How to Gift Wrap a Candle

Choose Your Gift Wrap

Begin by choosing the color and theme of your wrapping supplies— coordinate the wrapping paper, bow, and any decorative gift toppers you use for a cohesive and professional-looking wrapped gift. Lots of retailers make this easy by selling various seasonally themed coordinating gift wrap sets that'll make your gift look extra special while saving you lots of time.

Measure and Cut the Paper

When wrapping a cylinder-shaped candle in a jar: begin by placing the wrapping paper face down on a flat surface, then laying down the candle on it, and rolling it to gauge the size of paper you will need.

Some wrapping paper actually has a grid pattern on the back to make measuring and cutting a straight line easier. Once you've measured the size you'll need, make the cut.

Fold the Edges

For a neat and professional look, make a one-inch fold on both cut sides of the paper so there aren't any uneven, scraggly edges.

Wrap the Gift

Next, beginning at the left end of the wrapping paper, roll the cylinder-shaped candle towards the right end of the paper, until it is fully wrapped. Then, discreetly secure the paper with a couple of pieces of tape.

Fold the Bottom

Reach inside the wrapping paper and position the candle so that there is a two-inch overhang of wrapping paper on the bottom end of the candle. If the candle is extra large, you may need more than a two-inch overhang of paper to cover the bottom, so measure the diameter of the candle to double-check. Choose a starting point and begin to fold the wrapping paper to overhang the cylinder base of the bottom of the candle. Make each fold neat and clean so that your wrapping looks pristine. Once you have folded over the entire diameter of the candle, use one or multiple pieces of tape to secure it.

Cut a Circle (Optional)

This is an optional step—if the wrapping folds on the bottom of the candle aren't as neat as you'd like or don't quite cover the entire base of the cylinder, cut a circle shape out of the wrapping paper that's a quarter of an inch smaller in diameter than the candle base. Then, stick it on to cover the base using a glue stick or double-sided tape.

Cover the Top

There are two options for the top of the candle; you can either use the method in steps five and six to match the wrapped bottom of the candle, then stick a large pre-made bow on the top to cover the tape and add a decorative touch to the gift.

The second option is to stand up the candle and grab the top of the wrapping paper, gently scrunching it up as if there were a bottle neck above the top of the candle. Take a piece of ribbon, twine, or string and tie it around the "bottle neck" and make a nice, decorative bow. Tie on a seasonal gift tag and add little gift toppers such as small jingle bells, a set of shatterproof mini ornaments, or a little pinecone to dress it up. Fluff and straighten out the top of the wrapping paper, trim it as needed and you're done.