The Best Way to Wrap Strangely Shaped Gifts According to TikTok
Every December, I think back to my first job in retail – packing gifts in a gift shop. As much as I loved using autopilot and mechanically packing box by box, it was always fun to deal with a strangely shaped gift: a teddy bear. Wandering shovel. A whole island of inappropriate toys that refuse to live up to the basic rules of gift wrapping. You know, as usual. (When it’s your job to pack, you’re on your own.) I understand that not everyone loves these holiday puzzles, so when it comes to gift wrapping this season, be prepared to ditch the tradition and get creative.
Regardless of your level of experience, I highly recommend browsing #giftwrappinghacks on TikTok for tons of instructional videos to help make gifting easier this year, whether you need to tackle a particularly tricky gift shape or just need to brush up on scissors like adult – up. Below is a step-by-step example of just one of the many ingenious tricks you can use to gift wrapping like a genius.
Steps to Wrapping a Gift of an Unusual Shape
The steps below are taken from the aforementioned TikTok by @lindsayroggenbuck , who walks us through the packaging of a rather adorable plush moose. In true TikTok style, the instructions move at a fast pace, so I transcribed them below (adding a bit of my editorial like a former pro).
- Cut off the required amount of wrapping paper. Estimate this amount by loosely wrapping the gift in paper. It should rise just over half the sides and wrap around its full length with an inch overlap.
- Set aside the gift. Fold the paper in thirds, folding the outer two thirds into the center third (with a slight overlap in the middle). The shiny decorative side of the paper should be exposed. Cover it with tape.
- Fold the bottom of the wrapping paper about a quarter up. Take this little rectangle that you created, separate the two pieces from the middle and fold. Align the corners to make a diamond (anyone who has ever made an origami crane knows what to do).
- From this diamond, fold the top and bottom corners towards each other. Glue them with tape in the shape of an oblong hexagon.
- This sturdy hexagon is now a kind of tube base that you can use to send your gift.
- Once your item is inside the tube, fold the open top (opposite your hexagonal base) towards the back and secure with tape.
- For extra flair, use a hole punch to punch two holes for the tape. Tie a neat bow and you’re done! The end result should look like a dainty DIY bag.
Additional Tips
Before you hit the road, remember these additional simple gift wrapping tips :
- Use double sticky tape for a secure, straight edge . Don’t skip the tape, the longer pieces will help glue the paper together.
- Align the seams of the paper with the edges of the gift . Pleat the fillet seams to make it easier to fold.
- If your flap is too long on the side, mark where the corners of the paper meet so you know how far to fold the excess paper.
Or, as many TikTok users have pointed out, you can always just pop your gift in a gift bag and cover it with tissue paper. TBH, this is the spirit that I bring to this holiday season, but maybe not all of you have completely given up hope.