The use of wrapping paper was first documented in Ancient China. Gifts of money were wrapped in paper into an envelope shape. The Hall brothers, the founders of Hallmark cards, didn't invent gift wrapping; they helped to popularise the concept so that it became mainstream.

In the present day, gift wrapping is a staple of gift giving. Wrapping paper, gift bags and boxes are all extremely popular and easily accessible options for anyone. They are the perfect way to build anticipation for your recipient and help give an element of surprise which people love! However, actually wrapping the gifts can be a nightmare and it can be struggling to make wrapping look neat and tidy. Today, let’s take a look at some of the hardest types of gifts to wrap and what ways you can wrap them easily!

Wrapping a Mug:

Mugs are oddly shaped which makes them hard to wrap compared to most other gifts. The easiest way to wrap a mug is to wrap using a Top Tie.

You Will Need:

• Wrapping Paper

• Ribbon or String

• Scissors

• Tissue Paper

• and the Mug (we used our "Jesus Mary Joseph and the Wee Donkey" mug)

1. Lay out your wrapping paper

2. Lay out your tissue paper on top of your wrapping paper

3. Place the mug in centre and pull in opposite corners of the paper

4. Gather the paper in the other corners

5. Pull together tightly in a bow using ribbon or string to keep in place 

Want to make things even simpler? Why not try adding the mug to a small gift box, making the gift more presentable and much easier to wrap!

Looking for a mug? Then browse our full collection of mugs with unique hand-lettered designs here, such as our "Jesus Mary Joseph and the Wee Donkey" mug used in this demonstration.

Wrapping clothing:

Gift wrapping clothing pieces is also a struggle. Most clothes don't have any structure to them and so can’t hold their shape to make an easy time wrapping. The easiest way to wrap a clothing item is to wrap using a DIY gift bag. Not only are they an affordable alternative to gift bags, they still allow your recipient to enjoy the excitement of unwrapping a present.

You will need:

• Wrapping Paper
• Cellotaph
• Scissors
• and the Clothing Item (we our using one of our Apron's)

1. Fold your clothing item into a more uniform shape

2. Wrap your paper around your clothing item so you can get the right size

3. Stick the wrapping paper together but without the clothing item in it

4. Fold over the bottom of the paper and seal it shut like a normal box-shaped gift.

5. Cut off the excess paper on the top

6. Your clothing item can now be placed in your DIY bag from the top

7. Close and seal the top of the paper

Want to make things even simpler? Why not try adding the clothing to a gift box!

Looking for an Apron to gift? Then browse our full collection of aprons with unique hand-lettered designs here, such as our "Personalised Head Chef of Christmas Dinner Apron"

Wrapping a Greeting Card:

Whilst an envelope is the easiest option, it may not always be an option. If you're struggling with finding one last minute, why not make your own? To make your own...

You Will Need:

• Wrapping Paper
• Ruler or Set Square
• Pen or Pencil
• Scissors
• and the Card (we are using our "Extra-Oar-Dinary Birthday Card")

1. As a template, put a card that you want to make the envelope for in the top right corner of the paper and put a small pencil mark where the shortest side ends, flip the card around and do the same. You should now have two marks that are equal distance from the corner.

2. Make another pencil mark 1cm away from the corner on both sides.

3. Draw a line and join the second set of marks

4. Put the card back on the template, up to the centre of the line you just drew, and then put pencil marks in the bottom corners of where your card is.

5. Take the top corner and fold it down so the sides meet the marks.

6. Draw along the sides of the fold to look like this

8. To make notches on the template, take your ruler or set square and line it up on the line you drew in step 3 with the other side on the mark made in step 1, and draw a little triangle.

9. Then line the ruler or set square up on the pencil marks made in step 4 and draw another notch. Make sure the notch is on the outside of the marks. Carefully cut around the template so it should look like this.

11. Fold the bottom up, then the sides and stick down with cellotaph. 

12. Now make sure that your card fits inside, that the top flap covers it and there will be enough overlap on the bottom three for a some cellotaph. If you need a bit more room, the best way to make it bigger is to draw around the template on another sheet of paper making it slightly larger so your card can fit.

Looking for a Greeting Card? Then browse our full collection of Greeting Cards with unique hand-lettered designs here, such as our our "Extra-Oar-Dinary Birthday Card" used in the demonstration.