I love wrapping presents. Ever since my late teens it’s been ‘my time’ at Christmas. We’d go to see my nieces in a nativity play and then I’d go home and have a few hours watching a Christmas film, drinking mulled wine and wrapping gifts. It was heaven. Here are my top tips for making wrapping easy, stylish and, most importantly, enjoyable…
There’s no point doing it beautifully for my children – a delicately placed bow is just another obstacle to getting to the toy inside – but I still make an effort for people who I know will appreciate it.
I like to bring in natural materials where possible; so I might tuck in a sprig of holly or a bit of rosemary at the last minute.
It helps to have space to wrap, and things like good-quality tape dispensers, too. That said, if I have time I’ll use ribbons instead.
Not all paper can be recycled. I avoid metallic papers and anything with a lot of glitter.
Put awkwardly shaped presents in a box – it makes wrapping so much easier. I love the look of a pile of boxes beautifully tied with ribbon.
Or you could do as my partner Ruairi does and wrap gifts in tin foil. As he says, there’s no need for tape, it’s shiny and kind of Christmassy, and you can use it to cook the dinner with afterwards!
This article first appeared in ELLE Decoration December 2020
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