When Christmas begins drawing near, many people start feeling stressed out over finding the right presents for friends and loved ones and making sure it's done up in a pretty package.

For some, selecting the gift wrap paper, ribbons and bows and wrapping the gift is where things really break down. While some see gift-wrap as a paper product that will be thrown out after the gifts are opened, others regard it, and the way they package their gifts, as a downright work of art.

"In this hectic and supercharged Christmas time, the maxim 'less is more' should apply," said German writer Martina Hochstein, author of several books on how to wrap gifts.

Colour harmony is also important, and the contents and packaging should go well with one another.

An expensive gift must be beautifully presented in order to ensure that the recipient appreciates its value and importance. Experts warn against using inexpensive gift-wrap in general because it often tears even while wrapping the gift.

Whether the gift-giver reaches for glossy paper adorned with holograms and other fancy artwork or transparent cellophane is a matter of taste.

Hochstein prefers gifts that are wrapped in variations of a certain colour.

"Using a spring green gift-wrap decorated with a bow of various green tones topped off by a sprig of evergreen can look fantastic," Hochstein said. Attaching a small Christmas ornament, such as one in the shape of a star, can make it even more festive, she added.

There are quite a few natural items that can add an unusual touch to a package. A cut of ivy, cinnamon sticks and star anis are examples of things that can enhance a package, Hochstein said. Some of these natural items add not only to the package's appearance, but they give them a nice fragrance as well.

Nearly as important as the gift-wrap is a matching bow. For the less dextrous, there are practical pull ribbons that take little effort, and other easy-to-find items such as lace can be simple to handle.

"A pretty bow in the middle of the package is sufficient," Hochstein said, adding that attaching it using double-sided tape is a must.

Using thick or visible tape with beautiful gift-wrap and bows is a no-no.

Hochstein rolls short strips of tape into a loop, sticking the ends together with the sticky side out and slips them under the edges of the paper so that it's invisible. "It's not the most stable, but it doesn't have to hold for 30 years," she said.

DPA/Expatica 2008