giftwrapping. Talk to me!

[qazxc]

Every year, i see beautifully wrapped presents changing hands. Yet mine always end up tatty unappealing messes. The wrapping paper always seem to tear on me, the ribbon never stays on and looks crap, and the scellotape conspires against me. Where do you find thick wrapping paper that will not disintegrate in my hands? how do you win the battle with the scellotape? Help me please!

I love wrapping. I use brown paper rolls from the pound shop with red curling ribbon and a gorgeous stamp. Ribbon was £2 for 250(!) metres and stamp about £5 a few years ago. Black ink stamp new each year. Looks quite chic (I hope to others too ) and the paper is hardy so no rips/tears. And use a tape dispenser with built in cutter (pound shop again)
Good luck!

I buy wrapping paper from Costco and avoid the cheap stuff like the plague as it is a physical impossibility to wrap anything and have it look good in that. I use the pre-cut strips that go in a thingy on your hand.

I do love wrapping like fantashtic describes too. IMO wrapping looks good when it is either really glitzy, co-ordinated, etc or looks homemade (in a very beautiful way of course!)

damn scellotape cutters just seem to stretch the tape and then when it finally breaks it sticks upon itself, or me, or takes a gouge out of the present i am wrapping. I will try to get brown paper and a stamp, it sounds lovely.

I would say get a proper, heavy tape dispenser from somewhere like Staples. You can also use it to help hold the paper down and not roll back up which is good! Havey paper - M& S used to be pretty good but I noted that some of theirs this year is a bit thin. I also use adhesive gift labels. If you want ribbon don't stint on it - use 2 contrasting colours of the the thin metallic stuff and make sure the ends are long enough to get long curls - looks much better! And if all else fails use gift bags!

If you can face it, add tissue paper round the gift then wrap with thick paper. Honestly it looks good. Use something extra to secure tags or labels, nothing worse than figuring who's given what when the tacky bit fails and they drop off. If I got fed up with ribbon, I'd stick on a little Christmas tree chocolate in foil instead, always goes down well, costs pence, next to the gift tag.

If you wrap then store gifts weeks' before the Big Day, there's always a risk the wrapping gets damaged/splits. If posting, put it in a bag, why not beat the rush, post it now. If saving to pop under the tree, don't pile the packages into a confined space, especially if you're going to disturb it to add more or show off your beautiful wrapping.

I always use marks and spencers paper. its thick and has a grid on the back for perfect cutting.
also use a scotch hand dispenser for my tape. It uses little tape refills so they are all the same size and nice and neat. Saves sticking them to the coffee table.

Also lots of ribbon. I love wrapping!!

Box anything that is a stupid shape. I like to also wrap several small things separately and then pile them together into a tier and tie ribbon around them - works well to have three things piled up in size order from biggest to smallest. I buy brown parcel wrap or thick paper from M&S or Paperchase or Waterstones - not cheap but makes a huge difference to the overall look. I use lots of curling ribbon (cheap in Paperchase) and then buy bows from wherever has got them cheapest in the colours I need. And I always have a theme - but this year I don't know what to have! And the Scotch tape thingies are v good.

Thick paper (paperchase and wh smiths I find are fairly thick and def from smiths has the grids on the back) and cut off the excess so you don't have a massive overlap. It keeps it neater.
I go for a plain paper with, as someone upthread said, 2 colours of contrasting ribbon. I tie one around the gift then thread the other colour through to help make the stringy bundly bow bit.
Also, don't underestimate the power of brown paper with wide and striking ribbon, think turquoise or hot pink. Lovely when the parcel is a box especially!
Finally, a heavy wrapping dispenser is great but i'm going to give one of the wrist things a go.
And look on pinterest, or google wrapping images.
I love wrapping!!!

Get good sellotape. The invisible tape - its the one that looks cloudy. Actually I bought some from poundland this week. Each pack is on a dispenser (2 dispensers and rolls in a pack) and they are 3 for £2, so 6 rolls and 6 dispensers for £2!!

Or you can get those sticky dots that shops use. They are clear circles that you use instead of sellotape. They come on a sheet and you just peel them off.

My other top tip is to use the ironing board as your table. Set the tape and scissors up at the rest and you have a wide long surface to wrap on, and you can move around the board to handle big/fiddly presents.

Stops your back from hurting too!

Boots do some nice thick paper too, but brown paper is best in terms of price and look.

I echo brown paper. So versatile. I tie mine up with raffia and then wind real ivy round the gift prior to giving.

This year ikea have brown paper with music scores printed on it. I am using lots of that with black lace ribbon (cheap from local Market).

Brown paper with red ribbons and candy canes looks good too.

I use one of those ready cut strips in a hand held thing as well. Sharp scissors are a must too.

Sticky dots instead of tape looks very neat and is really quick. I like wrapping presents in pages from the FT and attaching cinnamon sticks.

Ooh, I love the ironing board tip.
I always end up with mild back ache after a present wrapping session!

Another vote for the scotch dispenser with the pre cut strips that goes on the back of your hand.

I've used m&s paper the last few years but it seemed thinner last year. Ribbon from Hobbycraft. One year I did brown paper, red velvet ribbon and candy canes (from home bargains, 99p for 10 I think). Still my favourite I think!

thank you, thank you, thank you. I have loads of idea to try out now!

Ooh, I'm stealing the real ivy idea. We have loads in our garden. I guess you have to do it last minute though in case it wilts?