Go ninja, go ninja, go! Ninja, ninja, wrap!

Apparently there is a government approved method for wrapping stuff in Japan. As amusing as that fact might be, it actually proves to be a relatively interesting concept. That said, this will do nothing to dissuade every guy from continuing to ask the girl at the register if she could box and wrap that Christmas gift for him.

Furoshiki are a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth that were frequently used to transport clothes, gifts, or other goods. Although possibly dating back as far as the Nara period, the name, meaning "bath spread", derives from the Edo period practice of using them to bundle clothes while at the sento (public baths). Before becoming associated with public baths, furoshiki was known as hiradzutsumi, or flat folded bundle. Eventually, the furoshiki's usage extended to serve as a means for merchants to transport their wares or to protect and decorate a gift. (Wikipedia)

How to use Furoshiki (pdf). [Japan's Ministry of the Environment]