearest and dearest.

You’ll now have a carefully wrapped present ready to take pride of place under your loved one’s Christmas tree. Not ready to wrap yet? Look no further than our Christmas gift guide to get inspiration for any friend or family member.