The first evidence of wrapping paper dates back to the second century BC in China. Back then monetary gifts were wrapped in a kind of envelope called chih pao. Centuries later in the early 20th century Rollie and Joyce Hall – the founders of Hallmark Cards – created inventions to popularise the gift wrapping we see today.
Previously gifts were wrapped in newspaper, brown paper, or fabric. Hallmark started selling coloured tissue paper, which caught on and eventually morphed into the decorative printed wrapping paper we see today.