How to beat the wrap

Most people wait until the last minute to wrap gifts.
LONG ISLAND NEWSDAY
There's no denying that it's prime time for gift wrapping. The evidence is everywhere -- rolls of pretty patterned paper and spools of satin ribbon line store shelves alongside bags filled with bows, and cardboard gift boxes big and small.
But for Daniel Barker and Shiho Masuda Barker, it's just business as usual. The couple trim, tape and tie their way through life as professional gift wrappers for Kate's Paperie, a chain of upscale stationery stores in Manhattan.
And they've wrapped it all -- kitchen appliances, jewelry, even a lone old worn-out shoe that was a gag gift for a presumably good-humored host. Daniel has pleated the paper covering a standard-size box to look like a tuxedo shirt. Shiho has plied packages into the shape of tiny purses. Together and on their own, the husband-and-wife wrappers have created paper and ribbon wonders spectacular enough to build a roster of A-list clients that includes Oprah Winfrey, Matthew Broderick and Whoopi Goldberg.
"It's all about instant gratification," says Daniel of his longtime obsession with gift-wrapping. The 31-year-old has a penchant for richly textured papers and likes to experiment with plastic, rubber and other unexpected materials to add a touch of pizzazz.
Shiho was born in Japan, where, she says, the wrapping and presentation of a package is more important than the gift itself. In her gift-wrap designs, she favors origami-like folding techniques and elegant French ribbon bows.
Last-minute wrapping
By Christmas, Daniel estimates, they will have wrapped thousands of packages for Kate's Paperie customers. But when it comes to the gifts they give each other, well -- "we're always wrapping at the last minute," Shiho admits.
Which means they're in good company. According to a 2003 survey by Scotch brand tape, 36 percent of Christmas shoppers wait until Dec. 23 -- or later -- to wrap presents.
On the other hand, "there are people who are really into it," says Ann Thornton, a gift-wrap and packaging buyer for The Container Store. Her list of this season's top gift-wrap flourishes include special accents like beaded ribbon, embellished cording and fancy trinkets that tie onto presents. And then there is a variety of creative packaging ideas -- Chinese takeout containers in a variety of patterns and colors, decorated paint cans and fabric-covered boxes perfectly sized for CDs and gift cards.
"You can have a very modest gift," Thornton says, "but if you add a bit of sparkle" or present it in an unexpected way, your effort goes a long way. It's the special little touches, Daniel Barker says, that make the entire gift more meaningful. And it doesn't have to be expensive.
"Use things you find around the house," he says. Ornaments, pine cones, evergreen boughs or cinnamon sticks can be tied to packages with ribbon. Position tree leaves from the back yard under waxed paper to create your own gift wrap, or use a rubber stamp to make custom designsr.
And have fun, Shiho says. "You can't be creative if you're worried about making a little mistake -- it could actually end up being a part of your design."