We Learned How To Wrap Gifts Like A Pro From An Actual Pro

Pretty or not, give the best gifts to unwrap this season with MetroPCS.

We asked Cara Cohen of The Perfect Gift in Manhattan to teach us some tips and tricks for wrapping beautiful presents, making gorgeous-but-easy bows, and presenting hard-to-wrap gifts in a fun and eye-catching way. Cara has appeared on national daytime television shows to demonstrate her tips and is a gift basket industry expert, instructor, and award-winning designer with over 15 years experience. You can see more of Cara's work on her Instagram profile.

Here's what we learned:

Start with a sheet of paper the correct size for your gift, and fold all of the edges down so you have clean lines with no seams.

Begin wrapping the gift with the seam on the bottom. Secure with a loop of tape (or double-sided tape) on the inside of the seam so it's hidden from view.

Now tuck in each of the two shorter sides like you're making an envelope.

Pull down the flap that is flat on the table — this will be on the top of the gift when you finish — and fold down the top flap to meet it.

Secure the flap to the side of the pack using heavy duty tape or a glue gun if you have one.

To add a festive bow, loop a piece of ribbon around two corners of the gift and then tie it in the front. Cut notches in the ribbon's tail and add a festive touch with a glue gun.

1. From a roll of solid-colored ribbon and a roll of an accent ribbon, cut two long pieces of ribbon.

2. Loop your solid ribbon 6 times and loop the accent ribbon around that 6 times, so you will have 12 loops.

3. Fold the loop of ribbon in half at the middle and cut a notch on each side without cutting into the center.

4. Use a small piece of curling ribbon to tie the ribbons together at the notch very tightly.

5. Separate the tails and cut a fishtail notch in each.

6. Finally separate and fluff the loops!

1. Start with two good quality pieces of ribbons and line them up.

2. Keeping the ribbon together, make four loops like a pretzel.

3. Tie the loops together at the center and secure it with a piece of curling ribbon. Make sure the knot is tight!

4. Separate the loops for a big full bow.

5. To add it to a package, use a third piece of ribbon and center it under the upside-down box. Bring the two pieces to what will be the bottom of the box and tie a knot to cross them. Bring the ribbons back down to the front of the box and tie.

6. Then tie your already-finished bow to the top!

1. Start with 2 pieces of ribbon.

2. Take your larger piece of ribbon and cross it in a small loop and bring down the bow in the middle.

2. Use the small curling ribbon to secure the larger bow.

3. Loop your smaller ribbon 6 times, similar to a pretzel, and tie that in the middle with curling ribbon. Then open it up.

4. Glue the smaller bow to the larger one with a hot glue gun!

1. Start with a bottle of wine and a small cutting board and small treats or add upcycled items from your home.

2. Slide a roll of cellophane under the board. Put the largest item on the board in the center and secure it with tape (you don’t want to see the tape!).

3. Tape a treat in the front and arrange the other items around it.

4. Take the cellophane higher than the highest object and, leaving the sides open, use ribbons to tie it.

5. Tape the open edges on the side in, hiding the tape.

6. Add the bow!

1. To wrap an unusually shaped caddy, start with two large pieces of fabric. Bring one piece under and up the sides of the caddy and tie it with curling ribbon.

2. Repeat with the other piece of fabric on the other side.

3. Trim the tops of the fabric and arrange it however you like.

4. Add a piece of shiny ribbon to cover the curling ribbon and glue a festive accent in the middle of the ribbon with a hot glue gun.

1. Start with a piece of tissue paper. Fold in like an accordion and stuff into the back of the coffee cup.

2. Add some coffee or hot cocoa and then add some festive branches or whatever you have in your home to give the gift some height and a special touch.

3. Finish the gift by tying a homemade bow to the handle.

1. Start with two different types of tissue paper. Cut each into two long strips for a total of four strips.

2. Arrange the strips in the box, layering them so they're facing different ways and next to different-colored paper.

3. Add your presents!

4. Bring the tissue paper up over the gifts to cover it and add a small touch like a lollipop for the person receiving the gift to find.

1. Start with a pet bowl and fill it with crinkle-cut paper shreds.

2. Begin layering the gifts with the largest in the back.

3. Tie a simple bow to one of the pet's treats.

4. Bring a piece of cellophane under the gift and pull up to wrap the gift. Tie together with a piece of the same ribbon you used in the previous step!

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Sales tax not included.

All images Lauren Zaser / © BuzzFeed

Design by Laura Hoerner / © BuzzFeed