16 Stylish Gift-Wrapping Ideas for Perfect Presents

By Melissa Woo and Kelly Castor on September 9th, 2021
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Did you know “dress to impress” applies to presents, too? Different events (and people, of course) might inspire different approaches, from simple and stylish to fancy and festive. With a few easy gift-wrapping techniques and ideas, you can dress your present perfectly for any event.

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Start with the basics.

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Tie a simple, perfect satin bow.

Choose wide satin ribbon in a colour that complements the wrapping paper or keep rolls of neutral black and white on hand. Learn how to make a simple bow.

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Add a single sprig or stem.

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Add a sprig of greenery to a wrapped gift card or tape a single stem from your garden to the top of a box. Try washi tape for smaller pieces of greenery or colourful masking tape for bulkier blooms.

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Fanfold tissue to fill a bag.

  • For a tidy look, start with two or three sheets of tissue paper in colours that complement the gift bag.
  • Fold them in half lengthwise.
  • If the sheets have designed or scalloped sides, bring those edges together.
  • Start at one end and fanfold the paper, then staple the bottom together.
  • Drop into your gift bag and gently separate and fluff the top.
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Turn wrap or ribbon into a tailored gift topper.

  • Cut a strip of tissue, reversible gift wrap or ribbon a few inches wide and at least a foot long.
  • Starting at one end, make even loops along the length of the paper, holding the bottom together in one hand. (Be careful not to crease the tops of the loops.)
  • Still holding the bottom, punch a hole in the centre and thread the topper onto a ribbon long enough to go around your gift, plus a few inches.
  • Tie the ribbon around your gift, trim the ends and gently separate the loops to cover the knot.
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Make an envelope to match your wrap.

Take advantage of reversible wrapping paper and craft an envelope for your card to complement the gift. It’s easy: Gently pull the card envelope apart, trace it on to the wrapping paper and cut it out. Then follow the original to fold and glue your new envelope.

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Create a minimalist basket weave look.

Get step-by-step directions for creating a woven design. All you need is a wrapped gift, tape and ribbon in a couple of different hues (and widths, if you’d like). Bonus: because there’s no bow to crush, it’s easy to ship.

Always appropriate: Include a card.

A greeting card is the perfect accessory for any occasion—and there are lots of ways to attach one to your gift:

  • Wrap your gift with a built-in pocket for a card.
  • Slide under a sassy sash.
  • Create a band for the box with a built-in card pocket.
  • Attach with double-stick poster tape. (It won’t tear the envelope.)
  • Make it easy with a gift bag featuring a built-in card pocket.
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Give your gift an updo.

Go with the present equivalent of pageant hair with a tissue paper flower in any size or colour you like.

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Say “We’re here to party” with confetti.

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  • Start with a gift wrapped in a solid colour paper. Make a little bit of tissue paper confetti in whatever sizes and shapes you prefer—just be sure they stand out against the wrapping paper.
  • Cut a sheet of cellophane or iridescent cellophane wrap to fit the gift and spread it on a table.
  • Sprinkle the confetti on the cellophane, keeping most of it in the centre.
  • Centre the present top down on the cellophane and wrap it just as you did with the paper.
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Tie on a tassel.

Add a tassel to the top of your gift or tie a tiny tassel garland on an unusually shaped present. Find out how to make your own tassels here—you can use anything from silky embroidery floss to super-chunky yarn. (And don’t be afraid to mix colours and textures.) Or make the easiest tassels ever out of tissue paper.

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Make a tissue paper sash to stash a card.

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  • Choose three (or more) colours of tissue paper: try rainbow colours, different shades of the same colour or three colours that match your wrapping paper.
  • Cut strips long enough to go around your gift and about 3-5” wide (depending on the size of the box).
  • Fold each strip in half lengthwise.
  • Stack them on top of each other one at a time, letting about ½” inch of the folded edge of each colour show. Fold the cut edge of the last strip under to keep things tidy.
  • Tape the ends of the stack to hold them together. Wrap the sash around the box and tape it down.
  • Slide your card underneath the sash. If you’re afraid it’ll slip out, secure it with a little tape on the back.
  • Want something a little more festive? Cut fringe in each layer for added texture.
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Make a simple sash with reversible wrap.

Show off the other side of reversible wrap by cutting a strip to wrap around the gift. Take it a step further and layer multiple bands in decreasing widths.

For the neatest look, fold the cut edges of the wrap under. Finish it off with a ribbon and tuck the card underneath. (Secure the card with a little tape on the back if it wants to slide out.)

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Cover your presents in pom-poms.

Stick a great big one in the middle of a box. Or hot glue different sizes and colours to cover the top of a gift. Or string some on baker’s twine to make a pom-pom garland to wrap around a gift—even if its awkwardly shaped. (Buy them by the bagful or DIY some with a pom-pom maker.)

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Try candy-style wrap for soft surprises.

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Giving someone a stuffed animal, pillow, blanket, dish towels or scarf and want to skip the box? Use tissue paper and clear wrap and try the candy-style technique.

Whichever ideas you choose will have you feeling like a wrapping fashionista in no time.