Seven steps to the perfect gift wrap

Just as all the holiday shopping is done and a little relaxation sets in with that first glass of eggnog, the to-do list just pops right back up.

Now to wrap the gifts.

A little planning, forethought and technique can get even the sloppiest into shape for the wrapping extravaganza.

1. Put it in a box

It's easiest to wrap gifts that are rectangular in shape. So if the gift isn't already in a squared-off box, find one of the appropriate size to put it into. Be sure to include tissue paper, bubble wrap or even repurposed newspaper (after you've read all the important articles and scanned for great ads, of course) to keep breakables from rattling.

Technically, it's best to find a box that allows for padding but is close in size to the gift inside, unless you have a jokester on your hands or someone who tries to spoil the surprise of the gift. Then consider a ridiculously shaped or sized box to throw them off. Or, for a really entertaining Christmas morning, place a gift inside a box, inside another box inside another box — but make sure your recipient has the patience and the humor to appreciate this trick.

2. Measure the paper

Unroll the wrapping paper and place the box onto the middle of it lengthwise. There should be enough paper on the left and right sides of the box to cover more than half of the box (don't forget about the depth of the box too).

There should also be enough paper on the top and bottom of the box to cover the depth of the box. So if the box is 1-inch tall, there needs to be an inch of paper above and below the box.

Once you're sure there's enough to go around (leave a little extra if you're not sure, you can always trim later), try to cut the paper off the roll as straight as you can.

3. Fold and tape

Put the paper face down on a flat surface and then place the box face down on top of it. Fold the left side over the box, then right and use clear tape to seal the seam. Usually three pieces will do the trick, but use your judgment.

And then the trickier part: Turn to the top or bottom of the box. Fold the sides of the wrapping paper into the center of the box, then fold the top flap down and the bottom flap up and tape. The trick to a pristine wrapping job is making sure all the corners are tight and the seams are sealed.

4. Wait, you're not done

Add some ribbon and a bow. The easiest way to do this is to just tape a piece of ribbon around from one side to the other in a perpendicular fashion and tape a store-bought bow on top.

But get creative. With nice ribbon, you can wrap your gift and create a brilliant bow on top (think, tying your shoes with something more fancy).

5. Gift tag

Don't forget to label who the gift is for and from. You can design tags yourself, use a piece of scrap paper or use the traditional style, cardboard type that you can buy at any big-box store.

Santa always wrote our names straight on the wrapping paper with a marker so we wouldn't have any confusion.

6. When it hasn't gone well

Drop it into a gift bag but make sure to include tissue paper to surround and hide the gift. If the gift is for a young child, consider giving wrapping your best shot, even if it's just in yesterday's newspaper.

7. Plan for next year

Keeping your gift wrap, ribbons and tags organized is the key to making gift wrapping simple.

"Keep your tissue paper, twine and wrapping paper organized and accessible in a single bin (one that's large enough to accommodate wrapping-paper rolls); place smaller bins filled with labels and tags inside," Martha Stewart magazine suggests. "After-Christmas sales are the perfect time to stock up on paper and trimmings for the following year."