Double-sided tape. This is the trick to seamless, beautiful gift wrap. I’m not particularly creative with this process. There’s no origami or folded pockets to hold a greeting card. However, presenting creative finds to family and friends requires an appealing presentation, the same way cakes require cake boards and boxes, and choreographic masterpieces are nothing without costuming and lights.
Excessive amounts of effort go into choosing gifts. Theming gifts is another strategy I’ve adopted to create care packages vs sticking a single item in a bag, which might not receive the same effect. For example, it’s impossible for me to give a baby gift without including a guide book to parenting and a few other items I found useful along the way. If I know someone likes unicorns, I will likely include an extravagant horn crown along with whimsically magical worry beads and unicorn flavored tea. It seems that 3-5 gifts make for a completely packaged presentation. And while I personally love receiving gift cards, giving them has become a painful reality, but still should probably be paired with similarly lazy gifts like candy or a high five.
No matter the original packaging, my protocol is to generally re-box the treasures in a less obviously shaped box filled with tissue paper and taped shut like Fort Knox. There was a time when I worked for an exceptionally whimsical children’s store called The Silly Dilly Tot Spot in Tampa. https://www.sillydillys.com The owner, Kate is herself an enchantingly wonderful human who keeps everything chaotically, yet meticulously placed in every nook and cranny. She taught me to move things out of the way while vacuuming and to not simply go around the clutter. She also taught me that presentation is everything. Packaging sales was like giving customers a present before they left the store. During the holidays and for birthdays, we offered a gift wrapping service that I remember taking very seriously. Wrapping presents on a regular basis became an enjoyable reprieve while not rushed. It gave me an opportunity to shenanigan with customers and help make them feel at home in the charming shop.
In addition to using double-sided tape and measuring the perfect amount of paper, folds look best when crisp. It only takes a moment to reinforce edges but makes the world of difference, like placing shoes on a rack instead of allowing them to pile up on the closet floor. Once covered with paper, I feel like a bow requires ribbon. The ribbon can be anything from string to satin, but somehow the bow always look better with a secure backdrop.
Cards are my mortal enemy because I’m just terrible at them. Some people, like my eloquent husband are marvelous at choosing something with sentiment and humor and write poetry inside to express warm sentiments. If I could stick a hug on a gift instead of a card, this would be preferable. For someone who doesn’t think of himself as romantic, the man can write a card. He’s the kind of person who rinses the lid of an ice cream container so frost doesn’t create unwanted ice in the dessert. I eat ice cream with a fork and search for all the candy pieces before leaving the left over vanilla in the freezer.
As far as cards go on gifts, please attach them somehow. Leaving the envelope not-so-neatly tucked under the ribbon will likely fall off and the recipient may think the unicorn collection arrived from a sarcastic brother instead of a like-minded lover of magic. Somehow these tiny efforts, essential to gift wrapping are gestures of love. Ornamentation attempts, no matter how they’re received are given with heart-felt affection. Presenting efforts with stunningly encompassed admiration along with a little bit of tape and string is just one more way to share a hug.
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