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Video of the Day: That's a Wrap(ped Gift)
By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 6, 2008
Modified Dec 6, 2008
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By
Jen Chung
Published Dec 6, 2008
Modified Dec 6, 2008
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'Tis the season for wrapping presents, so Scotch Tape had its annual "Scotch Brand Most Gifted Wrapper" competition at Rockefeller Center yesterday. The ultimate champion was Alton Dulaney, who works at Kate's Paperie as director of visual merchandizing (he's a ringer!) and won a $10,000 cash prize. ">Speaking to the Daily News, Dulaney said of his win against a field of wrappers from across the country, "I did it for New York."
There were three rounds: First was wrapping a candy dish, second was a set of golf clubs and then last was...a baby grand piano! Contestants were given materials and a limited amount of time to wrap. (In case you're wondering, judges included "a wrapper for many of Hollywood"s A-list celebrities.") But not everyone was a pro: One contestant, Denise Weeks of Texas, a "software-engineer-turned-novelist" who "once wrapped a bracelet to look like a bagel." The Dallas Morning News reports it was Weeks' first trip to the North: "They took us in a limousine back to the hotel, and we asked if we could stop at a drive-through at a Dairy Queen, but apparently there's nothing like that here. They don't have drive-throughs at all."
Anyway, back to wrapping. Dulaney, who says he practiced for weeks, offers these tips: "No exposed edges, crisp corners and tight folds" and "Always remember that packaging is part of the present. It's not what's inside but how you present it. You can take something small and with the right packaging, it becomes something special." And Daily News also has a video of the event--this is a niche ripe for Christopher Guest to take on!
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gift wrapping
gift wrapping competition
present
Scotch tape
wrapping paper
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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