Wrap your gal's gift

The wrap-up
The most basic rule you need to follow when giving your gal a gift is to spend time on the wrapping. And I'm not talking about some quick job here. You've got to make that wrapping spot-on if you want to impress her. Guys don't give a rip about wrapping paper, tissue, ribbons, and all that business...but gals dig it, so you've got to go along with the program.

You see, beautiful wrapping kicks up the emotional value of your gal's gift by turning the "unwrapping" into an experience. As she's untying the ribbon and peeling back the paper, she's not focused on what's inside the box. In that moment, she's thinking about much you care about her and how thoughtful you were to put together such a lovely gift.

You want evidence? Just watch any gal open her present. If it looks like a caveman wrapped it, she'll probably tear through the paper like it's nothing...because that's how you presented it. But if it's wrapped nicely, she'll take her time opening it so she can extend the moment and absorb/enjoy all that she's feeling.

There are a lot of different ways to wrap a gift, and I'll leave it to you to go look them up on the internet. Just be sure that it doesn't come out looking like a child's birthday present. Even if this gift is for your gal's birthday, you need to aim higher with the wrapping. That means you absolutely should include all of the following items with each gift.

Tissue paper
Colored paper, or the type with a design printed on it is best. If plain white tissue paper is all you've got, that's okay for now, but plan ahead for next time and get some fancy tissue paper instead. And no...magazine pages and newspaper do not count as tissue paper.

Wrapping paper
Get some nice paper. Go for her favorite color or for something that looks a notch above the cheapo kid's party stuff. Steer clear of reusing left-over paper that you've used for her previous gifts...and definitely do not use Christmas paper for a Valentine's Day gift. Pick something appropriate for the occasion.

Also, don't be afraid to spring for some expensive paper. For your gal's gift, it'll be money well spent.

Ribbon
If it doesn't have a ribbon, then in a gal's mind, it's not really wrapped. Fabric ribbon (not the shiny plastic-feeling type) is what you want to go for, because it adds a classy touch. You could use a fancy piece of twine if you're going for a certain kind of look, a nice ribbon is your default. And if you can find a ribbon with a design on it...all the better.

To clarify, get a ribbon that you have to tie into a bow yourself. Never buy one of those pre-formed stick-on bows. They're easy to apply, but they just scream "cheap." You would do just as well to stick a wad of gum on there instead.

Card
The card should include a hand-written note of at least a few sentences. Write something personal, telling her how you feel about her. There's no need to write anything too elaborate, but if that's your style, then go for it. Drop the card in its envelope, slide it under the ribbon, and you're all set.

Unusual shapes
If the gift has an unusual shape and didn't come in its own box, you should go find a nice box to place it in before wrapping it up. It'll be a far sight better that some weirdly-shaped object dressed in a bunch of piecemeal-looking patches of wrapping paper. Try to get an actual gift box. Avoid the standard brown cardboard boxes that are for mailing stuff. If you can't find a legitimate gift box, you're better off just wrapping a large bow around it and calling it a day. (This is called the "naked bow" method.)

Another option of course is to use gift bags for these items. (We've written up a separate tactic for how to properly handle gift bags.)

Last thought
Remember that buying a gift is only half the job when getting something for your gal. To make it special, you'll have to spend some time on the wrapping...and you'll need to do it well.