The tradition of gift giving dates back thousands of years and across many ancient cultures as a way of expressing our feelings, strengthening and establishing connections and showing appreciation for others.
Today, gift giving is part of the human DNA. It is commonplace in everyday culture serving as a means of communication and gratitude whether celebrating a birthday, a religious holiday, offering good luck and best wishes, showing love and affection or simply a way of saying thank you.
Likewise, the act of wrapping a gift is recorded throughout history in various shapes and forms. The bible tells us about the wise men who brought gifts to baby Jesus in small treasure chests. In Korean culture wrapping gifts in cloth (bojagi) was a way of symbolizing protection and good luck dating back to the Three Kingdoms Period. In Japanese culture the tradition of furoshiki (wrapping gifts in cloth fabric) was first recorded in the Tokugawa period is still customary today..
The use of paper as a material to wrap gifts began shortly after its invention in China during the Southern Song Dynasty in the second century AD. Monetary gifts would be wrapped with paper, forming an envelope known as a chih pao which were then given to court officials and dignitaries as a sign of appreciation. A version of this tradition continues today with the popular lucky red money envelopes gifted at Chinese Lunar New Year.
Today, the art of wrapping a gift is often appreciated as much as the gift itself. Not only does it elevate even the most modest of gifts, but it also communicates to the recipient the level of thought and attention that has been taken. It is often said, that it is the thought that counts and so taking the time to carefully and thoughtfully wrap a gift will always make a longer lasting impression, whatever the occasion.
Be a gift giving guru by honing your gift-wrapping skills. To help you, we have collated some simple ideas which can be easily adapted to create your own style.
