Holiday DIY: how to wrap a gift

One of my Christmas/birthday superpowers* is my ability to wrap presents. I'm not talking about super cute embellishments or unique boxes. I'm referring to the simple act of neatly creased corners, hidden seams, and tightly bundled paper. While I've seen plenty of inspiration on the web for livening up your gifts, no one really shares how to get the actual gift wrap to look good.

So, as my gift to you, I'll share how you can claim this superpower for yourself!


1. Gather your supplies.
2. Take the bottom of your wrapping paper, and use your fingers to create a crease. Tape it down (location doesn't matter, since this part will be covered up).


3. Take the top of your wrapping paper, and fold it over the top. Create a crease along the seam.
4. Fold the wrapping paper under, along the crease you created. Tape down.


5. Trim any excess paper off each end.
6. Fold the wrapping paper along lateral edge in toward the box. This will form a triangle or point with the wrapping paper. Repeat on all remaining sides.


7. Take your first triangle and fold it down, creasing it as you go. Tape it down. Make sure the first triangle you fold down points away from where your one taped seam is.
8. Fold the other triangle down. If the point hangs over the edge, crease it and fold it under before taping. This taped seam should be on the same side of the package as the seam on the long side. Repeat these steps on the other side of the gift.



9. Put a bow on it.

By the way, I'm totally using this for my #31DDD and what I was doing 5 minutes prior to reading the prompt. Of course, if I'm being totally honest, I first saw the prompt in the morning, right after I had a breakfast burrito from Julio's. Have I mentioned before how awesome breakfast burritos and tacos are in Texas? I've found nothing similar in Virginia.

*I spent one holiday season in college wrapping gifts at a department store. I had to watch a training video on wrapping gifts, and it stuck. :-)