Gathered Paper
Set your candle on a large square piece of wrapping paper. Cut your wrapping or tissue paper into a square so the distance from the center to the corner is longer than the height of the candle. Lay the paper flat on the table so it looks like a diamond, and stand your candle upright directly in the center. Layer 2–3 pieces of wrapping paper or tissue paper with fun patterns and colors. The added paper gives your gift more decorative frills at the top.
Bring the corners of the paper together on top of the candle. Take the left and right corners and fold them toward the center so they touch above the candle. Then, just bring the top and bottom corners up to meet them. If you’re using multiple sheets of wrapping paper, fold all the corners of 1 piece before folding in the corners of another.
Pinch the folded paper together above the center of the candle. Keep holding the corners together over the top of the candle with one hand. Use your other hand to pinch the wrapping paper just above the top of the candle. Gather the loose wrapping paper into a bunch so it turns into a frilly bow at the top of your gift. This also helps slightly disguise the shape of your candle so it’s more of a surprise when someone opens it.
Tie the paper closed with a ribbon. Get a piece of ribbon, string, or twine that’s long enough to wrap around the gathered paper. Wrap the ribbon around the paper 2–3 times to ensure it stays securely closed. Tie the ribbon into a bow or knot to finish wrapping your gift. Want to put a twist on your bow? Hold a pair of scissors so the blades are barely open and pull a ribbon between them to curl it.
Candy Wrapper
Cut wrapping paper 6 in (15 cm) taller than the candle. Measure the candle’s circumference, add ⁄2–1 inch (1.3–2.5 cm), and transfer the length to your wrapping paper. Then, find the height of your candle and add 6 in (15 cm) to find the width you need. Cut the paper down to size with a pair of scissors. Twisting the ends works well for all types of wrapping paper, including tissue paper and cellophane. Just keep in mind you won’t be able to stand the candle upright once it’s wrapped.
Wrap the paper around the candle. Place a piece of double-sided tape along the side edge of the wrapping paper. Lay the candle down on its side along the opposite edge of the paper. Then, simply roll the candle toward the other end of the paper to wrap it up. Seal the overlapping edge of the paper with the tape. Be careful not to shift the candle around inside the wrapping paper. It may make the twisted ends look uneven if the candle is closer to one side.
Twist the open ends of the paper so they’re tight against the candle. Hold the candle in place with one hand. Pinch the excess paper just past the edge of the candle and gather it toward the center. Lightly twist the paper so it’s somewhat tight against the end of the candle. Then, hold the other end of the candle and twist the excess wrapping paper on that end as well. Avoid twisting the paper too tightly against the end of the candle because it could rip.
Tie the ends with a decorative ribbon. Cut a piece of ribbon that’s long enough to tie a decorative bow or form a knot. Secure the ribbon around the twisted paper at each end of the gift and tie the pieces so the candle can’t fall out. For a more classic and rustic look, use twine to tie the paper instead. If you don’t have any ribbons or twine, simply tape around the twisted paper to hold it in place.
Fan Fold
Cut the wrapping paper so it overlaps when it wraps around the candle. Lay your wrapping paper flat on the table and lay the candle on its side along the edge. Wrap the paper around the circumference of the candle until it overlaps by about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Mark the measurement on the paper with a pencil. Then, measure the height and diameter of the candle and add them together to find the height of the wrapping paper. Cut the paper down to size with a pair of scissors. These measurements give you enough paper to fold over and cover the ends of the candle. This folding method works best on heavier or thicker wrapping paper because it’s less likely to rip as you’re folding it.
Wrap the paper around the circumference of the candle. Apply a short strip of double-sided tape along the side edge of the paper near the middle. Position the candle on its side near the edge so there’s an even amount of wrapping paper sticking out from the top and bottom. Secure the taped edge to the candle and slowly roll your candle to wrap the paper around it. Then, just tape the edge down with another strip of double-sided tape. If you want to hide the cut edge of the wrapping paper, fold it over by about ⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) first.
Pull and fold the paper on both ends to form pleats. Stand the candle up on one of the ends. Put your thumb on the paper just above the edge of the candle and push down toward the center of the candle’s end. Make a crease in the paper to form the first pleat. Move your thumb around the edge of the candle by 1 inch (2.5 cm), and fold the paper inward again to make the next pleat. Continue making pleats around the candle’s circumference. After you finish one side, flip your candle over to pleat the other end. Try to smooth out the paper as best as you can before creasing it so the folds look clean and precise. Imagine the end of your candle is a clock face, and try to form a pleat wherever there would be a number so you have 12 pleats total. Tucking the pleats underneath each other will make them stay on their own, but if you’re worried about them coming undone, apply a strip of tape over the center to hold the folds down.
Tape a circular piece of wrapping paper to cover the folds. Cut 2 circular pieces of wrapping paper out that are slightly smaller than the circumference of the candle. Apply a piece of double-sided tape to the back of each circle and stick them onto the pleated ends to hide any unwanted creases or messy folds. If you’re happy with how the folds look, you can skip this step to show them off.
Decorate the wrapped candle with ribbons or bows. If you want to zhuzh up your present and give it another decorative touch, wrap a ribbon around the present tie the ends in a bow. Choose ribbons that have bright, fun colors for a festive look, or go for more muted tones if you want a classier presentation.
Gift Bag
Wrap tissue paper loosely around the candle. Lay a few square or rectangular sheets of tissue paper on a table, and lay your candle down on its side on top. Fold the tissue paper over the candle until it’s completely covered. The tissue paper helps slightly hide the candle, so it doesn’t matter if it’s wrapped tightly. Use about 1–2 layers of tissue paper. Gift bags are perfect if you want to wrap your gift without using any tape.
Place the wrapped candle into the bottom of a gift bag. Find a gift bag that’s large enough to hold your candle and strong enough to support its weight. Open up the gift bag and either stand the candle upright or lay it down on its side. Avoid using thin or flimsy gift bags for candles in jars or heavy glass because they could easily tear through and break. If you have wrapping paper you really like, try folding it to make your own gift bag.
Finish decorating the gift bag with extra tissue paper. Lay a piece of tissue paper flat on your table, or layer multiple pieces so the corners are offset. Pinch the tissue paper in the middle and flick it up to fluff the ends. Set the tissue paper inside of the gift bag so it covers the candle and the fluffed ends stick out from the top. Try using multiple colors of tissue paper or paper that has glitter in it to give your gift bag a bit more pizzazz.
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