Most people look to the holiday season as a period of joy, cheer, fellowship, and happiness. It’s a season of giving that usually begins with friends and loved ones around a bountiful turkey dinner and ends when you're up to your ears in ripped gift wrap and ribbon.

Gifts are the star of the show on Christmas morning, given the possibilities that each carefully decorated bag and box contain. Nothing sets the tone of a gift exchange like a perfectly wrapped present with a beautiful, lavish bow and all the embellishments!

To help get you started, here are six ways to wrap your Christmas gift with holiday spirit so those joyous feelings of fellowship and cheer can radiate through your presentation.

Gift Wrap Basics

First thing's first, which means ensuring you cover the step-by-step process of wrapping your gifts before adorning with embellishments. Remember that some gifts will require a box, especially if they have a particular shape that is challenging to work with.

Start by placing the box face down on top of the gift wrap’s underside. Leaving the material attached to the roll is a fantastic way to prevent the possibility of not having enough paper or wasting excess gift wrap. Using scissors, cut along one side, ensuring that you have sufficient material wide enough to cover both sides of the package.

If you’re wrapping gifts at a table or other high surface, position yourself on the same side as the roll and pull the gift wrap taut and over the furthest end of the box. Using your tape of choice, adhere this end of the paper to the box’s edge and make a clean crease alongside the attached edge with your thumb and forefinger for a sharp appearance.

At this point, unroll the gift wrap and pull until it meets the adhered edge of the present. Use your scissors to cut the material from the roll; you’ll want to leave an inch of excess to fold under and perform the same crease technique. To secure your work, adhere with tape.

When it comes to closing the open ends of your gift wraps, start by pushing the sides of the paper inward. This motion will create four 45-degree flaps. Crease the flags using the same technique explained previously to smooth the paper down.

Fold down the flaps and crease alongside the edges of the box. After the last crease, cut the excess and adhere to the package. You can fold the additional material from the top flap under itself and secure it with tape. You’ll want to repeat these steps to secure all sides of your gift wrap.

Gift Wrap Hacks

The thicker the gift wrap, the better the quality and workability because nothing brings down the mood like tear-prone paper. To facilitate the cutting process, consider opting for festive gift wrap with a grid pattern on the back to ensure straight, direct trims.

Scissors are an essential tool in gift wrapping, and it's vital to ensure that your trimming equipment is reliable and comfortable. For those who find themselves wrapping presents for hours, your hands can cramp holding scissors that have an awkward handle. Remember to find a sharp pair of scissors with a comfortable grip to avoid this minor issue.

While you can utilize the tape that works best for you, consider double-sided options as your saving grace this season. The dual sides hold material at any angle and facilitate neat seams for clean presentations.

Now that you know how to wrap all your special gifts like a professional, it’s time to delve into some presentation techniques that can amp up the festive feel of your Christmas gifts!

#1: Button Gift Toppers

Upon completion of your gift wrapping, you can add festive décor to elevate the presence of your gifts. Taking your favorite holiday ribbon, create a cross-section and adhere the ends to the bottom of the box.

With a hot glue tool and a mix of spare buttons, adhere the accents to the top of the present in any form you’d like to create a wonderful pattern that adds even more excitement.

#2: Christmas Tree Yarn Topper

Add texture and interest to a rectangular box with green and red yarn! Place a singular dot of hot glue in the present center and attach the start of the green thread down. Make another dot of hot glue in the lower-left corner of the box, attach the yarn, and cut.

You'll repeat these steps until you form a complete tree shape; use the red yarn to weave through the tree to replicate garland.

Allow your imagination to run free by creating different shapes and patterns with your yarn for fun, seasonal imagery. You can twist red and white yarn together to make candy canes or white yarn to replicate snowflakes.

#3: Santa’s Belly

How about giving a subtle nod to the individual with access to the North Pole by turning your Christmas gifts into Santa’s iconic attire?

You’ll need plain red gift wrap to serve as your foundation. After wrapping, trim white card stock using a bubble edge cutting pattern to replicate Santa’s beard and outfit accents. Glue your card stock to the box and adhere black ribbon to the present’s center as Santa’s belt.

In the middle of the black ribbon, glue your gold glitter paper. Remember that you’ll need to cut the inside of the glitter paper to simulate the look of a belt buckle.

#4: Box Snowman

If you’re giving someone multiple gifts on Christmas and all the boxes are a different size, why not take advantage of the size difference and create a snowman? Stacking your gifts on top of one another creates tiers that are similar to the outline of this well-known frosty friend.

Wrap the presents in plain white paper and glue buttons to the sides of the two larger boxes. Using black and orange card stock, cut out eyes, a nose, and the snowman's mouth and adhere to the top box.

Finish up this creative project with a festive ribbon and prominent bow ensemble to replicate Frosty’s scarf. You’ll need a black hat to complete this snowman’s look.

#5: Chalkboard Packaging

This method is the most minimalistic of all but allows for the most creativity. You’ll start with black wrapping paper and use a white distress marker to replicate chalk on a chalkboard. If you’re an artist, you can use your talent to draw pictures and create designs to make each present unique.

#6: The Classic Ribbon Bow

Of course, you can’t leave out the tried-and-true Christmas gift presentation. Bows add a special polish to packages and all holiday decorating, but they can be challenging. However, this method ensures that you'll tie a perfect bow every time.

Using the ribbon of your choice, cut 15 inches of the material to work with. To avoid twisting or folding ribbon over itself, start by forming two loops similar to the bunny ear trick you learned when tying shoelaces.

After the bunny ears, cross the right loop over the left, creating a third, smaller loop. Remember to maintain each tail at flat, equal lengths. Fold the now left loop over the right one and through the bottom one.

Pull the top loops taut, forming a knot in the center of the bow. To ensure even sides, gently tug at each loop to finesse. Afterward, trim excess ribbon tails and fluff for an elegant result!

The holidays are the happiest and most cheerful times of the year; you can't help but tap into the holiday spirit! Using different ways to wrap your Christmas gift this year can allow you the opportunity to get in touch with your crafty side and share your festive excitement for the season through your gift presentations.

At Ribbon By Design, our materials are high-quality products that add a touch of elegance and interest to your crafts. Our bulk Christmas ribbon is a must-have for all your festive projects this season. From gift wrap to home décor, our ribbon can have a place in all your creative adventures! Feel free to explore our selection for additional products and contact us through our web page for further inquiries.