Our style team at CosituttiMarketPlace has wrapped a lot of gift boxes over the years and this holiday season we’ve been asked to share a few tips and ideas that make a well-designed and thoughtful gift box so a well-received especially around the holidays. First of all why consider giving a gift box. One of the best reasons is that gift boxes often contain multiple gifts that add to the excitement and pleasure of receiving it. Gift boxes can be personalized to each recipient's particular tastes, they can be designed around personal themes and their presentation makes them a delight to receive.
The uniqueness of gift boxes not only lies in what they contain but how they are wrapped and that begins with the container. Although baskets and imaginative containers continue to be popular, we prefer a well-designed box so that the contents stand out. For us that means a well-constructed box with either a glossy colored finish or a high quality Kraft gift box. Make sure that the1-piece boxes have a double lock bottom with tuck top lid for stability and security and 2-piece boxes have a lock corner style. These boxes are 100% recyclable and their uniform design allows you add a customized label or imprint. There are some amazing custom gift boxes and accessories that are designed to coordinate with one another and are very effective especially if you are looking for a visual wow before the gift is even opened.
Whether you’re using a basket, box, tray or hamper the lines should not be too fussy and the color of the container complimentary or neutral. Once you have your container fill it with tissue paper or packing paper to create a base and add padding and volume to support the items you'll be putting inside. Next add shreds to create a bedding and arrange all the items inside the box without crowding, accounting for size, shape and color to create variety and an interesting look. If using a basket or tray arrange tall items in back, medium height items in middle and short items in front. If needed use double sided tape or glue dots to keep them in place.
The standard cellophane or shrink wrapped gift basket or box is meant to showcase the items inside but there are other options when you want to wrap it up. The box itself may be decorative enough but if you want to do something extra special consider wrapping your gift in fabric. Decorative cloth, tea towels and scarves make the wrapping a gift in itself. Using cloth to wrap gifts has been part of the art of Japanese gift giving since the 8th century. Known as Furoshiki it has become a popular alternative to the wasteful use of non-recyclable wrapping and follows the Japanese philosophy of gift giving in that the art is in the giving, not just the gift itself.
There are several wrapping techniques depending on the size and shape of gift. Tutorials on the internet including this one shows a simple yet elegant way to wrap a gift Furoshiki style to make gift-giving more personalized and special. Furoshiki cloth should be squared and its edges all sewn, rather than left unfinished with loose threads. The ideal fabric is sturdy enough to hold the gifts but not too thick so you can easily bend the edges.
There are countless ways to configure a gift box to enhance the excitement of receiving a gift and the creative fun of giving one.