Wrapping presents is something of a Marmite activity - you tend to either embrace it with flourishes worthy of the average lifestyle blogger, or see it as a troublesome (and, face it, time-consuming) addition to your Christmas to-do list.
But Pinterest-worthy wrapping skills don't necessarily require hours of practice or a craft cupboard to rival the Blue Peter studio. By following these easy hacks, you can up your game and make your gifts look worthy of an impromtu Instagram photoshoot. Time to channel Rowan Atkinson in that scene from Love Actually...
1. Keep your wrapping paper super-simple...
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Do away with busy patterns or 'hilarious' joke paper and opt instead for minimalist wrapping. Simple brown paper always looks classy (and - as a bonus - it's easy to track down and budget-friendly, too).
2. Invest in ribbon – the saviour of the festive season…
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If there’s anything that instantly elevates a gift’s status from ‘last minute panic buy’ to ‘painstakingly sourced after months of careful thought,’ it’s a little expertly deployed ribbon. Time to channel everyone’s favourite Noughties guru, Gok Wan, and head down to your nearest haberdashery department…
3. Layer ribbons for a dramatic effect
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Time to play with colours, widths and textures. Here, a narrow length of glittering ribbon acts as a classy accent to the yellow bow (and neatly echoes the stripe of the wrapping paper for extra Pinterest points…)
4. Then learn how to tie a bow like a real pro
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Panic not. This Pinterest tutorial from Handmade Mood will have you pulling off a classy-looking bow in a matter of moments.
5. Or, pare things back with string or twine
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It’s a simple but effective accompaniment to the brown paper we mentioned earlier. Just make sure it’s tied neatly and off-set with a tag to avoid that family member commenting on your ‘rustic’ wrapping…
6. Add hand-painted embellishments
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If you’re handy with a paintbrush, personalise your wrapping with a wintery snowscape in white…
7. Channel your inner calligrapher
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Always secretly thought that your handwriting is, like, really pretty? Now is the time to let your penmanship shine, whether that means sketching out labels or adding a message directly to the wrapping paper.
8. Or go retro with an ‘air mail’ inspired design
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This idea is crying out for some Instagram attention…
9. Go monochrome...
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White paper with black ribbon will stand out under the Christmas tree (we're not talking about the sort of paper you buy in reams, though, so step away from the office printer). Or, shake things up by shopping for some black paper and add a message in white pen.
10. Or add gold detailing
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Black paper and hand-drawn gold stars – anyone else thinking of the Hogwarts ceiling in Harry Potter?
11. Personalise your presents
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Take inspiration from this Pinterest user by investing in an alphabet of letter stamps and an ink pad to spell out the names of your family and friends.
12. Opt for a classy monogram
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It's a truth universally acknowledged that everything looks better with your initials on. Especially when it's in gold.
13. Add a little greenery to your wrapping
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Mini-wreaths? Mistletoe? The holly and the ivy? Check…