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Issue Date: November 25, 2007
Wrapping gifts
Tips to properly wrap that box
1. Find a box that fits the object, says Marian Goodman, operating vice
president of personal shopping at Blooming-dale's in New York. If an item is too bulky for a box, wrap it with material that gives, like fabric, adds Sara Powell-Moody, a Hallmark creative director.
2. Neatness matters. Use double-sided tape, says Tracie Stier-Johnson, owner of Milwaukee's Broadway Paper, which offers gift-wrapping services and products. The paper seams should overlap at the edge of a box rather than across the middle on the bottom. Crease the folded edges of the paper for a crisp, clean look.
3. Don't fret over bows. Good-quality ready-made bows are fine, but using fabric ribbon, especially the wire-edged variety, is just as easy. The wider the ribbon, the better a simple bow will look, Powell-Moody says. One option, from Stier-Johnson: Cut three equal lengths of 1-inch-wide ribbon. Tie one around the top third of the box, ending it in a simple knot. Trim the knot's ends at an angle. Repeat by tying the next ribbon around the middle of the box and the third around the bottom third.
4. Embellish. You can make a plain package special by attaching flowers or some other small item relevant to the person or the gift -- a stuffed animal, a brightly colored spatula, a pack of golf tees.
5. Embrace shortcuts. Create great presentations with gift bags by fluffing the tissue paper attractively, Powell-Moody says. Stack several sheets and slightly rotate them; pinch them in the top center, lift and shake downward. Turn over and put the sheets, center down, on top of the gift in the bag.
By Lisa Jaffe Hubbell
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