This account is based on a reflection, as an adult, of a childhood experience and how learning to wrap gifts has positively impacted my life. The skills I learned through gift wrapping extend far beyond paper and tape and can be applied to many areas of daily living. Gift wrapping is not limited to holidays. It can happen for graduations, birthdays, weddings, and countless other moments throughout the year. In reality, gift wrapping is a skill that can be used 365 days a year.
After a festive Thanksgiving meal with my family, I wrapped my first Christmas present of the season. As I worked, I was struck by a sense of gratitude for the people in my life who believed that gift wrapping was an important skill for a child who was blind to learn. Their belief made a lasting difference.
Learning Together as a Child
As a young child, I was included in the gift-wrapping process alongside my mom. In the beginning, she cut the paper to fit the box and centered it carefully. She would tape one edge of the paper to the box and then let me take over. This approach gave me a clear starting point and allowed me to practice pulling the opposite edge across the box, finding the tape dispenser, and feeling where to overlap and secure the paper. By taping the first edge, she kept the box from slipping and sliding, which helped me stay oriented and confident.
Mastering the Folds
I was then taught how to fold the ends of the package and learned to press the top flap down, fold each side inward until it formed a point, and then bring the point up to finish the end. The same process was repeated on the other side. At first, my mom used consistently shaped boxes, such as clothing boxes, so I could focus on learning the steps. Over time, she introduced boxes of different sizes and shapes so I could apply the same concepts to shoe boxes and other packages. Occasionally, we encountered a gift that could not be wrapped traditionally, and those were the most fun. We would twist the paper at the top like a flower.
Learning to Cut and Estimate
As I gained confidence, I moved beyond taping and folding and began learning to use scissors. My mom would roll out the paper to the approximate size needed, fold it lengthwise along the wrapping paper tube, and then hand it to me so I could practice cutting. The fold gave me a straight line to follow. Eventually, I grew tired of waiting for someone else to fold the paper, so I began rolling it out myself, creating my own crease, and cutting independently.
This step was the most challenging. It required spatial awareness and careful estimation by touch to determine how much paper was needed to fully cover the box. I wanted enough paper to wrap neatly without having excess that made the ends bulky, or too little that barely covered the box. One strategy I used was rolling out the paper and then rolling the box across the width to make sure it would cover all sides.
Independence and Inclusion
Once the paper was cut correctly, I centered the package and taped one side to the top of the box to keep it from shifting. From there, I followed the steps I had practiced over time, finishing with a neatly wrapped gift ready for a bow and name tag. I labeled tags in braille, but this also became an opportunity to practice handwriting alongside my sighted peers. This made gift giving inclusive. I could identify packages that had been picked up and rearranged, while sighted friends and family could read the same tags. Over the years, I used a slate and stylus or a Perkins Braille Writer to label gifts.
Transferable Skills for Daily Living
Gift wrapping is truly a year-round activity, and it teaches a wide range of transferable skills. Through wrapping, I developed an understanding of symmetry and centering, improved braille reading and writing, practiced handwriting, cutting, and folding, strengthened tactile identification, and built critical thinking, problem-solving, and estimating skills. These abilities support orientation and mobility, daily living tasks, and many other aspects of independence.
Social Skills and Meaningful Giving
Wrapping gifts also builds social skills. Being able to wrap and label a package independently allows you to give a meaningful surprise to a friend or family member. There is something empowering about preparing a gift on your own. A small and amusing side note is that I unknowingly wrapped some of my own gifts as a child. Occasionally, the clothing boxes my mom claimed were for my sister turned out to be mine. There may even have been a toy or two hidden in a sealed box that gave nothing away. Today, apps like Be My Eyes would likely prevent that kind of escapade.
My motivation for learning to wrap gifts came from a desire to give to others. I was also intrigued by the fact that the 4-H Club offered a gift wrapping category. Although I did not participate in 4-H activities, knowing it existed inspired me to improve my skills.
Carrying the Tradition Into Adulthood
Giving goes beyond material items. As an adult, I have never lost the joy of wrapping gifts. When I became a parent, staying up after my son went to bed to secretly wrap presents became one of my favorite traditions. Seeing the excitement when the packages appeared under the tree made every late night worth it.
Technology has made gift wrapping even more accessible. I use apps like Be My Eyes to help describe wrapping paper so I can choose patterns and colors intentionally. The app has also helped when both sides of the paper feel the same and I want to confirm that I am not wrapping a gift inside out. I have used technology to assist with matching bows as well, which opens the door for meaningful conversations about color coordination and matching as part of the Expanded Core Curriculum.
A Skill With Lifelong Impact
Gift wrapping may seem like a small thing, but its impact can be lifelong. It is a skill rooted in creativity, independence, and generosity, and one that truly can be practiced every day of the year.