How to Wrap a Present
Cut wrapping paper to the right size, hide the seam on the bottom of the box, fold flat triangle ends, and measure enough ribbon to tie a bow on the first try.
You will end up with a box wrapped in paper cut to size, one clean seam on the bottom of the box, flat triangle folds on both ends, and a ribbon long enough to tie on the first try.
The method is for rectangular and square boxes. For cylinders and soft gifts, see FAQ 1 below, and for gifts too big for one sheet, see FAQ 5.
Wrapping paper Scissors Clear tape or double-sided tape A flat surface like a table or floor Ribbon, bow, or gift tag (optional)
Gather your supplies
You need wrapping paper, scissors, and tape. Use double-sided tape if you have it, because it sits under the folds where it cannot be seen. Clear tape works too. If you plan to add a ribbon or bow, have those ready too. If you have no gift tag, write the names directly on the paper with a marker. Work on a flat surface with enough room to unroll the paper. A dining table or a clean section of floor works well.
Measure and cut the paper
Place your gift face-down on the back of the paper, near the cut end. Unroll enough paper to go all the way around the box plus about 2 inches of overlap. That overlap is where the seam will be. For the short ends, fold the paper that sticks out past each end up against the box. It should reach about two-thirds of the way up the end, the amount Hallmark's step-by-step wrapping guide gives. With less than half, the top and bottom flaps will not meet. With much more, they bunch. If the roll is much wider than that, trim the extra so both ends get the same amount. Cut the paper in a straight line. If your wrapping paper has a grid on the back, follow it. A straight cut makes everything else easier.
Good to know: When in doubt, cut the sheet a little long. Extra paper trims off before you fold, but a sheet that does not reach around the box means cutting a new one.
Place the gift face-down in the center
Set the gift upside down on the cut paper so the top of the gift faces the table. Center it so there is roughly equal paper on all four sides. The gift goes face-down so that the seam where the paper overlaps ends up on the bottom. When the recipient picks it up, they see a top with no seam and no tape.
Fold the long sides and tape the seam
Pull one long edge of the paper up and over the gift, holding it snug against the side. Then pull the other edge up and over so it overlaps the first edge. Before you tape, fold that top edge under by about 1/2 inch to create a clean, finished line. This hides the raw cut edge of the paper and makes the seam look deliberate. Tape the seam in two or three spots along the length. Pull the paper taut as you go so there are no air bubbles or wrinkles.
Good to know: Double-sided tape goes under the folded edge, so no tape shows at the seam. If you only have regular tape, place small pieces along the fold line rather than one long strip.
Fold the short ends into triangles
Each end takes four folds. Press the paper flat against the end of the box. Fold the top flap down first, creasing it tightly along the edge of the box. Then fold each side flap inward. They should naturally form diagonal creases that create two triangle shapes. Finally, fold the bottom flap up and tape it in place. Crease each fold as you make it by running your fingernail or the edge of the scissors along it. A loose fold leaves the paper puffy at the corners. Repeat on the other end. Then pinch along every edge of the box to set the creases all the way around.
Heads up: If the flaps bunch instead of lying flat, that end has too much paper. Unfold it, trim the end back until the paper reaches about two-thirds of the way up the box, and fold again.
Add a ribbon, bow, or gift tag
For ribbon, measure with the ribbon itself instead of guessing. Run it once around the box lengthwise and once widthwise, then add about 2 feet, which covers a bow with 4-inch loops and 4-inch tails. To tie it, lay the ribbon across the bottom of the box, bring both ends up to the center of the top, and cross them there. Turn the ends 90 degrees, run each one down a bare side, under the box, and back up the opposite side. Knot the ends where the ribbon crosses on top, then tie the bow. Trim the tails at an angle or into a V so the ends look finished. If you are short on time, use a stick-on bow. Peel and press one onto the center of the top. For a gift tag, tuck it under the ribbon or tape it to the top. Write the recipient's name and yours so gifts do not get mixed up.
If a corner tears while you fold, cover it with the bow or the gift tag instead of rewrapping. If the seam on the bottom gapes, peel the tape, pull the paper snug against the sides, and tape it again, because loose paper uses up length. For gifts that are not boxes, see FAQ 1 below. FAQ 2 covers a sheet that came up short, and FAQ 5 a gift too big for one sheet.
Questions we get asked about this
Answers from experience, not a textbook.
Put it in a box first. Ask for a box when you buy the gift, or buy plain gift boxes at a dollar store or craft store. For cylinders like candles or bottles, roll the paper around the sides and twist the excess at each end like a candy wrapper. Tie the twisted ends with ribbon for a finished look. For soft or lumpy items like stuffed animals or clothing without a box, use a gift bag with tissue paper instead.
If one end has plenty of paper and the other falls short, slide the gift toward the short end until both ends reach about two-thirds of the way up the box. If the sheet does not reach around the box with overlap, sliding cannot fix it, because the length needed is the same wherever the seam falls. Cut a new piece. A patch adds a second seam where the recipient will see it.
Pick a solid color or a busy, irregular print. Hallmark recommends both because they hide a seam that does not line up. Repeating patterns, such as stripes or evenly spaced characters, show the smallest misalignment at the seam and on the ends. If you want to recycle the paper afterward, skip shiny, laminated wrap. The EPA's recycling FAQ says a lot of gift wrap cannot be recycled because of that coating, and tells you to check with your local recycling provider.
Yes. Use a gift bag. Drop the gift in, add two or three sheets of tissue paper on top, and you are done. Keep the bag and tissue for the next gift, which the EPA encourages. Brown kraft paper with twine gives a rustic look. Newspaper works in a pinch. A furoshiki, the square cloth used for wrapping in Japan, is reusable. Even a clean dish towel or scarf works if it is part of the gift.
If one sheet is not wide enough, tape two sheets together before you start. Overlap them by about 2 inches and run a long strip of tape along the seam on the back side. Then wrap as normal. For very large or heavy items, wrapping on the floor is easier than on a table. And if the gift is too big to wrap practically, like a bicycle or a piece of furniture, drape a sheet over it and tie a big bow on top.