How do you turn a hug into a kiss, make someone feel special, show dad that he is the best dad in the world, show mum she is the most nurturing being on the planet? You guessed it -through the art of gift wrapping and I’m going to share some top tips on great gift wrapping. I used these ideas to produce gift items for the BBC’s Christmas advert in which I featured with 7 time Grammy award winner Will.I.Am, but first how we got to a place where gift-wrapping became synonymous with the givers feelings about the recipient.
Gift wrapping and gift giving is a worldwide custom with people spending millions on creating beautiful gift wrapped presents.
The wrapping is a gift in itself; a beautifully wrapped present should be unraveled never torn apart. Presenting a gift to a loved one that has been lovingly and creatively wrapped adds value, love and joy for the recipient. Gift wrapping also gives one the opportunity to add their own personality and charm to the process.
Gift wrapping has come a long way from Victorian times when it was used as a way of showcasing ones wealth and status. For some it was more about hiding the amount of money they’d spent on the gift, the perfect way of concealing the cost of the gift! The Victorians showcased their gift giving through the art of gift wrapping wallpaper being their main source of wrapping material.
From plain boring papers to exquisitely designed wrapping papers, gift wrapping has evolved into a multimillion dollar industry. The choice of wrapping materials, wrapping papers, cellophane films, tissue papers are forever changing and being designed to reflect the latest trends, fashions and seasons with companies and service professionals offering niche gift wrapping materials.
According to industry giants Hallmark, founders Joyce Clyde Hall and his brother Rollie, invented gift wrap in Kansas in 1917. During the peak of their Christmas season they ran out of solid coloured gift dressing so decided to use a thicker French envelope liner as an alternative gift wrapping product for their customers. It was so popular they started to print their own wrapping paper and designs and hey presto gift wrap paper had been invented, and was commercially produced and sold.
Here are some top tips on how to make that present even lovelier for your loved one.
• Old newspaper – newspaper is so versatile it moulds beautifully around any shape, use a bold ribbon to add colour and contrast or simply create a stunning embellishment from left over newspaper as I have done here.
• Wallpaper – everyone keeps a roll of wallpaper, just in case the children use the walls as a means of artistic expression
• Brown parcel paper – keep it simple with the wrap and add some stunning dry flowers and twine as embellishments to the gift
• Plain white printing paper – add gentle pleats to your wrapping and inject your personality with some colourful artistic doodling
• Double Sided tape is a must in gift wrapping, hidden under the folds give the wrap a professional finish
Gift giving has been around for many years, how are you going to present your gifts this year and go on challenge yourself to creating beauty through the art of gift wrapping and turn a hug into a kiss.
Bottle gifts are frequently given and present special wrapping challenges, visit the link below on tips on how to create a beautiful bottle wrap. The wrapping and gift presentation season is upon us through out the year and it’s wrapping galore in our studio, with fashion houses, with our secretive celebs & corporate wrapping.
Visit my page on how to gift wap a bottle here for tips on how to wrap these popular gifts and turn a hug into a kiss through the art of gift wrapping
Happy Wrapping
Neelam Meetcha
Gift Wrapping Expert
info@gift-wrappingservices.com
Tel 01902 628014
Mbl 07931805198