Present wrapping

To make this decoration you will need:

• Wallpaper or other paper
• Boxes to use for wrapping, preferably with a lid
• Different strings of different thicknesses – silk ribbon, paper string, jute twine
• Labels – you can also cut and make your own
• Small bells or jingle bells
• Stamps and ink pads
• Dried flowers, sprigs, fronds
• Seal, wax and stamps
• Scissors
• Sticky tape

If you don’t wrap as many presents as you perhaps used to, you can indulge yourself and go all out with those you do wrap instead. This is especially true if you are giving the present to a dear friend, a father or grandmother – or anyone who loves receiving packages.

"Not every present under my tree will look like this, but I know a few people who truly appreciate beautiful wrapping, so for them I make it extra special."

Tips for spectacular wrapping to put under the tree this year:

• Find boxes to wrap your present inside. Wrapping the top and bottom of the box individually is a lovely touch – if so, cut out a little extra paper so you can fold it around the edges. You can even line the insides of the box if you want! The box can then be used to store important papers or bits and bobs in through the year, meaning it becomes a bonus gift.
• Use nice strings and ribbons in silk, jute or cotton. These are better for the environment, can be recycled year after year, and look beautiful.
• If you find any small bells or jingle bells at a flea market you can tie them onto the string, for that charming, cosy feel when they ring.
• Use a seal for a special touch. I have reused a seal from previous Christmases. Make sure to use plenty of sealing wax to get a nice, thick seal that lasts.
• Using the same paper that you have wrapped the present in, write a rhyme on a little scroll that you fix under the string. Both beautiful and fun!
• Buy labels and decorate these with offcuts from the wallpapers or stickers that you have around the house.
• Stamp beautiful messages on labels. I have letter stamps in several different sizes, and love stamping out sweet little messages on the presents.
• If you have any dried eucalyptus sprigs or immortelles, or (why not?) even spruce twigs, then you can always place a twig under the string of your package. They look lovely.
• Use different thicknesses of string on the same present, or cut out different patterns from the wallpaper you have and decorate the present with them.
• Fold a little Christmas star (a bit like making a paper fan), and tie a string through the middle of the star. It makes for a lovely decoration for your present.
• If you are giving multiple presents to one person it can be good to combine the presents with string around them all, which makes it easy to remember which present is for whom.
• Don’t forget to have some coffee, tea or mulled wine when wrapping. Put on some nice Christmas tunes and light a few candles – what can otherwise be stressful might be just what gets you into the Christmas spirit.
• If you use a slightly kinder sticky tape, you can peel it off, roll up the paper and re-use for future presents!