THE SISTER EDIT   /   THE ART OF GIVING

The scissors matter. The paper doesn't have to be fancy. And gift bags absolutely count.

There are two types of gift wrappers: people who keep an immaculate box of supplies, and people who discover they've got eleven centimetres of tape left at 11pm.

Both can make a present look beautiful. We've wrapped a fair few things at Say It Sister, and these are the tricks that actually make a difference.

Start with the unglamorous essentials

Good scissors. Tape that sticks. Paper that isn't so thin it tears when you look at it.

Sharp scissors are the secret. Shhhh. We know that's not terribly glamorous advice, but a clean cut makes everything else easier. Use a flat surface if you can, and keep the tape within reach before you start.

If you only have ordinary sticky tape, that's absolutely fine. We are not wrapping the Crown Jewels.

The neat seam trick

For a box-shaped present, place the gift face down on the paper. Bring the first side over, then fold a narrow, straight edge on the second side before taping it down. It gives you one clean seam instead of a ragged edge across the back.

At the ends, push the sides in to make two neat triangles, fold the bottom flap up, then the top flap down. Press the folds with your fingers so they sit flat. Tiny creases make a surprisingly big difference.

Odd shapes need tissue paper

Mugs, candles, bottles, something with a handle, something that appears to have no sensible sides whatsoever? Tissue paper is your friend.

Wrap the item gently in tissue first, then put it in a reusable bag or box. You'll avoid that crumpled-paper wrestling match, and the gift will feel like a proper little reveal.

And yes, gift bags count as wrapping. Of course they do.

Try a belly band

A belly band is just a strip of contrasting paper wrapped around the middle of your parcel. It can hide an untidy join and makes plain paper suddenly look deliberate.

Use a patterned scrap, a strip of brown paper or even a piece of nice fabric. Add a little card and you're done.

Twine, ribbon and something from the garden

You don't need elaborate bows. Wrap twine or ribbon around the parcel a couple of times and tuck in a sprig of rosemary, a small leafy stem or another bit of greenery.

Check that whatever you use is clean, dry and safe to handle. If in doubt, skip the plant and tie a simple bow. Nobody's judging.

Reuse the lovely stuff

Keep the good gift bags. Save the ribbon. Wrap with fabric scraps or a beautiful tea towel that becomes part of the present. Old cards can turn into excellent gift tags — just cut off the blank section.

It's often more interesting than buying an entire matching set of wrapping supplies.

Let the kids make the tags

Give them cardboard offcuts, crayons or stickers and ask for a little drawing for the recipient. The more delightfully wonky, the better.

The tag can end up being the part people keep.

When all else fails, write a good note

A present doesn't need to look like a department-store window. Neat paper is lovely, but a few thoughtful words will always do more than a complicated bow.

Our favourite sentence starter? “I saw this and thought of you because…” Finish it with something specific. That's the good bit.

And if the tape really has run out, pop your gift in a bag, write the card and go to bed. We've all been there.

Need a present to put inside that paper? Our gift edit is full of ideas — but we'd be equally happy if you used these tips on something you've made yourself.

We are not wrapping the Crown Jewels. A thoughtful note beats an elaborate bow every time.

Love, Grace & Sam xx