How to wrap a present

Wrapping presents doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Most of us get into a mess because we have too much stuff out and are trying to balance a present and scissors at the same time.

The secret to wrapping a present is to get yourself organised.

Find yourself a clean and clear area to work. I use the island in our kitchen as I like to stand when wrapping presents. Next, get all the things together that you will need. Such as Scissors. Sellotape – invest in sellotape on a dispenser to make life easier, Wrapping paper, Present, Gift tag, ribbon.

Place the box face down on top of your wrapping paper, leaving the paper attached to roll. Use scissors to cut paper along one side, making a wide enough sheet to cover both sides of the gift.

While standing on the same side of the table as the roll, pull paper tautly up and over the far end of the box. Stick the paper to the gift with sellotape and crease paper along the gifts edge with thumb and forefinger.

Unroll paper and bring it to meet the already wrapped end. Cut paper from roll, leaving one inch of overhang. Fold that inch under and crease along the fold.  Use sellotape to secure.

Now it’s time to tackle one of the open ends of the box. Push sides of paper inward, creating four 45-degree-angle flaps, then crease along flaps.

Fold down top flap. Crease sharply along the top of box, then crease again where paper meets the bottom edge of box. Cut paper along that bottom crease. Adhere to the box.

Fold under any excess paper on the bottom flap so that it lines up perfectly with the top of box. Apply double-sided tape to the bottom flap, then fold it over the top flap and adhere.

Repeat steps four through six on the box’s remaining open end. Finish all sides by running your pinched thumb and forefinger along edges to create sharp lines.

Lay the wrapped box face down on a length of ribbon (about five times as long as box). Pull ends of ribbon up and bring right end over the left. Pull so they cross.

Turn the box over. You should have two ribbon ends of about the same length. Thread each end under the ribbon already in place, as shown.Double-knot the ribbon, then tie into a simple bow. Use your fingers to shape the loops.

Pinch the ribbon ends lengthwise and cut at a 45-degree angle to create forked ends.

That’s it—all wrapped up!