The Best Way to Tie a Bow on a Gift Box

Add a Pleasing Finishing Touch on Holiday Presents

Nov 11, 2009

5 - Loop Ends and Tie In a Knot, Wendy Picard

Using a wide, flat ribbon, tie a gift bow on Christmas presents that has no knots and looks professional!

With the holidays fast approaching, many smart consumers are already choosing what to purchase for gifts and finding the best deals. After wrapping a present, use this step-by-step guide to tying a bow around the box. The final picture will have ribbon coming up all four sides of the box, and the bow can be placed right in the middle or farther into a corner on top of the gift. This bow-tying method will work on anything with four sides, but looks best on a box.

The following instructions are presented assuming that the gift-wrapper looks straight down at the box.

Place the ribbon on the top face of the box so it rests on it. Leave about 18 inches sticking out to the left side, with the roll of ribbon sticking out to the right.
Wrap the roll-end of the ribbon down the right side, under the box, and up the left side. Make sure it crosses the loose end by coming up and over it, from the bottom side of the ribbon up towards the top edge of the box.
Using the left thumb to hold this intersection down, angle the roll-end up to the top edge of the box, so it is going North-East.
Wrap the ribbon down this side, under the box, and up again, then bring it up so it meets the ribbon intersection. At this point, it is easiest to maneuver if the ribbon is cut, so the roll is no longer a factor. Cut another 18 inches past the ribbon intersection.
Pass the end of the ribbon over the intersection, then slide it under, so it ends up going South-East.
Loop the two ends, then tie the ends together in a bow. Cut the very ends on an angle, or a swallow-tail. No knots are tied in the ribbon until the final bow, and when the bow ends are pulled, the whole ribbon falls off the box very nicely. There is also no need to cut the ribbon when the gift is opened.

Before tying the bow, position the straight pieces of ribbon so they are making right angles on the box. Also, it is possible to adjust where the bow will land, by pulling the intersection in the direction you want. Then tighten up the ribbon. Tie the bow when everything is in place. Double check to make sure there are no twists in the ribbon – everything should lie flat.

It is possible to tie a bow this way around a gift that is round; however, it will be easier to use small pieces of double-sided tape to keep the ribbon pieces in place. Otherwise, they might slip off and the whole bow will come off.

Use ribbon of contrasting color to the gift wrap color – this way, gift receivers can admire the talented bow-tying skills used to wrap their present!

HOL101

The copyright of the article The Best Way to Tie a Bow on a Gift Box in Holiday Entertaining is owned by Wendy Picard. Permission to republish The Best Way to Tie a Bow on a Gift Box in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.