Wrapping Paper

Manufacturers and suppliers are unrolling a cascade of wrapping paper colors and styles to retailers who offer walk-in customers free or paid gift wrapping, and they're also making beautiful assortments available to consumers who simply love closing their gifts in uniquely-designed papers.

New styles arrive each year, and the selections are vast. During the spring you'll find butterflies, neon swirls, or balloon bunches represented on white, pink, and green backgrounds. When the fall arrives, holiday designs shine in colors of orange, silver, and red.

I choose a solid white wrapping paper when I want to make a personal statement. And I mean this literally. I select several marking pen colors, spread the paper across the table, and write the recipient's name or gift-giving phrase direction on the wrapping paper. Everyone thinks I purchased the paper with the writing already applied.

There are many wonderful ways to create an attractive gift, such as the vest and shirt combination shown here. Wrapping paper looks good draped across a table or countertop. It acts as a temporary shelf lining. And when the edges become torn, frayed, or old, it's crushed into a ball to elevate items within a bag, box, or gift basket.

The next time you walk into a retail store or attend a trade show to find new and different wrapping paper, choose styles that are transferable to as many occasions as possible. This advice will prove difficult, as you'll want to pick up 12 or more rolls because each color and design is more spectacular than the next.