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Experts explain how to wrap a present properly and all the key gifting trends to follow...

With Christmas fast-approaching, many of us have already started our shopping for the festive season. Whether you're shopping for beauty gifts to give to mum, toys for kids or pyjamas that the whole family will love, it's time to get everything on that Christmas shopping list ticked off!

Once you've bought all your gifts, the next step is to get them wrapped, labelled and ready to give to loved ones. Whether you're looking to see what wrapping paper is the most stylish this year, need inspiration for gift box ideas or are simply trying to wrap a tricky item like a bottle of wine or a soft toy, we've spoken to industry experts to explain everything you need to know about how to wrap a present...

You'll need to start with the essentials: wrapping paper, tape and scissors. If you're looking to make the present wrapping process quicker, think about things that will help save time, like a sellotape dispenser. Make sure you have a good-quality pair of scissors to hand, too.

Whatever trend you want to follow, this is the most stylish wrapping paper to use this year...

So, just what styles of wrapping paper will be popular for Christmas this year? People seem to be experimenting with new colours, but are also relying heavily on nostalgic looks. "New colours such as soft pink, midnight blue and copper are increasing in popularity," says Nicola Miller, Buying Director for Clintons. "However, the traditional red and gold colours are still favourites with our customers, with wrapping featuring Father Christmas proving the most popular by far," she adds.

Vaishali Shah, Special Events Stationery Designer at Ananya Cards, predicts that wrapping paper this year will rely on both traditional colours and maximalist design. "Rich jewel tones such as blues, purples, reds and emerald greens, will be a favourite," she says. "Expect metallic and sparkly looks, too."

People are putting sustainability top of their priority list for Christmas wrapping paper, with brown paper and kraft paper proving extremely popular.

"Paper and card is widely accepted in recycling collections or at collection points across the UK," explains Emilie Martin, Good Housekeeping's Sustainability Editor. "But whether or not you're able to recycle the wrapping paper you tear off your presents on Christmas Day depends on whether the person who gave you the gift wrapped it in recyclable paper.

"When you shop for gift wrap, steer clear of anything with glitter or foil on it, or any super-shiny paper, which is likely to have been laminated. All these things prevent paper from being recyclable. If in doubt, head to Paperchase, which always has a great range of recyclable Christmas wrapping paper made from FSC-approved materials and puts stickers on rolls of wrap that can be recycled. I also love the beautiful designs at Re-wrapped - its papers are recyclable and are made from recycled paper, too."

Adding embellishment, like ribbons or bows, to your Christmas presents is a great way to make them look special. With gift tags being a must for practicality, make sure you choose the prettiest options...

Vaishali Shah predicts that ribbons will be popular to create a maximalist look. "Expect creative, opulent and intricate wrapping paper, ribbons and gift tags with lots of details, personal touches, layers and textures," she says.

Pollyana Bell, Gifts & Celebration Buyer at Paperchase, recommends tonal colours will be popular when it comes to ribbons this year, creating co-ordinating looks between wrapping paper and decorative finishes. "For example, pair grey kraft paper with silver ribbon and a paper bow, or pair red wrapping paper with red ribbons and bows," she suggests.

One theme comes up again and again with experts when it comes to Christmas gift tags: sustainability. "I always try to use something I might already have," says Katie Leamon, founder of her own luxury stationery brand. "Use a Christmas card from last year perhaps, which you can cut down into gift tags and attach with some nice ribbon."

Alternatively, if you don't have anything you can re-use, look for sustainably-made options. "At Paperchase, we offer mini kraft tags that are recycled and recyclable," says Pollyanna Bell.

Sometimes, it's easier to use a gift box, rather than choose wrapping paper. Here are the key gift box trends to look out for...

"This year, more than ever, people are embracing Christmas characters," says Nicola Miller. "Character boxes are proving very popular as people get creative with their wrapping and encase their presents in boxes shaped like Father Christmas, Elves and Snowmen."

Jane Means, founder of her own gift-wrapping business, also adds: "Gift boxes are a fantastic item; they are functional but also provide a keepsake for afterwards. Try lining your gift boxes with tissue and dried elements such as eucalyptus and orange to add an element of surprise when you open the lid and eye-catching decorations are there to greet the eye."

Stacking will be a popular trends for gift boxes this year. "Wrap a ribbon around a stack of 3 (or more) gift boxes, with an oversized pom-pom topper placed neatly on top, and you’ve got a tier of festive goodness," suggests Pollyanna Bell.

Another key trend is personalisation, with Clintons finding that individually named Christmas Eve boxes are fast becoming the must have item. Vaishali Shah also echoes the sentiment that personalisation will be a key trend. "Personalised touches, such as calligraphy tags with your name scribed, messages written on gift boxes and customised ribbons will be popular," she says. "We might also want to honour and respect our cultural traditions by incorporating symbols, patterns and motifs into our gift wrap and boxes."

Gift boxes are a great way to make your gift giving more sustainable. "We all get lots of packaging sent over the Christmas gifting period, so why not upcycle boxes and pop your gifts inside?" suggests Katie Leamon. This enables the recipients to keep the boxes and use them for storage post-Christmas, which makes for a more sustainable option."

Whether it's a bottle of their favourite festive liqueur, a soft toy or a tin of biscuits, here's how to wrap it...

Our Good Housekeeping experts show you how to wrap a bottle in this easy-to-follow- video:

Our Good Housekeeping experts show you how to wrap a teddy bear in this easy-to-follow- video:

Our Good Housekeeping experts show you how to wrap a biscuit tin in this easy-to-follow- video: