Think Outside The Box: Wrap It Up!

Okay all you wrapping novices, it's time to give this whole gift wrapping with actual paper a try! We promise it will be painless, save for the occasional paper cut, so grab a box and practice! Keep in mind there are several ways to do the same thing, so this is just one way to wrap a box.

1. Organize your materials: paper, scissors, tape, and gift. A solid tape dispenser will make your life easier!
2. Measure enough paper to fit around your gift. Too little paper is a wrapper's nightmare.
3. Center your gift in the paper and gauge where the paper will overlap.
4. Fold over the raw edge and crease if you want a clean look to your wrapping.
5. Overlap the clean edge and tape it down. This is the bottom of our gift.
6. Fold down the paper facing you over the edge of the box, making it flat on the gift's side.
7. Crease the "triangular" flaps on your right and left, making them as crisp and close to the corner of the gift box as possible.
8. If you folded & creased this is what your gift should look like. Take a breather. Pour yourself a nice cold drink, pat yourself on the back, do whatever you need to do to get psyched for the next steps!
9. Break time over. Working on the left, fold the flap toward the center keeping the paper as close to the side edge of the box and the bottom corner of the box as you can.
10. Crease the diagonal fold that is on the table for a smooth edge.
11. Repeat steps 9-10 on the right flap.
12. Fold the piece of wrap up and tape it to the side of the box.
13. One side is complete! Spin your box around to the other side.
14. Fold down the paper facing you and repeat steps 6-12.
15. Whoa. It's all wrapped! That was painless!
16. Flip the gift over to the "top" (the side opposite the taped bottom. duh.) and admire your handiwork! Hooray! Promptly give gift and watch your creation be ripped apart before your very eyes. Welcome to the wonderful world of gift wrapping!