Most Christmas presents under the tree look random because each one was wrapped on a different night with whatever paper was closest. The simplest fix is to decide on a colour scheme before you start and stick to it. You do not need a lot of different materials. A single roll of paper and two ribbons will cover most of the pile if you choose them to work together.
Below are seven schemes that work, with what to buy for each. Each takes about the same time to wrap as a plain parcel.
1. Red and white: the classic
Plain red paper with a white satin bow, or white paper with a red bow, is still the safest option. It suits every age and every house. If you want more texture, tie a loose bundle of red and white curling ribbon on top and curl the ends.
The pack of curling ribbons in rose, red and white gives you all three tones for the price of one roll.
3a 5x10m curling ribbons rose, red/white,
Curling Ribbon Flat Red
2. Green and gold: for a traditional tree
Deep green paper with a gold ribbon looks rich without being fussy. Use a wide satin green ribbon on white or cream paper if you want a lighter version. Add a gold curling ribbon for contrast.
Rib 15mm satin xmas grn
Curling Ribbon 228m Metallic Gold
Xmas wire edge ribbon
3. Brown kraft and jewel-tone velvet
Brown kraft paper is cheap and works with everything. Velvet ribbon in teal, midnight blue or caramel turns it into something special. Use a wide 25mm velvet on the big parcels and a narrow 10mm on the small ones, so the set looks consistent.
Value Craft Teal Velvet Ribbon 25mm x 2m
Value Craft Caramel Velvet Ribbon 25mm x 2m
Value Craft Midnight Velvet Ribbon 10mm x 3m
Value Craft Teal Velvet Ribbon 10mm x 3m
4. Blush, rose and ivory
Soft pinks suit a summer Christmas well. Wrap in white or cream tissue or paper, and use rose velvet and rose gold curling ribbon for the trim. This pairing works for parcels given to women and for the nursery.
Value Craft Rose Velvet Ribbon 25mm x 2m
Value Craft Rose Velvet Ribbon 10mm x 3m
Rose Gold Curling Ribbon
5. Silver and ice blue
Silver and pale blue are cool colours that look good in a hot Australian December. Wrap in white paper and use a wide silver velvet wire-edge ribbon for the bow. Wire-edge ribbon holds its shape, so you can sculpt loops.
6a 2.5cm x 5m velvet wire edge ribbon silver
Curling ribbon baby blue
6. Natural and rustic
Brown paper, natural raffia and a sprig of rosemary, pine or gum from the garden. This is the cheapest scheme, and the one that smells best. Tie the raffia in a double knot and fold the ends into the bow.
Raffia 30g natural 30pc display box
7. Bright and playful, for kids
Children like colour. Use primary colours (red, yellow, blue) in flat curling ribbon, and tie a handful of strands in each, curled tightly. Wrap in any paper that is not too busy.
Curling Ribbon Flat Yellow
Curling Ribbon Flat Red
Curling ribbon baby blue
How much ribbon do you need?
A simple rule: measure around the box in both directions, add the two numbers together, then add 40cm for the bow. A box that measures 60cm around lengthwise and 50cm around crosswise needs about 150cm. It is much better to cut a bit too much than a bit too little.
How to tie a bow that holds
- Tie the ribbon around the box and finish with a single knot on top.
- Make one loop with each end, holding the middle of the ribbon between your thumb and finger.
- Tie the two loops together in a second knot, as you would tie a shoelace.
- Pull the loops evenly, then trim the tails at an angle.
If bows are not your thing, ready-made bows are fine, especially in bulk. A stick-on bow gets the job done in five seconds.
Bows
How to curl ribbon
Hold a length of curling ribbon with the shiny side up. Pull it firmly along the blunt side of closed scissors at a shallow angle, once. The ribbon will spring into a curl. Do the full length for a loose curl, or only the ends for a casual look.
Paper and tissue
Buy the paper before the ribbon, so you can match the ribbon to it. A 3m roll wraps about six medium parcels, and a pack of sheets is easier to store.
3m giftwrap
Pack of 15 wrap paper sheets
FAQ
When should I start wrapping? Wrap in the first week of December, so you are not doing it on Christmas Eve.
How do I make a pile of mixed presents look neat? Use the same ribbon on all of them, even if the paper differs.
What is the best ribbon for a beginner? Satin or velvet in a medium width is easy to tie. Wire-edge is forgiving if you want a fuller bow.
Featured photograph: ZUZANA / Unsplash. Stock inspiration photographs are not photographs of Good Cents’ own work.
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