How to Wrap a Christmas Gift

Basic Instructions for Paper and Ribbon

© Mary Welling-Bonney

Dec 14, 2008

Once you get into the swing of things, you will be able to wrap beautiful gifts in no time at all.

Materials Needed:

• Gift
• Wrapping paper
• Scissors
• Ribbon
• Tape

1. When you wrap a package you need your paper to wrap all the way around the package and be able to overlap. You do not need to measure anything. In Figure 2 you will see a gift lying face down on the wrong side of the wrapping paper. Pull the paper a little more than halfway across the back side of the gift and tape it to the gift. This will hold one side securely.
2. Without cutting the paper, pull the whole roll up over the back side of the gift to overlap what you just taped. Unroll the paper another inch or so and cut the paper along the roll. You will have a rough cut edge. That is ok. You will see in Figure 3 that the next step is to fold over the rough edge of the paper about one inch just to give you a smooth edge.
3. Now for the sides. Trim your paper so that the paper that extends beyond the edge of the gift box is just shorter than the height of the side. If you push the paper down and it touches the floor it is too long.
4. When you have the correct length of paper fold the top edge of paper down the side of the box. You are still working from the back side of the package. See Figure 4. Next fold in each of the sides you created. Figure 5 shows an example. Once again you will have a rough edge. Fold it over about an inch and crease. Pull up the creased hem and tape it to the package. Repeat the process for the other side.

1. Lay the box right side up and lay the ribbon across the top of the box, centered on the box and on the ribbon.
2. Flip the whole box over, ribbon and all. Pull ribbon up the sides to the top (actual bottom) of the box.
3. The ribbon that is coming from the left crosses the right ribbon and heads north. The right side ribbon crosses the left and heads south. You should now have ribbon going in four directions from the center bottom of the box.
4. Once again, flip the whole box and ribbon over. Pull the ribbon ends up and tie into a bow. (Figure 1)

Just add a gift tag and a loved one and you are all set to go.

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Figure 1

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