It’s TIME! Get Festive With Holiday Decorations and Gift-Wrapping Tips.
homedecorIf you, like us, have been mentally crossing out the days until you can officially dive headfirst into the holiday season, then rejoice with us, because December is mere days away! To celebrate, we’ve scoured the Centre for our favourite gift-wrapping supplies, gathered our best wrapping tips, and just for fun, grabbed a few extra holiday décor items to up our festive season ante. Whether you haven’t even thought about Christmas shopping or you’ve already crossed off most of your list, here are some tips and options for nailing that finishing touch. Is it too soon to say Merry Christmas?!
Here are a few of our best tips for getting the perfect wrap, every time:
Give yourself lots of space.
Take over your living room floor and move all obstacles out of the way before you get started (including nosy dogs and cats!). The last thing you need is tragically crumpled wrapping paper because you rolled it over something… or because your pet thought you were rolling out the red carpet for him.
Use the right amount of wrapping paper.
Too little paper means you have awkward patches to try and fill, while too much paper creates lumps and is difficult to work with. To get the perfect size, first roll out some paper, then place the box you’re wrapping on top of it, and measure before cutting. Typically, you want the paper on the sides of the present to be just over half the height of the box in order to ensure enough overlap without being excessive.
Keep your creases sharp.
This is one of those things that may never occur to you, but is immediately so obvious once someone points it out: Sharp creases are what take your present to the next level! Start with a light fold to make sure you’ve created a crease in the sweet spot where all of your corners are nice and tight, and then come in more heavy-handed to really create definition. Bonus tip: Don’t be afraid to add a touch of extra tape here when wrapping a tall present or something that’s a difficult shape. A little tape loop helps to keep everything where you want it.
Don’t forget to accessorize!
Great wrapping paper makes a statement of its own, but don’t leave it there! Ribbons, bows, greenery, or gift tags can all contribute to the final effect and really take things to that next level. And as a true real-life bonus, accessories can also be used to hide any mistakes that might have happened along the way.
As the busy holiday season heats up, don’t forget to take care of yourself! It can be easy to get caught up in the expectations and demands that swirl around us this time of year, but it’s okay to slow down, take a step back, and remember what’s important. If a little self-care check-in seems like something you could go for right now, head over to our latest guest post from Chantal of Tillie + True, where she shares her thoughts and tips on staying positive and embracing the process.
Spot something you like? Find the products in this post at these St. Vital Centre retailers:
“Joy” sign: Hudson's Bay, $29.99
Christmas tree ornaments (set of four): Hudson's Bay, $14.99
Ivory felt garland: Chapters, $24.50
Red plaid wrapping paper: Chapters, $5.99
White wrapping paper with tree pattern: Chapters, $5.99
Ribbon (set of 4): Chapters, $4.99
Green wrapping paper with holly: Hallmark, $4.99
Reusable wrapping fabric: Lush, $6.95