I Wrap Christmas Presents for Celebrities and The Royal Family – Here are My Tips for the Perfect Wrap
Insights from expert gift wrapper, Jane Means, who has wrapped presents for The King, as well as Camilla and Prince William
Jane Means, who has wrapped for The Royal Household as well as celebrities, has revealed some of the top tips and biggest mistakes when it comes to concealing gifts with decorative paper and creating that all‑important element of suspense and surprise. “Wrapping presents can seem like a simple task, but most people struggle with it,” Jane explains. “Using too little or too much paper, folding it in the wrong places, and drowning it in far too much tape can make the process much more cumbersome and stressful than it needs to be.”
A poll of 2,000 Brits, suggests only 20% have successfully mastered the art of wrapping, with 70% saying they hate the task. The research was conducted by Perspectus Global with the data collected between 14.11.25 to 18.11.25.
More than half (51%) admit it is their least favourite part of the festive season. In fact, irritation runs high; 67% become annoyed if wrapping doesn’t go their way, with ‘festive frustration’ kicking in after only 16 minutes. Common niggles include, not being able to find the end of the tape, it sticking in the wrong place, paper running out, cutting sheets too small and rolls of tape quickly vanishing due to overly generous use.
To help ease the pressure on the nation’s ‘present preppers’ and share some essential festive tips, Jane joined forces with The Motor Ombudsman – a respected expert on all things motoring – to launch the UK’s first-ever Car‑istmas® drive‑through wrapping service.
With drivers facing an average of 18 gifts to wrap ahead of the big day, the lucky participants could simply pull up, wind down the window and hand their presents to Jane for the ‘royal treatment’. The service saved them around 56 minutes of solo wrapping stress – all without leaving the comfort of their car. To complete the festive pit stop, mechanics were on hand to give vehicles a quick once‑over, ensuring every getaway was as safe and smooth as the wrapping itself.
Alex Lindley, CEO of The Motor Ombudsman-accredited Lindleys Autocentres group of garages, which hosted the first-ever Car-istmas® drive-though, said: “To avoid any nightmares at Christmas and any unwanted interruptions to the long-awaited festive break, preparing your car for the road ahead is just as crucial in ensuring everyone and their gifts all arrive safely.”
JANE’S TOP TIPS TO ACHIEVE THE PERFECT WRAP:
- When wrapping a box, use double‑sided tape, as it will give a professional finish and seamless look. Ensure you don’t have too much excess paper, as it will be more difficult to wrap.
- For awkward gifts, choose a flexible material such as fabric, tissue or cellophane, as it will mould around the shape more easily than paper.
- Wrap really bulky and large items in a paper tablecloth. It is much easier than joining paper and is inexpensive.
- For extra‑large gifts, use plain brown packing paper as a base, then add a strip of decorative or Christmas print across the middle, and finish with ribbon. This will make an eye‑catching feature and ensure the ribbon doesn’t look lost on the item.
- Write your tags first and place them on top of the presents you are wrapping, as there is nothing more annoying than wrapping several gifts and not remembering who they are for!
- Add finishing touches to your presents, including fresh foliage, baubles, feathers and recycled Christmas decorations.
- Be organised and buy lots of supplies early, including non‑Christmas wrap that can be used all year round. You always need more materials than you think, so bulk buy.
- Inject some personalisation to really give the ‘wow’ factor. You could tie in dried flowers for a gardener, wrap in music scores for a musician or photocopy old photos for a school friend.
- If you are running short of time, bundle a couple of gifts together. A stack of presents looks very effective and will save on materials. `
- Enjoy the experience, and make some time for yourself with a tipple and some favourite music. You could even invite friends around and have a wrapping party.