I am out of the office most of next week. Enjoy time with loved ones over the next few weeks.
As a candle pierces the darkness, hopefully my dim reflection of light has helped brighten your path throughout this past year. I am blessed to be a blessing.
"For unto us...."
For the last minute wrapping needed to be done (taken from https://bfwengineers.com/recipe-humor/gift-wrap/)
How to Wrap Gifts Like an Engineer
By now, you understand the taboos of the gift-wrapping world and how to avoid them. It’s just like learning anything; it’s better to understand the pitfalls before you steamroll ahead unless you like looking like a fool. With that said, let’s dive into the actual process of wrapping a gift so I can stop writing this and get back to watching old episodes of This Old House on YouTube.
Tools you need:
- Gourmet, bespoke, high-quality gift wrap from your local hipster store
- Pair of scissors
- Double-sided tape
1.) Find a large flat surface to work on. Clear it of any Guinea pigs, cats, or curious children that might get in your way.
2.) Lay down your sheet of wrapping paper (or roll it out if you cheaped out). If your sheet isn’t big enough, then overlap one or more extra sheets and tape them together so they become one big sheet.
3.) Place your gift upside down in the center of the sheet (box it up if you haven’t, no one wants to get a bowling ball-shaped present and have their surprise ruined).Bring one side of the paper up and over the top of the box and over to the opposite edge; you want your paper to completely overlap where it meets. Take note of how much paper you’ll need on the other side so that both sides can comfortably overlap each other. Bonus: don’t just settle on a jagged edge because you didn’t cut the paper cleanly with your scissors. Instead, fold the jagged edge under itself to create a clean seam to work with.
4.) Take care that your box is centered once more and affix the edge you created to the box with tape. If you get really good, you can skip this step and simply tape the second edge over the first.
5.) Bring the second edge up and over so it overlaps the first, taking time to fold it under if it’s jagged. Apply double-sided tape to the first edge and press your second edge over it—you should have an almost seamless layer of gift wrap applied to the bottom of your box with no tape showing.
6.) Now you should have a box with paper all around it. The hardest part is attractively folding the sides. Don’t think about it too hard; simply fold down the side flaps against both sides of the box.
They should create little “wings” of excess gift wrap. Flatten the wings in and then fold the triangle they create against the box and fasten the whole thing with double-sided tape. Take a look here if you need a visual.
7.) Stand your box on its end and repeat this process on the other side.
8.) Admire your work. If it’s wrinkled, then do it again.
9.) Wrap your box with a ribbon and tie a name tag to it.
It’s Not Just What You Do, It’s How You Do It
If all you got credit for was the final result, then life would be easy. As engineers, we know that the process is just as important as the outcome. It might be even more important. You can’t just slap a building or a bridge down and call it a day. You need to follow the rules, you need to go about it efficiently, and you need to show your work just like they taught you in AP Calculus.
