Gift wrapping is the act of enclosing a gift in some sort of material. Wrapping paper is a kind of paper designed for gift wrapping. An alternative to gift wrapping is using a gift box or bag. A wrapped or boxed gift may be held closed with ribbon and topped with a decorative bow (an ornamental knot made of ribbon).
History
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The use of wrapping paper is first documented in ancient China, where paper was invented in 2nd century BC.[1] In the Southern Song dynasty, monetary gifts were wrapped with paper, forming an envelope known as a chih pao. The wrapped gifts were distributed by the Chinese court to government officials. [2] In the Chinese text Thien Kung Khai Wu, Sung Ying-Hsing states that the coarsest wrapping paper is manufactured with rice straws and bamboo fiber.[3]
Although the Hall brothers Rollie and Joyce Hall, founders of Hallmark Cards, did not invent gift wrapping, their innovations led to the development of modern gift wrapping. They helped to popularize the idea of decorative gift wrapping in the 20th century, and according to Joyce Hall, "the decorative gift-wrapping business was born the day Rollie placed those French envelope linings on top of that showcase."[4]
By culture
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Gift wrapped presents beneath the Christmas treeAsian cultures
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In Chinese culture, red wrapping denotes luck because it is such a vibrant and strong color. It is seen as a symbol of happiness and good health.
In Japanese culture, wrapping paper and boxes are common. However, the traditional cloth wrapping called furoshiki is increasing in popularity, particularly as an ecologically friendly alternative to wrapping paper.[5]
In Korean culture, bojagi are sometimes used for gift wrapping. A yedanbo is a ceremonial gift bojagi used to wrap wedding gifts from the bride's family to the members of the groom's.[6]
In Vietnamese culture, gift wrapping is an integral part of the gift-giving tradition.[7][8] Vietnamese people often use elegant and colorful gift boxes to create visual appeal. The colors red and gold are particularly favored, as they symbolize luck and joy. Vietnamese people also pay special attention to the messages and wishes on the gifts, expressing care and affection.[9] Additionally, there is a trend towards using environmentally friendly materials such as recycled paper and sustainable ribbons for gift wrapping.[10]
Western cultures
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In Western culture, gifts are often wrapped in wrapping paper and accompanied by a gift note which may note the occasion, the receiver's name and the giver's name.
Prior to the introduction of tissue paper, Upper-class Victorians in the west commonly used decorated and coloured thick paper to cover their gifts.[11] Modern patterned wrapping paper was introduced to the American market by the Hall Brothers in 1917. The Kansas City stationery store had run out of traditional white, red, and green monocolor tissue papers, and started selling colorful envelope liners from France. Proving popular, the company promoted the new designs in the subsequent decades, adding ribbons in the 1930s, and Hallmark remains one of the largest American producers of gift wrap.[12] Hallmark records that gift wrap accounts for $3.2 billion annually in retail sales in the U.S.[13]
Waste
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In Britain, it is estimated that 226,800 miles of wrapping paper is thrown away annually at Christmas.[14] In Canada, 6 million rolls of tape are used and discarded yearly for gift wrapping at Christmas.[15] Some people attempt to avoid wastage by unwrapping gifts with care to allow the paper to be reused, while others use decorated cloth gift sacks that can be easily reused many times; both of these concepts are part of the green gifting trend that encourages recycling. Many people are moving into the trend of wrapping gifts with newspaper, magazine pages, old maps, calendars and into baskets to save single use wrapping paper from ending up in the garbage. [16]
Torn gift wrapping paper after the gift exchangeDisposal
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Disposing of wrapping paper has become increasingly complex as not all papers are made entirely of paper and can be disposed of as regular waste paper. Visually stunning glossy gift papers are often coated with plastic varnishes or films, making them unsuitable for recycling and requiring disposal as residual waste. Only simple, printed gift wrapping paper can be easily recycled with regular paper waste.[17][18]
If gift papers were fully recyclable and recycled at a 100% rate, it could save 70% of energy compared to linear production. However, especially glittering, laminated, and textured gift papers contain a significant amount of microplastics. Previous generations[when?] used to carefully preserve gift wrapping paper for reuse and only used fabric ribbons to avoid damaging the paper, but more recent practice relies on laminated paper with adhesive tape, which is often discarded after a single use.[19]
Not every gift packaging is recyclablePackaging waste
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In Germany, approximately 100 grams of gift wrapping paper per person are used each year, resulting in up to 8,000 tons of wrapping paper waste. However, not all types of paper can be fully recycled.[20]
Estimates from the United Kingdom indicate that the equivalent of 108 million rolls of gift wrapping paper were discarded after Christmas 2018, considering an annual consumption that exceeds 350,000 kilometers.[19]
In Canada, gift packaging and paper shopping bags generate 540,000 tons of packaging waste annually. Due to recycling challenges, most gift wrapping paper made from various materials ends up in landfills.[21]
During the Christmas season in the United States, an additional 5 million tons of waste are generated, with up to 4 million tons consisting of various gift packaging and gift papers.[19]
Function and usage
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A study conducted in 1992 at Southern Methodist University in Texas examined whether the act of wrapping a gift has an impact on the recipient's experience. It was found that gift wrapping enhances anticipation and that recipients tend to value wrapped gifts more than unwrapped ones.[22]
Gift wrapping paper serves multiple purposes: it protects the gift during transportation and provides an element of surprise and excitement when it is unwrapped. Therefore, gift wrapping paper is used not only during gift exchanges but also for occasions like children's birthdays.[23][24]
Gift wrapping papers are designed to suit different occasions where gift-giving is customary, leading to a separation of motifs. The industry distinguishes between year-round collections and seasonal collections, with Christmas gift wrapping paper being the most prominent among seasonal products. Nowadays, specialized gift wrapping paper is available for various occasions such as birthdays, weddings, Mother's Day, and anniversaries.
Many stores now offer on-site gift wrapping services, either for free or for a fee, depending on the store. Some drugstores even provide complimentary gift wrapping paper for items purchased in-store.
Additionally, an increasing number of online retailers offer gift wrapping as an additional service. Some even offer the option to send the wrapped gifts directly to the recipient along with a personalized greeting card.
Industrially manufactured gift wrapping paper is widely accessible to consumers in retail stores, usually in the form of small rolls protected by plastic packaging. Certain specialty stationery stores offer gift wrapping paper in sheet format, featuring embossed patterns or special treatments like glitter elements.
It is now possible for individuals to create custom-designed gift wrapping paper at home and have the design printed by a printing shop or photo lab.
Psychology
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In the past, gift wrapping has been shown to positively influence the recipients who are more likely to rate their gifts positively if they had traditional gift wrapping.[25] More recently, researchers have found that gift recipients will have higher expectations of the gift inside based on the neatness of the gift-wrapping.[26]
In many countries the colour of wrapping paper has associations with symbolic meanings pertaining to funerals and mourning. These certain colours should be avoided when wrapping gifts in these countries. [27]
References
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Media related to Gift-wrapping at Wikimedia Commons
Everybody loves receiving a well-wrapped gift at Christmas or on their birthday. The wrapping paper enhances the style and premium feel of the gift, and the love and attention lavished on the act of wrapping makes the recipient feel even more important and appreciated.
This basic psychology of gift giving and receiving has important implications for ecommerce retailers – as much as it does for individuals wondering whether or not to bother wrapping their Christmas gifts this year.
To underline this, a Guardian article from 2010 cited a 1992 study that tested the response of participants to well-wrapped gift items – finding that people who received a nicely wrapped gift demonstrated a more favourable attitude towards the item itself.
For brands, therefore, investing in high quality gift packaging and bespoke wrapping could have a beneficial impact on the chance of securing repeat business and social media recommendations, as well as increased brand reputation.
It genuinely does appear that ‘it’s the thought that counts’, with packaging for making a good impression on customers and gift recipients. Why is this?
Gift wrapping is associated with happy events in a person's life, such as birthdays, holidays, and weddings. Receiving a wrapped gift, therefore, can cue a positive mood in the giftee by association, which in turn makes them more likely to view the contents of the package favourably. This is especially true if the wrapping is done skilfully and tastefully. A beautiful custom wrapped item conveys thoughtfulness and care, two qualities that customers always appreciate.
So, whether you're commissioning bespoke gift wrapping for customers or wrapping presents for your own loved ones, there are a few key things to keep in mind if you want your gift packaging to make the right impression.
First, don’t scrimp on quality. High-quality gift wrapping should include premium (and recyclable) wrapping paper, tape, ribbon, or other brand-appropriate decorations. Second, take your time and don't rush the process, or outsource the process to a specialist ecommerce packaging and gift-wrapping service if you don’t have the resources in house. Rushing will only result in wonky wrinkles and sloppy corners, which could make a negative impression on recipients. And third, try to use coordinating colours and patterns for an elegant and polished look to your gift items. Remember that less is more in modern gift wrapping. Gaudy packaging may detract from your product and dilute your brand identity during the unboxing process.
Gift giving is an age-old Christmas tradition that shows no signs of slowing down – regardless of the ups and downs of economic uncertainty. For UK online retailers, it's important to be aware of the psychological role that gift wrapping can play in influencing customer perceptions of items that they purchase as gifts for others, and those that they receive themselves.
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