A Guide to Wrapping and Decorating Oddly-shaped Presents

We've all found that perfect gift for someone, only to find that it looks horrible when wrapped; not to mention it's a dead give-a-way what it is. Keep your recipients surprised this year by trying these tips to wrapping and decorating oddly-shaped presents.

1.Sometimes it doesn't need to be wrapped

Although this might not be your most favored option, some items don't need to be wrapped. A bike for your 8 year old is going to be obvious to him or her what it is anyway, so just make it appear magically next to the tree in the morning with a large bow at the handles and a card. You can choose to 'cover' it with a gift bag of the large plastic variety, but it's more of an impression on your child to just see it in all its glory on Christmas morning.

2. Baskets and Trays

When you place things in a basket or use a tray to present your assortment of gifts it can make a little look like a lot. The presentation of a seasonal basket with just a few cut-out snowflakes of glitter positioned around it, or a curly ribbon bouquet, will really give your loved ones something to remember.

The actual items you place in a basket can vary from little jars of jam, beauty aids, lotions, or even small articles of clothing like scarves and hats. Rather than wrap them in paper, try tissue paper. Tissue paper can be used effectively for rounded gifts and even soft gifts. Use a few different color sheets of tissue paper and overlap them so they make a star shape; this will allow the various colors to shine through at the tips of the top. Gather the tissue paper together so you have a 'spray' of paper at the top and tie a bow around it. If it is a very small gift, you can cut the tissue paper sheets down a little or use scrapbooking scissors to cut around the edges to make a nice design before you gather it up. In a basket or on a tray, these little 'sprays' of colored tissue paper will look elegant and fun.

3. What should be placed in a gift bag?

Gift bags should not be used for heavy items. You should be able to hand someone a gift bag without the handles ripping off. Small baked goods, jars of nuts, ornaments, small clothing items, figurines, and perfumes work marvelously in gift bags. Don't bother to wrap them individually, just place them down into the gift bag and cover it with tissue paper. No one can tell what's in a gift bag until they pull it out, so you're safe from people guessing the gift as they open it. Rather than wrap a box of candy, which is obviously a box of candy, just insert it unwrapped into a gift bag. Any item that is within 2 feet in height and 1 foot in width can go into a gift bag as long as it is lightweight.

4. Boxed

The items that you should box include homemade wares, figurines and cookie jars that didn't come with a box, belts, and other heavier items that can be breakable. Boxes are more likely to be treated with care than gift bags, and most people use two hands to carry them. If your item is very oddly shaped, than find a box that is much bigger than the item and stuff the box with bubble wrap or newspaper. Boxes are, of course, the easiest shape to wrap and will make for a better presentation than wrapping to the shape of the original item. Stuffed animals can also be placed in boxes, but are much better in gift bags because of their lightweight construction.

5. For really big presents....

For items that are very large, you should consider what's the best way to present them. If you plan on wrapping a huge box with a computer in it, for example, you will also need to make the decoration on the box just as huge. You can find large bows at craft stores that are pre-made and will top a large box with seasonal ease.

For presents that seem unwrappable, you should opt to wrap a small gift that represents the large gift and leave the large one unwrapped. For example, if you are giving a car, don't even bother to put a bow on it and possibly scratch the paint, just wrap the keys into a small box as your 'present.' It's unmistakable what they go to, so don't worry about showing them the 'real' gift first; they'll be more surprised this way.