Wrapping a Gift for Beginners

Although it is gift giving season, this is not the only time of year in which you would be giving a gift. Of course gift wrapping can be quite fun and it is a very priceless skill to have. The following steps can be used for any shape or size box, but it is easiest to learn on a very square or rectangular shape. 
The first step is to gather the materials you will be using such as the wrapping paper, the tag, tape, scissors and a ruler. Also, make sure you take the price tag off of the gift you are going to wrap.  
Now you are going to want to position the present so that it runs length wise along the paper. Make sure you unroll enough paper that will wrap the box and then create an overlap of at least 1 to 2 inches. Also, take care to leave paper at the ends that will cover the gift when you fold the wrapping paper on the last two sides. Next using a pencil you are going to mark the overlap end and then cut the paper in a line from your measurement. 
Once you have cut the straight line you will eye the paper that is at the box ends. Using the scissors, trim away the leftover paper so you will still have enough wrapping paper to cover the ends of the box while avoiding cutting off too much. This is key to a nice-looking gift wrap, and many people try to make it work with too much paper then have a messy looking result. Sometimes it is helpful to pre-crease the paper carefully along the square edges of the box to give yourself a feel for how it will fit. You can now open the wrapping paper that you have finished cutting and place your gift in the middle with the unprinted surface up. 
You are now ready to bring one edge of the gift paper to the middle and use your tape to hold it down while you continue wrapping the gift. Be sure the paper is snug on the box with this first wrapping or you will have trouble making your ends come together later. Bring the paper on the other side up to the top to meet the first, first folding it so that a folded edge and not a ripped or cut edge will show. It is also a nice result if you make certain that it will appear somewhat centered on the package. Before taping it down well, push your fingers along the paper on the two long edges to be sure you are getting it snug up the sides. Tape the folded-down edge well. It can be tempting to skimp on tape, but you don't want the package shifting later as you are pushing in the ends. 
Now take the gift and turn it so that one of the short ends is toward you. Take the right and left edges one at a time and push them in allowing you to now form the top and underside flat. If you do not understand the basic package fold, it may be helpful to find some pictures with instructions on the web. Take care to push the edges in delicately so that you don’t rip the paper, and make your folds crisp so they will lie down very smoothly. Once that is done you are going to want to secure the last edge to the box using a piece of tape. Sometimes it is helpful to secure the left and right folds first with tape if it is being a bit unmanageable. Continue for the other side of the box as well. 
Turn the present over so the seam is down, and you can also now add a gift tag or gift card at your discretion and a bow or ribbon. That’s how easy wrapping a gift is. Now you can have picture perfect wrapped gifts like you have seen the department stores make.