How to…wrap the perfect Christmas present

If buying the right present was difficult enough in itself, wrapping the thing can also be tedious. With that in mind, JOE is here to show you how it is done.

You don’t want to undo your good work of getting a Christmas present by doing a shabby job on the wrapping. Here is a simple guide to make sure it looks the part. An important first step, after choosing your wrapping paper, is to measure it correctly for the size of your present — top and bottom, side to side. Lay the box down on the paper and pull the paper up a little more than halfway up on the end of the box. An easy way to measure the paper for the width of the box is to lay it down on one edge of the paper and “roll” it on all four sides across the width of the paper. Then give yourself an extra inch to be on the safe side, and you have the starting point. Next, trim off the ends. You don’t want the ends, which will be folded in, to be too long. It’s much easier to trim any excess now than when the present is halfway wrapped and taped. Trust us, it will look far better in the end. Place the package with top side down so the seam will be on the bottom. Centre the box and bring one side of the paper up. Now for the sides of the present. There are a couple of ways to tackle this, but we’ll show you the best way for bigger presents. Holding the seam towards you, fold both ends in towards the centre, the top and bottom flaps become triangular. As you bring the edges to the centre, be sure fold them flush against the box and crease well so they will lie flat once they are folded down and taped. And there you have it, the perfectly wrapped present. Now you can go all fancy with ribbons and luxurious name cards if you want, but the wrapping is the most important aspect. Now you just have to go and buy those presents and put your skills to the test. Have the Perfect Christmas with Littlewoods Ireland