Holiday Gift Wrapping Made Easier: Accessible Tips & Tricks

As the holidays approach, ‘tis the season for holiday hacks and tips. One key (and sometimes daunting) task on many people’s holiday to-do list after the busy hustle and bustle of shopping for presents is: gift wrapping. For those living with neuromuscular disease, limited dexterity and/or range of motion and muscle weakness and fatigue can make gift wrapping challenging.

Whether you are wrapping a gift for your caregiver, partner, friend, or family member, these gift wrapping hacks can make the process a little easier and more accessible.

Setting up your station

Creating an accessible wrapping station is the first step in increasing independence while wrapping. Designate a workspace that allows you to easily reach all the items you will need while wrapping. Have a caregiver or family member help you set up your station if needed. Opt for a table or desk area where you can sit comfortably or easily pull up a wheelchair. Set small side tables or tall chairs on either side of where you are sitting for additional space to place unwrapped and wrapped gifts.

Staying organized and saving energy

If you have a lot of gifts to wrap, don’t pressure yourself to do it all at once. Plan multiple small wrapping sessions to save energy. Keep a list or spreadsheet of the gifts that you have purchased and for whom, then check each one off as you wrap them to take the guesswork out of remembering what you have already wrapped and what you still need to wrap.

Plan when you will wrap gifts based on when you have the most time and energy to commit to the task. Conserve strength and energy by taking breaks or asking for a hand when you need to.

Tape dispenser assistant.

Cutting and taping made easier

If you plan to wrap your gifts in traditional wrapping paper, there are a plethora of products that can make cutting and taping easier and more accessible. If you are having someone help you set up your station, a foldable tape dispenser assistant with multiple cutter sections is a great addition. This device allows you to pull tape across the compartments and cut each piece of tape ahead of time so that you can easily grab pre-cut pieces of tape as you wrap. A handheld tape dispenser is perfect for putting tape directly onto wrapping paper with one hand. And clip-on table tape dispensers make it easy to tear one piece of tape at a time using one hand, and you don’t risk losing your roll of tape as you work.

Some clip-on table models are designed so that you can attach a roll of wrapping paper between two clip-ons to easily roll out paper, place your gift, and access pieces of tape as you wrap. Other hand-held tape dispensers serve a dual purpose as paper cutters, with an opening so that you can slide the dispenser/cutter over the roll of the paper, wheels to roll the device and safely cut paper as you go, and an easy-to-hold handle. Similar paper cutting designs, like round slide-wrap cutters and wrap cutters with wheels and an easy to grip handle, don’t include a tape dispenser if you prefer a smaller model.

Wrapping paper cutter.

You can also opt for bundles of pre-cut wrapping paper sheets if maneuvering and cutting from large rolls of paper is difficult.

Getting creative with wrapping methods

In addition to innovative devices for traditional wrapping, there are also numerous alternative wrapping methods that may prove more accessible based on your needs. These creative and fun options are an easy replacement for paper and tape.

• Holiday gift boxes come in a variety of sizes and beautiful designs. Most dollar stores and off-price department stores, like Marshall’s, have an affordable selection of gift boxes that take the work out of wrapping. You can add tissue paper or simply place your gift inside.
• Gift bags are another easy and popular way to present gifts. Just like gift boxes, affordable and attractive gift bags are easily available online or at local stores. Save money by purchasing bundles of gift bags and by saving the gift bags that you receive to re-use next year.
• Another creative option for gift wrapping is to give a “gift-in-a-gift” by placing the present in a storage tote, small decorative crate, or cute woven basket that the recipient can use at home. Style the gift with tissue paper, bows, and/or a pretty card tucked in.
• Similar to the “gift-in-a-gift” idea, the Japanese gift-wrapping method known as furoshiki uses fabric, like a tea towel or scarf, wrapped around a present and tied with a knot.
• Themed containers – like burlap bags, fabric gift bags, mason jars or fancy glass cannisters (which are great for perishable gifts or small nonperishable gifts with tissue paper), and window treat boxes for baked goods or small gifts – are another easy and cute alternative to wrapping. For an extra creative touch, you can add a festive string or ribbon and evergreen sprig or pinecone.

A gift wrapped using the furoshiki method.

Making it fun and festive

Make your gift-wrapping session special by playing festive music, lighting a holiday candle, sipping a special drink, playing your favorite holiday movie, or inviting a friend to wrap with you. And however you choose to wrap your gifts this season, just remember that gifts don’t need to be elaborate, expensive, or perfectly presented – they just need to be given with love.