An ode to gift wrapping

Oh, the glory of a well-wrapped gift!  You know the type: Perfectly coiffed in quality paper, a bow so magnificent that it puts all other bows to shame and, as Dr. Seuss says in the television version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, “with fuzzle fuzz and fliffer bloofs and wuzzle wuzz…[and] yards of whoflut flay.”

If there ever was a time to bring your A game to wrapping, Christmas is it. Especially after spending time searching for the perfect gift. What better way to say, “You mean so much to me that I left no stone unturned to find what I hope is something that will delight you,” than a well-wrapped gift?

There are some that say that it’s the wrapping itself that turns an object into a gift. Wrapping elevates the exchange of items into a mystical realm where something like a finger-painted family portrait in a frame becomes art more valuable than you’ll find in any museum.  The more elaborate the covering, the higher the expectation that the item within is infused with deep meaning.

If you indulge in white elephant gift exchanges, the wrapping often becomes a trickster, teasing with hints at what will be revealed. The gift that is stolen the most is usually 1) the biggest/heaviest gift or 2) the beauty queen (aka the best-wrapped gift).

If you feel you are gift-wrapping-challenged, you’re in very good company and there are plenty of resources available to improve your efforts. A quick internet search delivers dozens of gift wrapping ideas. YouTube offers tutorials for novice wrappers on how to ensure crisp folds and overall symmetry (in the gift wrapping Olympics, points are deducted for sloppy, uneven finishes).

Extras (Dr. Suess’s fliffer bloofs, etc. referenced above) are like the cherry on top of wrapping efforts and don’t stop with stick-on bows. Fishing lures (hooks covered with tape to avoid holiday bloodshed), a plush toy, candy canes and more become the gift appetizer for what is at the core of all the layers.

Why not go the extra mile with wrapping? Why not present a masterpiece that takes gift giving to a new peak? Why not give yourself the gift of satisfaction through creativity in a season that is about exciting surprises?

For true gift wrapping delights, visit The Imagination Spot to see their gift bags and wrapping paper. They’re also offering complementary gift wrapping in the shop with the purchase of gift wrap!