A wrapped gift is just so satisfying to see, and satisfying to open. The crinkle of paper, the untying of a bow, it makes giving and receiving presents somehow even better. But the delicate art of wrapping gifts can be a challenge, especially in the middle of a busy retail setting, with customers to help and the day-to-day running of a shop to get done. We’ve collected a few tips and a few videos that will take your gift-wrapping skills from novice to amateur, and then step you up another level. By the end, you’ll be a master gift wrapper.
Get your tools together.
You can’t just buy some paper and some ribbon and start going at it. Prep your “wrapping station” first, with all the necessary tools you’re going to need. We suggest a t-square to make sure your angles stay sharp, a rotary cutter or a nice pair of scissors so the wrapping paper cuts cleanly and easily, a self-healing cutting mat so your counters never get damaged, invisible tape in both the one-sided and double-sided variety, a clear quilting ruler so your measurements can be precise, and then of course some wrapping paper and ribbon.
Get the basics down.
We know a video of a Japanese department store clerk wrapping gifts lightning-fast has been going viral, but that’s some pretty advanced wrapping they’re doing. So start of nice and easy with a traditional wrapping job. Here’s a nice step-by-step tutorial from Christina Crawford over at MonkeySee:
Then step your game up.
We also know that the video of the lightning-fast gift wrapper is awesome. So here’s a much slower guide to getting that superb technique down. This will take some time, but once you start wrapping gifts like this, you’ll be an unstoppable gift-wrapping superhero.
Learn a few simple ways to use ribbon.
Tying a bow seems easy. Probably because you’ve been doing it every morning since you were six, when you slip your feet into your shoes. But, like everything else, there’s an art behind making it look beautiful. This video shows you how to make the most out of your ribbon in five different ways.
Then get advanced with your ribbon.
Sure, a nice little bow is a great accent, and a pretty ribbon can really take a gift wrapping job from plain to great. But you don’t want to tie a simple bow. You want to tie a masterpiece. You want the show-stopper bow to sit on top of your meticulously wrapped packages. This photo will show you the crown jewel of ribbon bows: the Double Ribbon Bow.
If you are interested in the tutorial, check out this video:
Additional tip: use custom ribbons.
By using the gift-wrapping skills above, you already present your care and thoughtfulness with pretty packaging for your products. To bring it up to the next level, you need to add some uniqueness to your gift-wrapping. Custom ribbon with a logo or special patterns shows your brand identity and helps your store stand out from competitors. Compared to ordinary ribbon, personalized ribbon tells customers the brand’s character, letting customers remember your name.
Example: Golden Turtle Chocolate Factory uses custom double-faced ribbon with their logo and cute mascot.
These ribbons are perfect for chocolatiers and cupcake bakeries.
For wineries: