ALL THE TRIMMINGS

Give your gifts a Yuletide flourish with these decorative ideas. Too good to unwrap? Almost…

Stylish ways to step up your wrapping game

Romantic

A brown paper package tied up with string never goes out of fashion. Nevertheless, tying it with velvet ribbon in shades of gold, olive and blush, and tucking in a sprig of mistletoe, makes it even more desirable. Ivy and tinkly gold bells make festive additions, too.

Pastels

They may not seem it, but even pastels can feel festive when tied with luxurious velvet or a sprig of pine needles or berries. Wrapping a stack of presents, then fixing them together with double-sided tape and ribbon, gives you the chance to contrast different styles of paper, like the marble and botanical wraps shown here. Also keep your eyes peeled for tree ornaments that could double as unusual gift toppers alongside pretty ribbons and tags.

Graphic

Layering graphic designs – doubling up gift tags or mixing both patterned paper and ribbon – looks cooler when it’s done in black and white. Spots and florals feel softer than stripes, but play with size and perspective, too (a giant bow can look great on a very small gift). Invest in a stencil to add graphic writing directly on to wrapping paper and a white ink pen that will look dramatic on matt black designs.