It's All About the Wrapping

It's the time of year for hanging lights, baking sugar cookies, and giving gifts to the ones we love.

But buying the right gift is only half the battle. Once you've found it, then you have to wrap it. Wrapping gifts can be a daunting task, but it can also make gift-giving all the more rewarding when you see the eyes of family and friends light up at the sight of your work. And with these easy tips and tricks, you will be sure to have the prettiest gifts under the tree. 

Designate an area where you have a hard surface to work on, not carpet, as your wrapping station. It will make everything from cutting and measuring, to the actual wrapping much smoother.

Unless you have a talent for cutting straight lines, a T-Square will do the work for you.

A cutter knife will help prevent those infamous rips of paper as you're cutting. But don't forget to use a cutting mat to avoid damaging your surfaces.

Double-sided tape will save precious time when you are wrapping gifts for a long list of loved ones.

If you're not a fan of overt holiday wrapping, try using fabric or parcel paper which can be customized with ribbon, stamps, or a piece of holly.

After the last gift has been placed under the tree, run the miscellaneous pieces of wrapping paper and ribbon through a shredder to use as stuffing for gift bags later.

Photos courtesy of jamesst.com, wiembus.com, mediacdn.com, amazon.com