Everything You Need To Know About Benefits And Importance Of Gift Wrapping

How do you think all that time and effort you put into wrapping a gift is worth it, or gift wrapping doesn't matter? In fact, gift wrap is as essential as the gift itself! Here I've collected everything you need to know about the importance and benefits of gift wrapping.

Gift wrapping is important because it helps turn any object into a gift and creates a surprise effect. Besides, gift packaging is a perfect way to express care and a positive attitude. And eco-friendly gift wrapping ideas will make the gift exchange experience even more beneficial for everyone. 

Many people believe that gift wrapping is secondary and only the gift itself is what really matters. In fact, gift packaging makes a huge difference in attitudes to presents. How exactly? Explore our blog post and find answers!

Does Gift Wrapping Matter?

Choosing a perfect gift for your loved ones, friends, or colleagues is only half the battle.

The next step is to present it to your recipient, and here gift wrapping matters. Gift packaging, indeed, can easily transform even the most ordinary thing into a bright present.

To answer the question, if recipients are more like wrapped gifts than unwrapped presents, Daniel Howard, professor of SMU Cox School of Business, conducted back in 1992 a series of experiments.

The result of his study wasn't unexpected. The gift-wrapping indeed positively influenced the recipients' attitudes toward owning a received gift.

But still, why is gift wrapping so important? Why do people need to wrap their presents? I have listed the top 3 benefits of wrapped gifts.

Wrapped Gift Makes A Positive Impression

You'll probably agree that the first impression usually affects our attitude to people and things.

So, it's not surprising that gift wrapping forms the first impression on the recipient about the gift, as well as the giver.

Did you know that an unwrapped gift can indicate a lack of effort or, even worse - disrespect of your recipient?

Gift-giving is an essential part of any relationship, so it's not unexpected that no one wants their recipient to interpret the unpacked gift as an unfriendly or rude act.

Wrapped Gift Looks Like A Real Gift

Another important point is that people have some expectation of what a gift should look like.

Colorful boxes and bags, wrapping paper, ribbons, bows, and other decorations - these are things that make a gift really a gift.

Whereas without these attributes, any present will look "naked."

Beautiful gift packaging will help delight a recipient by making any object bright and more festive. After all, gift wrapping is a symbol associated with happy and special events in a person's life, so it's no wonder that it plays a key role in the gift-giving practice.

Wrapped Gift Has A Surprise Effect

Finally, one of the main objectives of gift wrapping is to create a surprise effect for the recipient.

Anticipation and curiosity when the recipient wonders what the gift is (even if he/she is quite sure what's inside) bring limitless happiness and excitement.

There is something magical about the moment of unwrapping the gift. But if the gift is not wrapped, all the magic and surprise will disappear.

There is nothing special and remarkable when receiving a present in a plastic package or ordinary cardboard box.

Gift packaging isn't just about wrapping a present in beautiful paper. It's more about an attitude and desire to please a recipient. Indeed, a wrapped gift usually means that the giver has put a little extra time to add a present a personal touch.

Is Neatness Of Gift Wrapping Important?

People love wrapped gifts (this is a scientifically proven fact that is difficult to argue). But not everyone loves wrapping gifts.

Did you know that almost 30 % of Americans admit that holiday gift wrapping is worse than the most annoying household chores like cleaning the house, washing the dishes, or taking out the trash?

Wrapping gifts, indeed, takes time, effort, and patience. Besides, it requires creativity to amaze a recipient with a beautifully wrapped present. Not everyone, however, can boast extraordinary skills in gift wrapping.

So, what is better - to wrap a present on your own, even if it'll be looking a bit messy, or find a professional who quickly and exquisitely wraps your gift?

A recently published study conducted by a group of researchers found out that participants who received a sloppily wrapped present liked their gift much more than those who received a neatly wrapped one.

But don't jump to conclusions that messy gift wrapping is always the best option.

The same study had also shown that recipients liked the sloppily wrapped gift more when it came from a close friend, but in a case when the present came from an acquaintance, recipients preferred neatly wrapped gifts instead of sloppy ones.

Moreover, recipients usually have a significantly higher expectation about nicely and delicately wrapped gifts compared with messily covered ones.

So, if you don't want to disappoint your recipient, never believe if someone says that the cheaper the present, the more elegant and neat it should be wrapped.

The next time you will wrap a gift for your loved ones, friends, or acquaintances, keep in mind that the way you wrap it's important.

But also remember that the aim of gift wrapping is to show that you have put time and effort to make your recipient feel special, no matter if you wrapped a present on your own or used a professional gift wrapping service.

Eco-Friendly Gift Wrapping

Gift wrapping undoubtedly has many benefits.

Gift packaging not only makes any gift beautiful and fun to open but also helps to show a giver's care and attention.

Despite all these advantages, however, gift wrapping has one serious drawback - most of it's not recyclable.

Wrapping paper is light, dyed, and often includes foil, glitters, or plastic, making it impossible for efficient recycling. Each year Canadians throw out more than 500,000 tonnes of wrapping paper and gift bags, and Americans use enough wrapping paper to cover 45,000 football fields.

An impressive statistic, isn't it?

Some people, however, try to reuse gift wrapping, but, realistically, wrapping paper can be re-used only once or twice before finally throw-out. Does this mean that it's time to forego gift wrapping in favor of preserving the environment?

Not necessarily. There are many eco-friendly gift wrapping solutions that will help you please your recipient with beautifully wrapped gifts and take care of our planet. So, it's time to switch to eco-friendly ways of gift wrapping.

Here are some tips that will make your gift wrapping experience more environmentally friendly.

Use brown kraft paper

At first glance, it may seem that kraft paper is unsuitable for gift wrapping, but it's all about creativity.

Take some time and effort, and depending on the occasion, decorate a present with beautiful fresh or dried flowers, leaves, or fruit slices.

Show your imagination and add to your gift, wrapped in an ordinary brown paper, an extraordinary touch.

Make a handmade gift wrap

You likely have some old newspapers, magazines, maps, or sheet music at home.

So why not give them a new life?

Using such gift wrap alternatives is a perfect way to reduce, reuse and recycle.

Sounds like a great idea, isn't it?

Besides, it's an excellent opportunity to show your creativity. You can make a collage, highlight some positive words in articles, or add pins on a map.

Prefer 100% recyclable gift wrapping paper and gift bags

If you still cannot forego more traditional gift wrap, consider using recyclable wrapping paper and gift bags.

It's true that usually, such kind of wrapping paper is slightly more expensive than gift wrap from widely popular brands. But be sure, every cent is worth it.

Appealing and original eco-friendly wrap will make your gift truly unique.

Switch to fabric gift wrap

Fabric is the perfect alternative for traditional gift wrapping.

Thanks to various colors and patterns, the fabric is just as good as wrapping paper and even better.

Besides, Furoshiki - the Japanese art of gift wrapping using cloth each year gained popularity across the globe.

So, why not use one of the Furoshiki techniques to amaze your recipient with an exquisitely wrapped gift?

Decorate with recyclable accessories

Decorations are an important part of any gift wrapping.

But you no longer need to use "traditional" gift bows and ribbons that are hardly recyclable because there are many eco-friendly alternatives.

Are you wonder how to decorate your present? Here's the answer!

Add a nice touch to your gift with as natural as possible materials, such as twine and cotton ribbon, pine cones, and evergreen sprigs, as well as fresh flowers and dried plants or leaves.

Such eco-friendly alternatives to traditional gift wrap are beneficial to both you and the environment. Indeed, eco-friendly gift wrapping will help you reduce waste and to please your recipients with great-looking gifts.

Do your part to protect our planet -  wrap your present in an eco-friendly style!

When you put a gift in someone's hands, bear in mind that gift wrapping matters: even a perfect present without a festive wrap might be looking unperfect. And don't forget, gift-giving is all about making your loved ones happy. So next time, let's do it beautifully and eco-friendly!