Holiday seasons are the busiest periods of the year, there is always so much activity wrapped around this period that many people struggle to meet up with. Even when they do, they find it hard to make time for the little but essential tasks such as wrapping gifts.

If you have the time and ability, you can make money wrapping holiday gifts. It is a business that needs little start-up capital and has low risk. It is convenient and easy to manage. The information in this article will guide you.

• How Can You Make Money Wrapping Holiday Gifts?
• Can I Pay Someone to Wrap my Christmas Presents?
• How Much Should I Charge For Gift Wrapping Services?
• Where Can I Get my Christmas Gifts Wrapped?
• How Much Does a Gift Wrapper Make?
• How do You Wrap a Gift Like a Pro?
• Does Hobby Lobby Wrap Gifts?
• Does Nordstrom do Free Gift Wrapping?
• Where Can I Buy Good Quality Wrapping Paper?
• How Many Average Gifts Can a Roll of Wrapping Paper Cover?
• How do You Calculate Gift Wrapping?
• How to Start a Gift Wrapping Service
• How to Set Prices For Your Gift Wrapping Service
• Mobile Gift Wrapping Service
• Gift Wrapping Business Pricing
• 10 Christmas Gift Wrapping Ideas
• Gift Wrapping Fees
• How do You Wrap an Expensive Gift?
• Where Can I Take my Gift to be Wrapped?
• What is a Gift Wrap Service?
• How do You Wrap an Elegant Gift?
• How do Professionals Wrap Gifts?
• Can You Make Money Wrapping Presents?
• How do You Make Homemade Gift Wrappers?
• How do You Wrap a Birthday Gift Creatively
• Stores That Offer Gift Wrapping Services
• Gift Wrapping Ideas Without Box
• Gift Wrapping Business Names
• Unique Gift Wrapping Ideas
• Gift Wrapping Service Prices
• Creative Gift Wrapping Techniques

How Can You Make Money Wrapping Holiday Gifts?

Purchase supplies

Get items such as wrapping paper, gift bag, tape, bows, ribbons and tissue paper. You must be tasteful in your purchase so that you can impress your clients.  Get a variety of fun and stylish items.

Read Also: How to Make Money With Online Courses

If you are just starting out in business, you should consider getting supplies from clearance stores and dollar stores at a discounted rate. Let demand rise before you purchase more. Be careful not to overstock.

Market yourself

Tell as many people as you can that you have this service to offer and tell these people to pass the message to individuals close to them. When you market yourself, let people know you are reliving them of a burden. Create some bright and cheery fliers that people will want to look at and distribute them at grocery stores and community centers.

Make business cards

Your business is a seasonal one but you need to make business cards because they are usually kept for longer period of time than fliers. They should be attractive and convey the right message about your business. Give it a look that reflects the festive season so that it can be read and kept.

Create a style

To make your service really unique, you should create a style for yourself. Do not simply wrap gifts; add some extra touch such as little figures and bells. It is also a way of personalizing the wrapping as well as giving it an elegant it look. Your work should be neatly done so that people will be pleased with what they see.

Set your prices

Be reasonable with your charges. However, the prices you set should cover the cost of your materials and time, and still be profitable to you. Try not to charge for every additional thing you do. If you are unsure of what prices to set, enquire from stores that also offer gift wrapping services. Charge more during very busy periods such as Christmas Eve and if you are located in urban areas where there is a high population of busy people.

Local stores

Visit some stores in your area and ask them if you can put up a gift-wrapping table during the holidays such as Christmas and Valentine. You might be surprised that many of them will give you permission.

Whatever you do, always be warm and polite to your customers. If you want to make money wrapping holidays gifts, keep the contact detail of every one of them so that you can call them next year for repeat patronage.

Can I Pay Someone to Wrap my Christmas Presents?

Anyone who isn’t able at the present-wrapping table could possibly pay ten dollars a package, on average. For a beautifully wrapped gift. Why not? Some people keep a room in their house all stocked up for wrapping presents. Gift-giving is, in some cases, how they express their feelings for another person, especially since they are avid off-the-chart shoppers.

Professional wrappers typically charge more and they definitely do an amazing job. While my gift wrapping was good, the pros can make gift wrapping look like a piece of art. And they get paid for their amazing presentation. It ranges anywhere from $9 to $20, depending on how many pieces and what is needed.

How Much Should I Charge For Gift Wrapping Services?

As with any business, you want to make sure you cover your costs. If you have developed a business plan, you know how much your costs are for the initial months of operation and how much money you need to bring in to cover them. But, of course, there are limits to how much you can charge.

Many malls allow schools and nonprofit organizations to wrap gifts as a fund-raising activity and they will charge rock-bottom prices. Imagine a shopper who has seen your flier or your website and knows they can get personalized service from you for only a little bit more; they may hop out of the long gift-wrapping line at the mall and go home and give you a call.

A website suggests that shoppers can expect to pay about $3 per package at the mall (more for larger packages); you may want to start at $4. Truly creative gift-wrappers can command $30 to $50 per package, but likely your skills are not worth that much until you have done it for while and have developed unique artistry. A good price for your more creative services, at least at first, is $5 to $20.

Where Can I Get my Christmas Gifts Wrapped?

To help you out, we tracked down the best stores that offer gift-wrapping services—either for free or for a small price.

Amazon
Online: Prices vary depending on the size and shape of the item, but expect to pay between $3.99 and $5.99. If an item can’t be wrapped due to size or shape, Amazon offers the option of a reusable cloth gift bag. They also offer these options from selected Amazon merchants.

Apple
Online: $5 for signature gift-wrapping, which includes a red ribbon and a greeting card with your personal message. Plus, you can engrave a custom message on the back of devices for free!

Barnes & Noble
In-store: Free.
Online: $4.99 per item. Plus, you can also add a free gift message of up to 250 characters. This must be done for each item that you want to have gift wrapped.

Bed Bath & Beyond
In-store: Free gift-wrapping station complete with branded boxes, wrapping paper, scissors and tape!
Online: $5.99 per order. Oversize items cannot be gift-wrapped.

Best Buy
Online: You can order a Best Buy-branded gift box online for $4.99, and if you send someone a gift they will email a personalized message once the gift has been delivered for free.

Buybuy Baby
In-store: Most Buy Buy Baby stores have a free gift wrapping station in stores with all the essentials like tape, wrapping paper and ribbon.
Online: Sadly, they do not have a gift wrap option for online orders. 

Bloomingdale’s
In-store: If you’re a loyalty member, you can get free gift wrapping for in-store purchases.
Online: You can add a personalized gift message during checkout.

Brooks Brothers
Online: You can order their Signature Tartan Wrapping Paper for $3, but they no longer have in-store options.

Crate & Barrel
In-store: Free–purchases are placed in the store’s signature white box.
Online: $5.50 for one box and a free personalized gift message.

Jared
In-store: Free box except for special-order Citizen watches.
Online: Again, free. For ship-to-store orders, you must request it at checkout.

JCPenney
In-store: $4 for wrapping paper or a gift bag.
Online: $4 per package and includes silver paper, a white bow and a personalized gift tag. Items over 5 pounds can’t be gift-wrapped. Note: Sephora items purchased on jcpenney.com are not eligible to be gift wrapped.

J.Crew
In-store: Free personalized message.
Online: $5 per box, which includes a signature J.Crew box with a personalized message

Jonathan Adler
In-store: Free.
Online: $5 per box. You can add a gift message for free, even if you don’t want it gift wrapped.

Kate Spade
In-store: Varies by location.
Online: $6 for your items to be wrapped in signature kate spade new york tissue paper, sealed with a sticker and packaged in a multi-colored kate spade new york gift box. Plus, the box is tied with a signature ribbon.

How Much Does a Gift Wrapper Make?

The average annual pay for a Professional Gift Wrapper in the United States is $32,492 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $15.62 an hour. This is the equivalent of $625/week or $2,708/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $70,500 and as low as $15,500, the majority of Professional Gift Wrapper salaries currently range between $23,000 (25th percentile) to $33,500 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $52,000 annually across the United States.

The average pay range for a Professional Gift Wrapper varies greatly (by as much as $10,500), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location, and years of experience.

How do You Wrap a Gift Like a Pro?

You can pull out your gift-wrapping knowledge for all gift-giving occasions to come; you can face last-minute gifts with the confidence that you can give them a good presentation in minutes. Once you know how to wrap a present, you’ll know forever—though a quick refresher never hurt anyone.

Gather your materials, find a box or easily wrapped rectangular object to practice with (if you aren’t crunched for time to get a gift wrapped), and get wrapping.

1. Gather gift-wrapping materials Assemble your present, the wrapping paper, scissors, and tape, and then clear a large, flat surface, such as a kitchen table.
2. Secure fragile items within boxes Make sure that anything fragile within your box is wrapped securely and won’t move around or become damaged. (We recommend using tissue paper as padding.)Tip: Use a small piece of tape to keep the box closed.
3. Measure and cut the right amount of wrapping paper for your box or gift Roll out your wrapping paper—but don’t cut it yet. Place the box or gift in the center of the unfurled paper, upside down, so the seams of the paper will end up on the bottom of the package. Bring the paper up one side and over the top of the box, all the way to the opposite edge. Estimate how much additional wrapping paper you’ll need to cover the side of the box that’s not yet covered, then cut the paper. Strive for long, even cuts; if your edge is jagged, fold it under for a smooth seam.
4. Secure the paper to the box with tape Center the box on the paper. Bring one side of the paper up the side and halfway across the top, affixing it to the box with a piece of tape. (With some practice, you may be able to skip this step.)
5. Fold the other side for a cleaner edge Before bringing the second side of paper up and over the first, create a clean seam by folding over the last half-inch or so of the paper, using your fingers to create a tight crease. Now bring this side up so it just overlaps the first one and affix with tape.Tip: Double-sided tape can be used for a cleaner look.
6. Fold the paper on each side of the present Starting on one end, fold down the top flap onto the side of the box, creating two little wings at the side. Flatten those in against the box, then fold the remaining triangle of paper up against the box. Fasten it in place with tape.
7. Stand the box up and repeat folding to the other side Set your box on end, with the side you just worked on facing down, and repeat step 6 on the opposite end.
8. Add finishing touches Add any ribbon, gift tags, or decorative bows to your gift. Tada: You’ve just wrapped a present perfectly.

Does Hobby Lobby Wrap Gifts?

Gift wrap is available with most items for a flat rate of $5.99. If you buy multiple quantities of the same item, the like items will be wrapped together for a flat rate of $5.99. Gift wrap styles and colors are limited and change frequently.

Does Nordstrom do Free Gift Wrapping?

They’ll make your purchase gift-ready with seasonal designs and holiday paper throughout the year,
signature gift boxes, customizable notes, and even do-it-yourself kits.

Choose from a selection of prints and ribbons when you shop in-store. They can also package your item in our signature gift box or give you a gift-box kit to take home.

Get free gift wrapping with their signature wrapping paper when you Buy Online and Pick Up in Store. And for shipped orders, you can add a free gift message, purchase their $2 DIY gift-box kit or have your item gift boxed for $3. Just make your selection at Checkout.

Nordstrom Gift Wrapping Job

Leading fashion store Nordstrom, Inc. is based in the United States. Originally a Seattle-based shoe store, Nordstrom opened its first store in 1901. Today, the company runs 381 locations across 40 states, including 118 full-line locations in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico, 248 Nordstrom Rack locations, three Jeffrey boutiques, two clearance locations, six Trunk Club clubhouses, and four Nordstrom Local service concepts. Customers are also served online at TrunkClub.com, HauteLook, Nordstromrack, and other sites. Common stock of Nordstrom, Inc. is listed for trading on the NYSE under the ticker symbol JWN.

You should be aware that Nordstrom has gift-wrapping jobs available. As you are aware, there is a lot to be said about presentation, and it is crucial when delivering gifts. When the receiver opens the gift, you want them to feel unique and as like you gave it some thought. You can take your gift to Nordstrom and have them gift wrap it for you as a way to ensure that it is exquisitely presented.

The gift-wrapping options available at Nordstrom range from basic wrapping paper to elegant ribbons and bows. Even better, you can include a little note or greeting in the package. Plus, if you’re in a hurry or don’t have time to do it yourself, Nordstrom’s team of expert gift wrappers will take care of everything for you. Gift wrapping is complimentary at Nordstrom. When buying a present, you can either have the store take care of it for you, or you can have them take care of it when you check out online. All you have to do is choose “Gift Wrap” and enter the details of your receiver. 

Gift wrap is available at Nordstrom Rack. They sell bows, ribbon, and tags in addition to wrapping paper. These things are available both separately and as a present wrapping set. All the materials you need to wrap your gift are included in the gift wrap kits, which come in a choice of colors.

You know you’re in for a treat when you enter a Nordstrom. Everything from clothing to home decor to gift wrap is available. Regardless of the event, Nordstrom has you covered. At Nordstrom, the wrapping paper is exquisite and distinctive. It is timeless and classic, yet contemporary and fashionable. To suit every event, a variety of colors and designs are available. The paper is of excellent quality and looks fantastic when it is used to wrap gifts. Visit Nordstrom if you’re seeking for something unique to use as gift wrapping. You won’t be let down!

To help you with your Christmas shopping, Nordstrom offers free gift wrapping! You only need to deliver your items to one of its registers, and they will handle the rest. Your gifts will be beautifully wrapped by their professional gift wrappers, and we even include a unique letter from you with every order. Plus, there’s no need to worry about whether or not your gifts will arrive on time – we guarantee delivery before Christmas. So if you’re looking for a hassle-free holiday shopping experience, be sure to check out Nordstrom’s gift wrap service!

Where Can I Buy Good Quality Wrapping Paper?

Gift wrap adds a layer of beauty and anticipation to every gift, and it’s the final step in crafting a picture-perfect present for someone special. 

Since we love wrapping gifts as much as we love giving them, we rounded up the best wrapping paper, gift bags, and other supplies you can buy below.

• Best overall: Target
• Best high-end design: Paper Source
• Best value: Hallmark
• Best classic prints: The Container Store
• Best unique prints: Cost Plus World Market
• Best sustainable wrapping: Brown Kraft Paper, Ten Thousand Villages, and Unwrp
• Best gift tags: Etsy
• Best scissors: Fiskars Scissors
• Best utility knife: Stanley Classic Utility Knife
• Best tape: Scotch Magic Tape

How Many Average Gifts Can a Roll of Wrapping Paper Cover?

Special Purchase Christmas Gift Wraps are high-quality and available (while supplies last). Holiday Counter Rolls come in large 24″ x 417′ half ream rolls. This size can wrap approximately 175 -200 gifts. Holiday Convenience Rolls are shrink-wrapped (not boxed). Each 85′ roll of gift wrap will cover approximately 50 gifts.

How do You Calculate Gift Wrapping?

The most common mistake people make when wrapping is measuring their paper wrong. Have too little and, well, you’ll have a hard time covering your box. Too much and you’ll struggle with bulky folds. Cut the right amount and you’re on your way to a perfectly wrapped gift.

Width

The width of your paper should be equal to the width of your box, plus twice the height. For example, for a 12-inch wide box that’s three inches high, the paper should be as wide as 12+3+3 — so 18 inches.

Height

The height of your paper needs to be enough to wrap around the box, plus one to three inches to allow for overlap. For example, if the three-inch-high box is four inches deep, the paper should be 3+4+3+4+2 — so 16 inches tall. The easiest way to measure this is to roll your box along the paper.

How to Start a Gift Wrapping Service

Outline a Business Model

There are a few different ways you could structure a new gift wrapping business. You might work from home and target recurring clients, like businesses that send a lot of corporate gifts. Or you could partner with retail locations or set up a gift wrapping station in a busy shopping district. You’ll need to figure out the basic type of service you want to start before getting started.

Come Up With a Name

Every business needs a name. And with a gift wrapping service, you can get pretty cute and creative if that’s your style. Choose something that clearly tells people what you do, but maybe include a quick joke or holiday related pun as well.

Register Your Business

Just as you would with any other business, you should also follow all of your state and local rules for getting officially started. Register your name and check with your city or local chamber of commerce for any other requirements. This type of business shouldn’t have too many requirements, but you may still need to register.

Refine Your Technique

If you’re interested in starting a gift wrapping business, you’re probably already pretty skilled in this area. However, when you’re working with customers, you might come across even more weirdly shaped or large items that require extra attention. So it may be worth practicing these types of jobs so you can deliver a quality wrap job every time.

Consider a Niche

What’s your hook for getting people to use your service instead of going in another direction? Aside from the convenience factor, you might also offer something special like eco-friendly wrapping, custom designs, reusable packaging materials, or even delivery. This might not be necessary for every business, but could be especially beneficial in busy shopping areas with multiple wrapping providers.

Set Prices

You’ll also need to come up with a formula for pricing your gift wrapping service. You could go by the size of the gift, the type of wrapping people choose, the time it takes to wrap or even offer extras like custom lettering for tags.

If you’re not sure where to start, research other wrapping services in your area or calculate the supplies and time you spend on each item. Make sure you also factor in things like the time you spend running the back end of your business and money you spend promoting your services.

Partner with Local Retailers

Alternatively, you might contact local retailers that want to offer gift wrapping to their customers and work with them instead of individual shoppers. In this case, you can charge an hourly or daily rate instead of going by the individual gift.

This can also help you get a more steady income stream, especially when you’re first starting up. You might even work with retailers on some days and offer your services to consumers on others.

Source Supply Wholesalers

When you’re wrapping tons of gifts for customers, you’ll need more wrapping paper and supplies than you probably have lying around the house. Find wholesalers for things like paper, boxes, tape, ribbons, and gift tags so you can keep prices manageable and have a constant supply of everything you need.

Promote Your Services

Once your gift wrapping service is up and running, you need to find ways to bring in customers. The exact methods you choose will vary depending on your business model. If you’re just trying to work with local retailers, you might contact the downtown development association or go into shops directly. If you want to work with individual shoppers, you could invest in a pop up booth or put up some signage telling people where to find you.

How to Set Prices For Your Gift Wrapping Service

Researching other gift wrapping services in your area will help you set competitive prices for your service. Figure out your materials cost including shipping to your location. A few essentials for a gift wrapping service business are ribbons, scissors, bows, gift boxes and bags of various sizes, tissue paper and wrapping paper. The wrapping paper is typically categorized into themes, colors and styles.

Consider that some professional gift wrapping services charge by the item and some charge by the hour. Pricing is also based on your location, which is why researching your immediate area, as well as the gift wrapping prices set by major shipping retailers such as Amazon is an important component when developing the pricing structure for your business.

Mobile Gift Wrapping Service

Nifty’s Mobile or in-house gift wrapping service can help take the stress of wrapping or fulfillment off your hands.

They can come to you and gift wrap for you or your company. Whether you want them to pick up and drop off your gifts or provide a mobile pop-up wrapping stand at your location, Nifty Package Co. can make your gifts look stunning any time of the year!

You can reach out to a member of their gift concierge, and they will begin the process of creating your custom gift order. For your convenience, they pick up your unwrapped gifts from your location and bring them back wrapped.

Gift Wrapping Business Pricing

An informal survey by Rising Innovator shows that gift wrapping at malls starts at about $3 per gift, with higher prices for larger packages. However, skilled gift wrappers who are in high demand can charge as much as $50 per package.

Your own pricing should likely be somewhere between those extremes, depending on how expensive your supplies are and what other costs you will incur — like your retail space or equipment costs if you’re going to offer mobile services.

Mia Canada uses a combination of an hourly rate and a charge per gift, and has several tiers available for clients to choose from. She also adjusts her rates depending on if she travels to clients or not.

Read Also: Earn Cash With Coffee Making In Your Local Area

As a point of reference for how lucrative this service can be when your skills are in high demand, Canada’s average order is between three and five presents. These cost her clients about $100 during the off-season and between $500 to $1,500 per order during the holidays. Corporate clients may have orders of 150 gifts.

10 Christmas Gift Wrapping Ideas

1. Mix and match

Who says all your gift wrapping needs to match? We love the mix of colours and prints on this collection of gifts with a similar colour palette and metallic accent.

2. Minimalist

The talent behind Homey Oh My blog has done it again with this gorgeous gift wrap and best of all — you can download this free pine tree printable to wrap your gifts at home.

3. Ethical

Christmas is all about giving and when you make an ethical gift purchase you don’t just give a special gift, you also help make a positive contribution to the people who made it. You use handmade gift paper and a hand-carved cinnamon ornament from Oxfam to create this Christmas gift wrapping look and you can find loads of ideas to make your Christmas an ethical one.

4. Berry

Another example of when less is more. Simply wrap twine several times around a gift and slip a sprig in the centre.

5. Simply pretty

Isn’t this gold deer just the sweetest?! Totally in love with the gold and blush pink colour palette too.

6. Black and white

Christmas wrap doesn’t have to scream ‘Christmas!’, just check out this hand illustrated wrapping paper with understated festive references. It’s just one of the many monochromatic ideas you’ll find in this round up!

7. DIY

Nothing adds a personal touch like do-it-yourself ornaments on top of a gift. You can make these DIY clay ornaments in any shape.

8. Non-traditional

Break away from images of snowflakes and traditional Christmas imagery with wrapping like this diamond design on An-Magritt’s blog.

9. Christmas-tree-inspired

We love that this gift is wrapped just like a Christmas tree! The gold foil message on the card could also be personalised to suit the person you’re gifting it to.

10. Elegant rustic

Mini wreath, craft paper and hessian has never looked this good! These gifts get the balance of rustic, earthy and elegant spot on.

Gift Wrapping Fees

You can choose to pay for unlimited wrapping or a la carte wrapping.

Unlimited Wrapping

• 1 gift wrapper  –  $150 per hour (unlimited number of gifts)
• 2 gift wrappers  –  $225 per hour (unlimited number of gifts)
• 3 gift wrappers  –  $300 per hour (unlimited number of gifts)

​Wrapping times are extended if items need to be prepared, folded or tags removed. If you have many employees, you may want to consider limiting gifts to 3 per person.

A La Carte Wrapping

• $25 per hour service fee 
• Individual wrapping rates paid per gift

Price per Gift	Size of Gift
$10.00	Jewelry, small electronics, mugs or smaller
$12.00	Shirts, gloves and scarf sets, lingerie, 5×7 photo frames or smaller
$15.00	Sweaters, hard bound books, shoe boxes or smaller
$20.00	Coats, boots, coffee makers or smaller
+$0.99 per inch	Anything larger

Pricing a gift wrapping service has to reflect the quality of the service offered. It’s of the utmost importance to ensure your staff have a high level of gift wrapping skill before you embark on offering a gift wrapping service from your retail outlet, after all ‘The gift wrapping is a gift in itself’.

Keep your pricing structure simple.  The cost of your service is kept low by the proficiency of the skill and speed of your staff.

Small – £3

Medium – £3.50 to £4

Awkward shapes – £4, bottles and similar size items, customers are paying for your expertise and professional finish

Larger items – £5-£8 children’s game,

Gift baskets – not including the basket or products – start from £5 for assembly and wrapping in cellophane with a simple bow.

How do You Wrap an Expensive Gift?

Once you’ve found the perfect gift, all that remains is the right kind of wrapping. Gift wrapping can be an art in itself. Take a look at our suggestions, instructions and ideas on how to wrap and decorate gifts beautifully and impress everyone with your wrapping.

Instructions: How to wrap a bottle

A good bottle of wine or a homemade bottle of herbal oil are popular gifts. However, it can be tricky to make them look nice when wrapped. Here are instructions and a few ideas on how to gift-wrap bottles.

1. Cut a piece of wrapping paper large enough to wrap around your bottle once and a few centimetres larger both top and bottom.
2. Place the wrapping paper face down and line the bottle up to the edge on the right. The paper should protrude about two centimetres at the bottom of the bottle. Now glue the side of the wrapping paper to the bottle and roll it to the left end so that the bottle is completely covered by the paper. Then tape the loose end to the bottle.
3. Bend the paper at the bottom of the bottle and tape it.
4. The top can be neatly bundled together above the bottle lid and wrapped with a gift ribbon. Your bottle will beautifully gift-wrapped.

Besides this basic idea for wrapping bottles, there are many variations that you can use for your gift. For example, you can just wrap paper around the bottle’s belly or just tie a bow and a gift tag to the neck of the bottle. Another idea is to design your own label for the bottle. On this you can write nice Merry Christmas wishes or write a personal message.

Instructions: How to wrap odd-shaped gifts

Cuddly toys or figures are difficult to wrap. Using cellophane is a good way to get over this hurdle. If you bundle the cellophane together in an appealing way and put a nice ribbon on it, your present will have an elegant touch to it.

Another idea is to put odd-shaped gifts in gift-boxes or gift-bags. Just add a bow and a gift tag to give an individual touch to your gift. If you don’t have a gift bag on hand, that’s not a problem because you can easily make one yourself.

Instructions: How to make a gift-bag:

1. Take a large piece of paper and lay it out in front of you. Place it facing the table in a landscape format.
2. Fold both ends into the middle so that they overlap slightly and stick them together with tape.
3. Now fold the lower third of your bag upwards.
4. Place your index fingers on the top two corners of the folded section. Press the corners inwards towards the centre and fold it upwards in thirds. It will become a square with the lower tip pointing towards you.
5. Now fold the lower tip of the square up to the middle and tape it. Next, fold the upper tip to the middle and tape it there.
6. Now reach into your gift bag and carefully unfold it.
7. After you’ve filled the gift bag, bend the upper end twice and use a hole punch to punch two holes through which you thread a gift ribbon. Before long you will have a lovely homemade gift-bag.

Where Can I Take my Gift to be Wrapped?

Finding time to package up presents is hard, especially when you’re trying to keep the gift—and Santa’s identity—a secret. In fact, Americans spend about three hours during the holidays wrapping gifts. That’s enough to make anyone a Grinch.

Keep reading to see a full list of retailers that will handle the bagging and tagging for you—some for free and others for a small fee.

Barnes & Noble
In-store: Free.
Online: $3.99 per item.

Bed Bath & Beyond
In-store: Free gift wrapping station complete with boxes, wrapping paper, scissors and tape!
Online: $3.99 per order. Larger or prepackaged items come in a plastic gift bag.

Gap
In-store: Free for a gift box that you wrap and assemble yourself.
Online: Free for a gift box, but $5 for a wrapped box with tissue, ribbon and a gift card.

Nordstrom
In-store: Free boxes and paper are available, but only the cosmetics department offers actual gift wrapping.
Online: $5 for a gift box, tissue paper, bow and card; $2 for an easy-to-assemble gift box with tissue paper, a bow and blank gift tag; or opt for a short gift message for free.

Sephora
In-store: Free. Just ask for gift boxes or bags when you check out.
Online: $2 for a gift satchel and $4 for a gift box.

Tiffany & Co.
In-store: Free.
Online: Free. All purchases come in the signature Tiffany Blue Box tied with a white satin ribbon.

Stores with Paid Gift Wrapping Services

Amazon
Online: Prices vary depending on the size and shape of the item, but expect to pay between $3.99 and $5.99. If an item can’t be wrapped due to size or shape, Amazon offers the option of a reusable cloth gift bag.

Best Buy
In-store: $3 to $6 for a gift bag.
Online: Gift card sleeves are $1.99; gift packaging is $4.99.

Bloomingdale’s
In-store: Prices vary by location.
Online: For $6 per address, Bloomingdale’s wraps each item shipped in a white box with a ribbon.

JCPenney
In-store: $4 for wrapping paper or a gift bag.
Online: $4 per package and includes silver paper, white bow and a personalized gift tag.

Macy’s
In-store: Price varies on size, location and other things.
Online: $6 for a gift box, tissue paper and ribbon.

Target
In-store: Nope.
Online: $5.99 per item.

Walmart
In-store: Nope.
Online: $3.88 for most items. Free for jewelry.

What is a Gift Wrap Service?

Gift wrapping services are in-demand for online businesses and in-person stores. Consumers love that it saves them the time to choose wrapping paper, tape, accessories, decorations and a card. They know their gift will be presented in the best manner, looking well-wrapped and festive.

Starting out, it’s best to identify one niche to service and then build from there as needed. Trying to offer all services to all customers seldom works for any business, including gift wrapping. Decide on whether you will start from home or rent a location, whether you will target consumers first, or corporate clients.

If Christmas is still a few months away, this could be a very lucrative way to start, provided you’re well-prepared and know who your competitors are. You could, for example, rent a kiosk in a local mall for the holiday season and start ordering supplies like paper, ribbons and anything else you would use to make the wrapping memorable. This is how Atlanta-based professional gift wrapper Mia Canada started out, according to her interview with Vox.

From that beginning, Canada began offering balloon bouquets and gift baskets, while moving to a permanent retail location of her own. Some clients ship gifts to her store, while others prefer to use her mobile service, with her team of four wrappers going to customers’ homes to wrap the gifts there.

How do You Wrap an Elegant Gift?

With these gift wraps, friends and family won’t mind waiting until Christmas to open their presents. Here are some ideas on how to transform your gifts from merely presents into holiday decor.

Decorative Wallpaper

You don’t need to cover presents in traditional gift wrapping paper. Vintage wallpaper is a creative substitute and has that classic romantic look that most gift wrapping papers today can’t replicate. You can shop online for retro wallpapers on Vintage Wallpapers.

Vintage Patterns

“Use vintage wallpaper, gift wrap and old fabric scraps to create beautiful and unique wrapping. Scan or copy original pieces in 11 x 17-inch sizes. You can alter the color and saturation in a photo editor, if desired. Wrap packages and trim them with ribbons, twine and millinery flowers,” says Matthew Mead of Holiday…with Matthew Mead.

Simple Paper

Are you often hesitant to top off presents with ribbons in bolder colors or daring textures in fear that it will clash with the wrapping paper? Go with plain brown paper. The simplicity will give you an excuse to get extra creative when embellishing your gifts.

Stationary

“Old Christmas cards, scissors, glue and access to a computer and printer are all you need to fashion thoughtful and one-of-a-kind holiday accents,” says Melinda Graham of Surroundings by Melinda.

Old Boxes

“Old boxes make wonderful containers for small gifts. Use scraps of fabric or lace to four-way tie the boxes shut. Take the presentation (and gift) one step further by tying a vintage ornament to the lace….Gently clean old boxes first. Spray a thin layer of matte polyurethane over the inside and outside of the box. Allow to dry completely,” Melinda says.

How do Professionals Wrap Gifts?

Once you’re armed with your wrapping paper, scissors, ribbon, and tape, it’s time to get to work. Here are vanGerwen’s top tips for an Insta-worthy present:

1. Measure Your Paper

There’s such a thing as too much wrapping paper—and too little. “Paper should be large enough to wrap around the box with a little bit of overlap, plus enough overhang on either side to cover the ends of the box,” explains vanGerwen. “Too much paper gets in the way and you end up with wrinkles and bulges; too little paper and, well, you can’t cover your box.”

2. Wrap It Tight!

For best results, make sure your wrapping paper is tight around the package. “You just have to be confident and pull tightly. This is where quality paper is important so it doesn’t tear around the corners.” Personally, I find it helpful to tape the inner edge of the paper to the package so you can pull it taut as you wrap the paper around.

3. Fold Exposed Edges

If you did a hack job when cutting the wrapping paper off the roll, you’ll definitely want to hide those rough edges. “Fold over exposed edges of paper,” says vanGerwen. “This hides crooked cuts for a cleaner look.”

4. Keep It Crisp

Just like your French fries, the edges of your packages should be crisp. Our gift stylist recommends using your fingernail to create sharp, defined creases, but there are other tricks, as well. “If you have trouble getting a straight line, place a ruler on the paper and fold over it.”

5. Hide the Tape

If you want to get really extra about your wrapping, you’re going to need some double-sided tape in your arsenal. This allows you to hide it inside, resulting in a super neat appearance. However, depending on what paper you use, double-sided tape might not stick well: “Note that double-sided tape won’t stick to some papers,” says vanGerwen, “in which case you should test both clear tape as well as invisible tape to find which one shows less.”

Can You Make Money Wrapping Presents?

Wrapping gifts is an art form that in reality is much more challenging than it appears. It requires supplies, attention to detail, and specific tactics for wrapping success. That’s why people will pay a professional gift wrapper to wrap their presents for them.

Gift wrappers wrap gifts for other people. These gift wrapping pros are experts at tight folds, crisp creases, and curled bows. They can take any item, regardless of shape or size, and make it look picture perfect.

Most people don’t enjoy wrapping presents because it’s a time consuming and tedious task. But we can all agree that having a professionally wrapped gift is a fantastic final touch to a well-thought-out present. It adds to the presentation experience and people enjoy and appreciate it.

Gift wrappers are busiest during the Christmas rush, holidays, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and other big events. For the majority of gift wrappers, gift wrapping is a temporary or seasonal job.

It’s not common, but also not unheard of, for dedicated gift wrappers to find work year round. These go-getters may own their own gift wrapping shops, run gift wrapping courses, or find work at retail stores and department stores that offer gift wrapping services that cater to other events like birthdays or anniversaries. Often gift wrapping jobs overlap with other retail positions.

If you want to become a gift wrapper, you need to be an expert at wrapping gifts. You need to know when to use bubble wrap, double stick tape, or bows. You must learn the techniques to hide price tags, wrap fragile items, work with irregularly shaped gifts, and when to use gift bags.

The best gift wrappers can make paper flowers, mix textures, work with patterns, design bows and fans, match colors, create boxes, and wrap oddly shaped gifts – like a broom or a grill. It takes a mix of design, creativity, and skill to be a good gift wrapper.

To master these tasks, practice wrapping presents of all shapes and sizes. Focus on paper selection, wrapping materials, and the necessary tools. Those tools include paper, tape, ribbon, scissors, rotary cutters, markers, labels, ribbons, and more. Then find a big working area to spread out and wrap.

Wrapping gifts for money isn’t without risks. Working with scissors and getting paper cuts are always a possibility, but the risk is worth the reward when you put the final bow on perfectly wrapped present. While you may never see it, excited gift recipients around the world will be thrilled with your hard work.

How do You Make Homemade Gift Wrappers?

Here are some examples that might inspire you to get creative with the gifts you plan to wrap and give to the special people in your life!

DIY Stenciled Gift Wrap

Bring ordinary wrapping paper up a notch with craft paints and stencils. The plain old paper will look ever so fancy when you add some creative designs. Use metallic stencil paint as shown in the photo, to change your project from boring to extraordinary.

Make Your Own Professional Looking Gift Bags

Who says that pretty gift bags are only available at the store. These were made from ordinary craft paper, paint, ribbon and a heart punched out of red paper. I think the results are dazzling!

Presents That Look Like Fruit

These wrapped presents have got to be the most innovative we have seen in a long, long time. The wrapped boxes look like fruit! So cute! Gifts that are wrapped like strawberry, kiwi, pineapple, orange, and watermelon are available in the tutorial.

Brittany Watson Jepsen provides links to free fruit printable downloads and easy-to-follow inspirational photos. You cannot go wrong with this papercraft!

Washi Tape Gift Wrap

These beautifully wrapped gifts are an example of what can be done when you are in a hurry. The three examples are wrapped with ordinary papers that most crafters have on hand (brown kraft paper and white freezer or meat wrapping paper).

The presents are then decorated with washi tape! Almost everyone has washi tape in their papercraft supply collections. Add a silk flower and printed tag and you have a beautifully wrapped gift that looks like you took a lot of time and effort making it look special!

How do You Wrap a Birthday Gift Creatively

Instead of the standard bag and tissue paper, get creative when wrapping up everyone’s birthday presents. From Kraft paper to outside-the-box ways of decorating these gifts, we’re sharing 5 different ways of making a loved one feel special on their own special day. Check them out below!

1. Mod Podge Dots

Check out how to use Kraft paper and mod podge to create something special over at Mod Podge Rocks. Polka dots are always in – in any color you decide!

2. Gold Brooches

You can even use some older brooches to use as embellishments to the birthday gifts. Just make sure to take off the clasps in the back.

3. Whimsied

Check out these whimsy designs from Whipperberry. A lot of persons love the delicacy and creativity behind them, and you can follow the tutorial quite easily to make some for yourself.

4. Paper Doily

Mondocherry wrapped up some adorable presents and used paper doilies to accent them. It creates an easy lace detail that we love!

5. Birds & Greenery

We find this idea from The Jungalow quite beautiful. Create an entire theme around your gift wrapping ideas. Aren’t they gorgeous?

Stores That Offer Gift Wrapping Services

Here’s a list of stores that offer gift wrap options, listed in alphabetical order.   

Get gift-wrapping services for free or a small fee at these stores: 

1. Amazon: While not available for every single item, gift wrapping is an option for most products found on Amazon. Gift wrapping includes a box, decorative ribbon, and a printed card with a gift message. Prices vary depending on the nature of the item.
2. Apple: Gift wrapping is available for select orders placed online either for delivery or pickup. When an eligible product is added to your bag, a checkbox comes up automatically with the option to select “This is a gift.” Apple Gift Package includes a signature gift box with a red ribbon and a greeting card with your personal message. Costs for full gift wrapping vary, but adding a gift message is free.
3. Barnes & Noble: Nearly all in-store and online purchases from Barnes & Noble can be gift wrapped. A gift message is free to add, while full wrapping with a box and ribbon costs $4.99.  
4. Bed Bath & Beyond: Many Bed Bath & Beyond stores have a station where you can gift wrap a package for free, complete with wrapping paper, tape, and ribbon. Online orders can be gift wrapped starting at $5.99 per order.
5. Best Buy: Best Buy doesn’t offer any true gift wrapping options. However, they will email the gift recipient a personalized message once the gift has been delivered for free. Additionally, Best Buy branded gift boxes can be purchased for $4.99.
6. Buy Buy Baby: Most Buy Buy Baby stores have a free gift wrapping station in stores with all the essentials like tape, wrapping paper, and ribbon. However, they do not have a gift wrap option for online orders. 
7. Crate & Barrel: Gifts can be placed in simple black and white boxes with branded ribbons for $5.50 per box. Certain items do not qualify for gift boxing, including Outlet, oversized and heavy items. A gift message can be included for all items for free.
8. Lands’ End: Most online Lands’ End purchases can come in cute branded boxes with ribbons by simply selecting the “Gift Box” option at checkout. Personalized gift messages can also be added.
9. L’Occitane: While L’Occitane won’t do all the work for you, you can choose to add a Signature Gift Box Kit with your purchase at checkout so you can easily wrap the gift yourself at your convenience. The kit includes a gift box, tissue paper, and a ribbon for $4.99.
10. MAC Cosmetics: MAC provides branded gift boxes starting at $4.95. They also have what they call “digitally wrapped gifts” that makes gifting makeup and skincare products especially easy. The recipient will receive a notification about the gift via text or email. They can then easily accept the gift, swap the shade, or even choose a different product of the same price and decide when it will be delivered to their doorstep.
11. Macy’s: A free gift message can be included with any purchase for free. Most purchases can also be sent in a gift box for $6.00 per order, though oversized items may not be eligible.
12. Neiman Marcus: You can select a gift wrap option during online checkout for $7.50. Gifts come in a pretty silver box with a bow, a personalized gift message, and a gift-tag ornament. 
13. Nordstrom: In addition to free standard shipping and free returns, Nordstrom also offers free gift wrapping on orders, making holiday gifting extra easy.
14. Pottery Barn: Both in-person and online orders can be gift wrapped by Pottery Barn. However, the fee for the service is higher than at many other stores, costing $8.50 per item. As an added personal touch, you can also get many of their products personalized with a monogram for $12.00 per item.
15. Sephora: At checkout, Sephora shoppers can opt for gift wrapping services. A simple black bag with a red drawstring costs $3.00, while a Sephora-branded gift box runs $5.00. You can also add a gift message for free. 
16. Sur la Table: Gift wrapping is available for most items at Sur la Table. During the online checkout process, you can designate the items that you want gift wrapped or choose to add a free gift message. Gift wrapping costs $5.99 per item.
17. Target: Gift wrap is available for most Target items for a flat rate of $5.99. If you buy multiple quantities of the same item, the items will be wrapped together for the same flat rate. Gift wrap styles and colors change often, but the styles generally include gift boxes or bags of various sizes in the classic red and white Target colors with the bullseye design. 
18. Ulta: The beauty giant offers special holiday gift boxes for orders during December. Choose a gift option during checkout for $3.95.
19. Williams-Sonoma: For online orders, gift wrap is available that includes the brand’s signature white paper and a black ribbon. The service is rather pricey at $8.50 per item, and each line item in your shopping cart is wrapped separately, with the exception of multiples of products. A gift message can be included for free.

Gift Wrapping Ideas Without Box

There are different creative ways to wrap a gift without the box. Sharing with you some of the easy-peasy gift wrapping ideas without box.

1. Candy Style

A unique wrapping style that is easiest to do.

• Roll the item (If it’s a sweatshirt or t-shirt). If not, you can simply put the gift in the middle of the wrapping paper and cover it.
• Measure the wrapping paper and cut off the excess. Leave a little bit extra on both sides.
• Secure the back with cello tapes (2-3)
• Scrunch the top and button. Take a ribbon and double knot one end. Repeat the same with the ribbon on the other end. Curl the ribbons.

2. Bottle Style

Another wrapping style that looks unique and creative. You just need wrapping paper and ribbon; you will be done with this in a few minutes. Roll the item if possible. If not, you can simply place the gift in the middle and measure the wrapping paper.

• Cut off the excess paper.
• Secure the middle of the wrapping paper (where the ends meet) with cello tape.
• Fold at the end of the wrapping paper to get a cylindrical shape
• Scrunch the top of the wrapping paper and secure it with a ribbon tie.

3. Bag Style

Wrap your gift in a bag style wrapping idea and you don’t even need a paper bag for the gift. Isn’t this cool?

• Place the gift on the wrapping paper, measure and cut off the excess. (Square of rectangular-shaped gift would be more appropriate)
• Push the gift towards the bottom of the wrapping paper, leaving excess space on the top.
• Fold the bottom inwards as you do while wrapping the box gift.
• You can scrunch the top or fold it in an envelope shape. Secure the scrunch with a ribbon tie.

4. Pillow Box Style

A gift wrapping idea for small tokens like chapsticks, gift cards, money or anything else.

• Take a core (cardboard piece of toilet paper roll). Flatten it.
• Fold the top and bottom inside to form crescent-shaped flaps
• Put the gift inside and secure the flaps.
• Now make a runner from the wrapping paper (it would cover only half of the gift in the middle).
• Tie the ribbon on the top and you can add a gift tag as well.

5. Envelope Style

A traditional way of wrapping gifts without a box. The gift looks neat and clean in this wrapping style.

• Measure the wrapping paper and cut of the excess.
• Place the gift item in the middle, fold the sides of the paper inwards and tape it up.
• Now, fold the sides at the top and bottom.
• Fold the edge in a triangular shape inwards and then the middle one so it’s straight. Fold again and tape it off. Repeat with the other side as well.
• Tie the ribbon horizontally and vertically across the gift.

Notch up the appeal of your gifts by wrapping them in these styles. You can send gifts online but wrapping them is fun and makes the gift a bewitching beauty.

Gift Wrapping Business Names

Gift wrapping businesses should have creative, memorable names to help sway customers from doing the wrapping themselves. See our list below for ideas.

Rank	Business Name	Description
1.	Lovingly Wrapped	Emphasizes the care and attention to detail that goes into wrapping gifts.
2.	The Little Bowtique	The alternate spelling of “boutique” references the bows you’ll use to wrap presents.
3.	Get Wrapped	Informative and fun, but not too obvious. Won’t restrict you to a certain type or style of wrapping.
4.	Ribbons ‘n Things	References the supplies you’ll use to wrap gifts. A fun gift wrapping company name.
5.	Glitter Gift Wrap	A lovely option that’s made memorable by alliteration. Synonymous with sparkly packaging.
6.	Wrapped Up	A cute, informative name that has multiple meanings.
7.	Little Lace Gift Wrapping	A dainty-sounding option that highlights the type of service clients can expect.
8.	Carefully Wrapped	Foregrounds care and attentiveness. Ideal for a business that’s great at wrapping fragile items.
9.	Little Boxes Gift Wrapping	A sweet name that conveys information about the packaging.
10.	Laced With Care	Implies attention to detail, but also alludes to the type of supplies used.

Unique Gift Wrapping Ideas

To offer you inspiration for your Christmas, birthday or holiday gifts, we’ve created a collection of over 10 gift wrapping ideas. From simple ribbon techniques to gift-wrapping masterpieces, we have something for everyone.

1. Recycle in Style

Source: A Creative Mint

Design your own festive gift wrap from a material you already have: paper shopping bags. Make the project easier by choosing bags from stores that issue holiday patterns. Add colorful ribbon or string to your gift for extra personality.

2. Tea Towel Wrap

Source: Shutterfly

Choose a gift wrap idea that also doubles as a gift: a tea towel. Bundle a bottle of wine, olive oil, sauce or balsamic vinegar for a present that will go straight to the kitchen.

3. Colorful Hodgepodge

Gather your paints, paintbrushes, and sponges. Use white or solid colored paper as your base and sprinkle on all of your favorite colors in any shapes you want. Your gifts will be dressed full of character and personality.

4. Baked Goods Boxes

Source: Aunt Peaches

Take empty cardboard boxes from rolls of parchment paper or foil. Paint them with festive colors and designs for decorative baked good gift boxes or other food gift ideas.

5. Holiday Lights

Source: Burlap and Blue

Christmas lights aren’t just for hanging on your roof. Cut open brown paper bags to create your wrapping material. Then, draw or paint a set of holiday lights on the paper for a jolly feel.

6. Paper Bows

Source: Design Eat Repeat

Cut bow shapes out of colored cardboard construction paper. Use an online printable for a cutting guide or make your own stencil. For a tasty twist to this project, fill the centers with a teaspoon of sprinkles.

7. Add a Tag

Source: Designs by Miss Mandee

Dress up brown paper gift wrap with fine string or ribbon. Add a gold foil holiday tag for a gift wrapping design that looks polished and professional.

8. Washi Tape Weave

Source: DIY Inspired

Washi tape isn’t just for home decor. You can use it to dress up your gift wrapping, too. Create a layered effect by weaving the tape horizontally and vertically in an alternating pattern.

9. 3D Wrapping

Source: Lines Across

Wrapping gifts for your kids, grandchildren or nephews? Create your own interactive gift wrap by gluing on their favorite toys like cars, crayons or building blocks.

10. Origami Bows

Source: Little White Whale

Add a little fun to your gift wrapping project by designing bows out of origami paper. Fold several at a time so you have a stock of bows to use throughout the year.

Gift Wrapping Service Prices

Gift wrapping fees include occasion-appropriate wrapping paper, ribbon or bow, and a gift tag.

Fees

• Small: $6 (CD or jewelry box)
• Medium: $8 (shirt box or shoe box size or smaller)
• Large: $10 (microwave size or smaller)
• X-Large: $12 (recycling bin size or smaller)
• XX-Large: Priced individually
• Gift Bags: Price based on size

We can wrap one gift or hundreds! Please Note: Large orders over 50 gifts will be priced per hour.

Creative Gift Wrapping Techniques

Now let’s get wrapping…

DIY Gift Wrap Idea #1: Multicolor Twine Knots
It’s so fun to collect colorful baker’s twine that you end up with far more than needed for cooking. Plus who wants to get turkey juice on candy-striped bakers twine? It’s too pretty for that! So why not dress up a cardboard box or Kraft paper with it? It looks so festive that it works for almost any occasion.

DIY Gift Wrap Idea #2: Washi Tape Monogram
Any excuse to collect rolls of colorful Washi tape is a good one. What a great, easy way to personalize a package—and you get to avoid worrying with a tag.

DIY Gift Wrap Idea #3: Braided Yarn
Who knew a simple weave of yarn could look so modern? Getting the recipient to bust through this pretty packaging will take some convincing.

DIY Gift Wrap Idea #4: Pinwheel Bow
Pinwheels are one of those childhood symbols that never loose their magic, and they trump a plain old bow any day. In this tutorial, the process for creating one is shown in just two photos—and once again, you get to make use of more pretty notions: buttons!

DIY Gift Wrap Idea #5: Folded Paper & Twine
This technique looks impressively hard, but it’s really super easy! Just fold the paper as shown in the easy-to-follow tutorial, tape the sides, and presto!—another clever alternative to a bow.

Finally

If you develop a unique and recognizable wrapping design, you can build a brand for your gift wrapping business that can then be turned into a franchise. Your franchises can be positioned inside a chain of flower shops, gift shops, and popular wedding registries.

However, it is also a great business that can maintain its small scale as the perfect source of extra income during popular gift-giving holiday periods.