If you’re anything like me, you LOVE Christmas, but HATE wrapping. Every year I give my family awesome presents wrapped in hastily taped-up decorative paper, and it’s embarrassing, to say the least. Luckily, I have a great holiday hack that will help teach us how to dress up gifts by adding perfectly tied bows. Don’t worry—bows are much easier to achieve when tied this way!

For this hack, our host Lia Griffith uses a double-sided satin ribbon. She explains that this type of ribbon “catches the light beautifully, and it’s really easy to work with.” Noted!

Head over to your local craft store and grab a couple of spools of this gorgeous material. If you would like to use a single-sided satin ribbon, just make sure that you complete the steps with the satin side facing out at all times.

Now, let’s get started on tying those flawless ribbons. Simply follow these steps:

1. Prepare your ribbon and package

   Place your package on top of your satin ribbon. One of the mistakes that some make here is that they cut the ribbon at too short of a length. For a more elegant result, be sure to start with about a foot of material per small package. Adjust as the gifts get larger. Don’t worry if the ribbon appears too long—you will be trimming the ends in a later step.

2. Tie your first knot

   Next, tie a one-loop knot so that it fits snugly around the center of the package. The trick here is to make sure that there is an equal amount of length on either side of the gift before you make the initial tie.

3. Make your first loop

   Now it’s time to get into the nitty gritty of this hack. Make your first loop by using the lower part of the ribbon and hold tightly between your thumb and index finger.

4. Make your second loop

   This is where it gets a bit trickier. To complete your second loop, make the shape so that it goes over the first loop, like you’re tying a shoe lace. Then, tuck the top-side of your ribbon back under the original first loop. Pull the new top loop into place. You will now see that your ribbon is starting to resemble an ornate bow.

5. Adjust your loops

   Unless you’re a complete prodigy, your bow may need some adjusting. You can easily do this by ensuring both loops are the same size. Release and/or tighten the satin where needed.

6. Optional: Cut sleek trimmed ends

   If you were an A-student, then we’d wager to bet that you are reading this optional step. Good for you! Your bows will be even prettier. To create handsome double points on the end of each piece, fold each end in half and cut the bottoms at a 45-degree angle. If you’d like, you can also cut your ends at diagonals, though we have to say that the first way is just a bit more impressive looking.

And, that’s it! That’s a great looking bow, huh?

Watch Lia Griffith’s video below for more in-depth instructions on how to tie a perfect bow.

What do you think of these bows? Are you a bow aficionado? If so, how do you tie your bows? Tell us all about your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below!