Alton DuLaney, known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist,” who also holds the title of George Bush Intercontinental Airport’s art curator on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019 at the George Bush
Alton DuLaney, known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist,” who also holds the title of George Bush Intercontinental Airport’s art curator on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019 at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.
Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Chronicle / Staff PhotographerAlton DuLaney who is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist,” holds a book wrapped in cellophane paper so the wrapped gift is airport Transportation Security Administration friendly on
Alton DuLaney who is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist,” holds a book wrapped in cellophane paper so the wrapped gift is airport Transportation Security Administration friendly on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, in Houston. DuLaney also recommends using cookie boxes when traveling with presents or to wrap boxes that are openable because they come in two pieces.
Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Chronicle / Staff PhotographerAlton DuLaney who is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist,” holds a holiday stocking as an example of a gift container that is airport Transportation Security Administration friendly
Alton DuLaney who is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist,” holds a holiday stocking as an example of a gift container that is airport Transportation Security Administration friendly on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, in Houston. DuLaney also recommends using cookie boxes when traveling with presents or to wrap boxes that are openable because they come in two pieces.
Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Chronicle / Staff PhotographerAlton DuLaney who is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist,” holds an example of wrapping that is airport Transportation Security Administration friendly on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, in
Alton DuLaney who is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist,” holds an example of wrapping that is airport Transportation Security Administration friendly on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, in Houston. DuLaney recommends to wrap boxes that are openable because they come in two pieces.
Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Chronicle / Staff PhotographerAlton DuLaney who is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist,” holds an example of a gift box that is airport Transportation Security Administration friendly on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, in
Alton DuLaney who is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist,” holds an example of a gift box that is airport Transportation Security Administration friendly on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, in Houston. DuLaney recommends using cookie boxes when traveling with presents or to wrap boxes that are openable because they come in two pieces.
Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Chronicle / Staff PhotographerAlton DuLaney who is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist,” wraps a present at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport Terminal A, where he is also wrapping gifts for the passengers
Alton DuLaney who is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist,” wraps a present at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport Terminal A, where he is also wrapping gifts for the passengers for free on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, in Houston. DuLaney is also the George Bush Intercontinental Airport art curator.
Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Chronicle / Staff PhotographerAlton DuLaney who is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist,” wraps a present at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport Terminal A, where he is also wrapping gifts for the passengers
Alton DuLaney who is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist,” wraps a present at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport Terminal A, where he is also wrapping gifts for the passengers for free on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, in Houston. DuLaney is also George Bush Intercontinental Airport art curator.
Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Chronicle / Staff PhotographerOravanh Souraphol, 39, thanks Alton DuLaney, center, for helping her wrap a gift for Souraphol’s friend at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, in Houston. Alton is known as
Oravanh Souraphol, 39, thanks Alton DuLaney, center, for helping her wrap a gift for Souraphol’s friend at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, in Houston. Alton is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist.”
Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Chronicle / Staff PhotographerOravanh Souraphol, 39, thanks Alton DuLaney, center, for helping her wrap a gift for Souraphol’s friend at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, in Houston. Alton is known as
Oravanh Souraphol, 39, thanks Alton DuLaney, center, for helping her wrap a gift for Souraphol’s friend at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, in Houston. Alton is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist.”
Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Chronicle / Staff PhotographerOravanh Souraphol, 39, is all smiles as she watches Alton DuLaney, center, wrap a gift for Souraphol’s friend at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, in Houston. Alton is
Oravanh Souraphol, 39, is all smiles as she watches Alton DuLaney, center, wrap a gift for Souraphol’s friend at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport on Friday, Dec. 20, 2019, in Houston. Alton is known as the “world's most famous gift wrap artist.”
Marie D. De Jesús, Houston Chronicle / Staff PhotographerAlton DuLaney sat at a table in the middle of the airport, scanning the crowd for frazzled travelers in need of gift-wrapping salvation.
As the art curator for the Houston Airport System, DuLaney oversees all the public artwork displayed at George Bush Intercontinental Airport throughout the year. But during the holidays, DuLaney — known as the “World’s Most Famous Gift Wrap Artist” — transforms paper and ribbon into his own works of art.
“You’ve got to take a little pride in what you’re gifting,” DuLaney said. “You wouldn’t go to a party in sweatpants, would you?”
This holiday season, DuLaney brought his gift wrapping talent to harried travelers at Bush Airport, which has hosted complimentary gift-wrapping by world’s top gift wrapper. On Monday, the final day of the event, travelers visited DuLaney’s table at Terminal A, near the security checkpoint, to have their Christmas presents from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Inspired by his father who loved to wrap Christmas presents, DuLaney mastered the art of gift wrapping while working as the director of creative services at Kate’s Paperie, the once iconic New York stationery and paper emporium.
Place your present in a wrapped box with a separate lid, or a ribbon-wrapped cookie tin can topped with a magnetic bow.
Wait until you get to your destination to put on bows and ribbons, which can get crushed or tangled during travel.
Place awkwardly-shaped items in a Christmas stocking with a bow, instead of a standard gift bag.
Wrap your gift in clear or colored cellophane wrap.
The Splendora native and Houston artist got his big break in 2008, when he won Scotch tape brand’s national “Most Gifted Wrapper” contest, which challenged contestants to wrap odd-shaped gifts, including a baby grand piano. Since winning Scotch’s $10,000 prize — a lifetime supply of Scotch tape — DuLaney was featured on dozens of national TV talk shows, including “Good Morning America,” the “Today” show and “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” to showcase his tips, trends and tools for perfectly wrapped presents.
His secret to success? Tight folds, crisp corners and a little ribbon or bow to top it all off.
Over the years, DuLaney has wrapped many items, including a set of golf clubs, a producer on the “Bonnie Hunt Show” as well as the entire set of the “Rachel Ray Show,” on which he’s appeared every year for more than a decade.
“I look at gift wrapping as performance art,” DuLaney said. “Even in a small way, it’s promoting creativity.”
DuLaney decided to showcase his gift wrapping skills at the airport after realizing many travelers buy last-minute gifts there, or have their wrapped presents opened by Transportation Security Administration agents during screenings. (Although wrapped presents are not prohibited, TSA advises travelers to bring presents unwrapped and pack wrapping paper and scissors with blades under 4 inches.)
DuLaney can wrap or re-wrap presents using any combination of wrapping paper, gift bags, bows, ribbons and tissue paper, including Christmas-themed red and green, and Hanukkah-themed blue and silver.
“We wanted to improve the passenger experience at the airport, and spread the holiday spirit,” DuLaney said.
Oravanh Souraphol, 39, approached DuLaney on a recent Friday afternoon on her way home to Charlotte, N.C., bearing a Christmas gift for her best friend, Christina Park. The transition adviser for a financial services firm in Houston had purchased a fox-shaped sleeping mask for her friend, an overnight nurse, on her way to the airport, but didn’t have time to wrap it before her flight.
DuLaney, sporting a cowboy hat and striped bowtie, deftly wrapped the sleep mask in silver paper and topped it off with a matching silver bow.
“This is awesome,” Souraphol said. “I wish I had known about this earlier. All my other gifts are my checked bag.”
Dozens of travelers took DuLaney up on his offer, including airline pilots, airport workers and travelers. Over the course of Thursday and Friday, DuLaney wrapped a Texas-branded airplane complete with a cowboy hat, a Bon Jovi vinyl record album and several bottles of perfume.
While many people get flustered by even the thought of wrapping presents, DuLaney said it’s a skill that can be mastered by anyone.
“People put too much pressure on themselves,” DuLaney said. “If you slow down and enjoy the process, it’s not that difficult.”
paul.takahashi@chron.com
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