How to Wrap a Gift Neatly (Even Awkward Shapes)

Beautifully wrapped gifts make the moment of giving even more special. With a few tricks, anyone can wrap like a pro.

What you need

• Wrapping paper
• Sharp scissors
• Double-sided tape (for invisible seams)
• Ribbon or twine

Wrapping a box

1. Place the box face down on the paper.
2. Cut paper long enough to wrap around the box with about 3 cm overlap.
3. Leave enough at each end to cover a little over half the box's height.
4. Fold one long edge over the box and tape it.
5. Fold the other edge over by 1 cm for a clean line, then tape it down.
6. At each end, fold the sides in, then fold the top and bottom flaps up and tape.

Awkward shapes

• Round items: roll in paper and gather the ends with ribbon, like a sweet.
• Soft gifts: put them in a box first, or use a gift bag.
• Bottles: roll in paper and twist at the top.
• Very odd shapes: use tissue paper and a bag.

Eco-friendly ideas

Use brown kraft paper with twine, reusable fabric wraps, or old maps and newspaper. Avoid glittery and foil paper if you want it to be recyclable.