A Beginner’s Guide to Gift Wrapping

By: burgundy bug

• 

Christmas Tree Top

Source: Christmas Trees | Penelope Peru Photography P³

It doesn’t take magic to avoid holiday havoc. Wrap up the season by expelling any reason for wrinkled gifts beneath the tree.

As someone who’s lent a hand in wrapping Christmas presents since second grade (let’s take a brief moment of silence for the days of Avril Lavigne, Flip phones, Dunkaroos, and a time before you could play the first twenty levels in World of Warcraft for free), it never fails to amaze me just how many grown-ass adults have no idea how to wrap a gift. 

• 

• 

• 

Decorative Ornaments and Christmas Trees

Source: Christmas Trees | Penelope Peru Photography P³

A Beginner’s Guide to Gift Wrapping

It Doesn’t Take Magic to Avoid Holiday Havoc

Before you can get to wrappin’, you’ve gotta stock up on the right supplies. 

Materials

You will need:

• Wrapping paper
• Clear (double-sided?) tape
• Gift tags
• Bows and ribbon
• Christmas cards (optional)
• Gift bags and tissue paper (if all else fails)
• Gift receipts (because we all have someone in our lives who feels the need to return just about anything and everything anyone gives them)

It is completely and utterly pointless to spend four dollars on single a roll of wrapping paper, or any of the aforementioned supplies, when you could easily swipe all of these up from your local dollar store. Put your money towards presents, not the supplies to package ’em!

• 

Festive Pinecones

Source: Christmas Displays | Penelope Peru Photography P³

Gift Wrapping Tips and Tricks

• Place the item upside down on the paper to avoid unsightly seams on the top of your gift. Just be careful not to trip yourself up if your paper has a pattern that has to go in a specific direction, or if your present has to stay with a certain side up. 
• Bows are your best friend if you do end up with seams or tears on the face of your gift. 
• Preserve and reuse any in-tact bows and ribbon you can get your hands on!
• Stickers could also be used to cover any unsightly marks *wink wonk*
• Spring for decorative tape, if you’re feelin’ fancy.  
• Always overestimate how much wrapping paper you’ll need. For a dollar, you can afford to cut off and recycle (seriously, it’s important) excess paper. In the long run, it’s better than having to re-cut an entire piece simply because you fell short by ᵗʰᶦᶦᶦᶦᶦᶦᶦᶦᶦˢ ᵐᵘᶜʰ.
• On the other hand, less is more when it comes to tape. Name-brand tape is expensive. Not to mention, the Sustainability Consortium has proven adhesive tapes aren’t so great for the environment. Save your wallet and the earth by keeping your tape usage to a minimum – now that’s what I call killing two birds with one stone!
• Fold in any excess paper by the corners.
• Fold in those edges for a flawlessly finished look. 

If all else fails, there’s always the good ol’ throw it in a bag and stuff a whole bunch of tissue paper on top – and if that somehow fails, you can always blame it on drunk elves.

(Although if we’re being completely honest here, your curious little bundle(s) of joy should just be grateful for the gifts and not worry about what goes on in Santa’s Workshop). 

Lastly, it’s important to remember nothing truly saves time and energy, yet still says I love you, like a card full o’ cash. 

• 

Holiday Wreath

Source: Christmas Displays | Penelope Peru Photography P³

---

Interested in having content featured in an upcoming blog post or issue of The Burgundy Zine? Head on over to the submissions page!

For all other inquiries, please fulfill a contact form.