If you’re the type who refuses to buy presents that are not in easy-to-wrap rectangle shapes, or you have a lifetime supply of gift bags (no wrapping needed, yay!) in your linen closet, we hear you. In an effort to reduce paper cuts and speed up frustrating wrapping sessions in the wee hours of Christmas Eve, here are some gift-wrapping tips and hacks to try.
If speed and precision is your goal, you could learn a lot from this gift wrapping hack. Even for meticulous gift-wrappers, this video puts us all to shame.
Posted this week, the video which was reportedly shot in a department store in Japan, has already been viewed nearly 3.5 million times (clearly we’re not the only ones needing help with our wrapping).
Get daily National news
To be fair though, the gift being wrapped in the video happens to be a perfectly-shaped, hard-edged rectangle. Easy.
Now on to the trickier items on your list.
For small, awkwardly-shaped items, try wrapping them in bubble wrap first, then placing them inside an empty paper towel roll. Wrap the roll in gift paper and secure the ends with ribbon. For larger items, place gifts in things like coffee cans or boxes you have lying around the house and wrap those. Basically, take the awkwardly-shaped thing, and put it in a less awkwardly-shaped thing and wrap that instead.
If you are struggling to figure out how to wrap a basketball or soccer ball, the video below offers some tips (and festive music to boot).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9fgwEldRiM
Basic tips to make your life easier include: wrapping on a hard surface and using double-stick tape to maximize your efficiency and keep the gifts looking sharp.
Keep your rolls of wrapping paper tidy by storing them in a re-imagined plastic bag dispenser or using old toilet paper rolls to keep them from unraveling. Simply cut the toilet paper roll once lengthwise and wrap it around the gift wrap roll.
You can up the wow factor by printing off your own professional-looking gift tags. Get them for free from websites like this one.
If you’re out of gift paper, wrapping items in plain, brown parcel paper, simply tied with twine or jute has a surprisingly chic effect. Newsprint and kraft paper works as well.
And if all else fails, just put it in a gift bag. That’s what they’re there for. (Or just throw some shade like the Duchess and keep on wrapping.)
Did we miss something? Share your own tip in the comments below.
Comments