How to Wrap a Round Gift

Co-authored by Amy Guerrero

Wrapping gifts can be fun, but it gets tough when you’re trying to wrap a ball or other circular objects. They don’t have edges, so it’s hard to know where to fold your paper without wrinkling it or making the present look awkward and bulky. With some strategic folding and cutting, though, you can wrap up that round ball or cylinder like a pro!

Things You Should Know

Put a large bowl under the wrapping paper with your round gift on top to make it easier to wrap.
Use folds and creases to wrap the gift tightly so that the excess paper doesn’t stick out.
You can roll the gift up in the center and then fold and tape the edges in for a neater, geometric look.
For a cylindrical gift, roll it in the center of the wrapping paper and fold the leftover paper on top of the flatter sides of the object.

Method 1

Method 1 of 3:

Twist-Wrapping a Ball

1
Cut a long piece of wrapping paper. You’ll need a length of wrapping paper that’s longer than it is wide, but it should be wide enough to cover the gift completely. When the gift is in the center of the paper, you should have at least a few inches of paper left over on either side.
- The exact size of the paper depends on the size of your gift. It’s better to err on the side of caution, though, since you can always trim off extra paper at the end.
2
Slide a bowl under your wrapping paper and place the gift on top. Putting your gift on top of a bowl or a large roll of tape will give it something to stand up on, which will make it easier for you to wrap. Once you’ve slid the bowl under, place your gift on top and slide it so it’s in the center of your paper.^{[1]
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- The short sides should be to the left and right of the gift, and the long sides should be in front and behind it.
- Use a bowl or tape roll that’s small enough to hold your object up without letting it slip through.
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3
Pull the wrapping paper to the top of the object. With one hand, reach across your gift and pull the long side of the wrapping paper towards you, bending it up and over the top. Make sure it reaches the center of your gift, and let the excess paper jut out to the sides.^{[2]
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4
Crease the wrapping paper gently, going around the ball to cover it. Holding the edge of the wrapping paper against the top of the gift in one hand. With the other, start to gather the rest of the paper and gently fold it into the top. Collect the paper in one hand as you move around the gift.^{[3]
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- You can make the folds large or small, depending on the size of the gift and the look you’re going for.
- As you get to the other side of the ball, switch hands so that you’re folding with the hand closest to the unbent paper.
Tip: Pull the folds tightly against the gift for the neatest look.
5
Tie the excess paper at the top with a ribbon. Once you’ve gathered all the wrapping paper at the top, use a ribbon to tie it into place. You can also apply some tape to make it extra secure. Then, cut the excess wrapping at the top until it’s a few inches long, or whatever looks best.^{[4]
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- Cut your ribbon before you start wrapping so you don’t have to hold the paper and cut the ribbon at the same time.

Method 2

Method 2 of 3:

Folding Wrapping Paper for a Spherical Gift

1
Place the object in the center of your wrapping paper. Cut your paper, measuring first to make sure it covers the whole gift. Then, set your gift in the middle so that the long sides are in front and behind it, and the short sides are to either side.^{[5]
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Tip: For this method, just pretend you’re wrapping a box. The wrapping will be a little looser, but you’ll be able to complete it quicker and more easily.
2
Fold the long sides of the paper over the object and tape them in place. Grab the long side that’s furthest from you, and pull it over the top of the gift. Then, do the same with the other long side. Make sure they overlap and that there’s no gap. Then, use a 1–4 in (2.5–10.2 cm) piece of tape to secure them in place.^{[6]
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- If your gift is larger, you might need a bigger piece of tape, or even a few separate ones. Use your best judgment to see what works the best.
3
Make triangular folds at one end of the gift. At one of the open ends, pull the wrapping paper down so that it’s flush against the gift. Then, pull one side in to create a triangular fold towards the center. Repeat on the other side until you have one pointed flap of paper sticking out.^{[7]
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- Pull the side flaps in as tightly as you can to make the wrapping neat.
4
Pull up the bottom flap and tape it in place. Continue to hold the side flaps tightly against the center. Then, take the bottom flap and press it up against the gift. Use a small piece of tape to hold it in place.^{[8]
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5
Repeat on the other end of the gift. Do the same holding, folding, and taping steps on the other side of the gift to complete your wrapping job. Gently pull out any crinkles at the corners to give it a neater overall look.^{[9]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 3:

Wrapping a Cylindrical Gift

1
Set the cylinder on its side in the middle of the wrapping paper. Place the gift close enough to the edge so that if you bend the paper up towards the flat end of the object, it hits right at the middle. Make sure the paper is long enough to fully wrap around the gift with at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) of overlap.^{[10]
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- The flat ends of the gift should be facing the long sides of the paper.
Tip: This method works for tall, cylindrical gifts as well as flat round ones.
2
Roll and tape the short ends of the paper over the gift. Take one of the short ends and pull it up and over the curved side of the cylinder. Hold it in place while you do the same with the other end. Then, tape it into place with a strip of tape as long as the overlapping side.^{[11]
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- For a neater look, you can use double-sided tape. Before you pull the paper over the gift, place it on the underside of one edge of paper, then roll the paper and smooth the tape into place.
3
Bend the top edge over one flat end of the gift. Making sure that the gift is still center in the paper tube, carefully fold the top edge of the paper over one of the flat sides. Crease it neatly and as close to the object as you can.^{[12]
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4
Fold a diagonal triangle crease towards the center. Hold the top of the paper in place. Then, pinch the paper slightly on one side and pull it gently in. Make a sharp, diagonal crease that points toward the center of the flat, circular end.^{[13]
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5
Make a second, overlapping diagonal crease. Pinch a bit of the loose paper next to the crease you just made and do the same thing. Make a neat, diagonal fold that overlaps the fold you just made.^{[14]
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- Hold the two creases in place tightly with one hand.
6
Repeat the creases all around the flat end. Continue making overlapping creases across the flat end of the gift, eventually moving down to the bottom half of the paper. Make them as tight as possible so they stay in place while you move across the gift. When all the creases are finished, it should look a bit like a spiral at the flat end of the gift.^{[15]
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- You can roll the gift as you go to make it easier to fold.
7
Secure the center with a piece of tape. Once all the creases are completed, take a small piece of tape and place it right over the center of the flat end, where all of the creases point to. Repeat on the second flat end of the cylinder to complete the wrapping^{[16]
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- If you want to hide the center of the creases, tie or stick a bow over it.