Mizuhiki (水引)

Mizuhiki is a type of an ancient Japanese art which uses special cords for decorative knots for gift /envelop wrapping. The tradition is said to have originated in the early 7th century when Ono no Imoko, who was an official envoy to China, returned from a mission bringing gifts wrapped with hemp strings dyed red and white.Thereafter, tying gifts with red and white cord became a fad, spreading mostly among court nobles. Mizuhiki is made from long thin strips of washi paper( Japanese paper) tightly twisted into thin "koyori" strings. It was not until after World War Ⅱ that the general public began to incorporate mizuhiki cords. Currently there are several forms of mizuhiki and they all have different meanings and are used in different occasions. Some mizuhiki knots are hard to untangle, which therefore are widely used in occasions such as weddings as the newly married couples are expected to have a long lasting life together. Other mizuhiki knots are easy to untangle which are used for occasions such as baby gift wrapping as people are happy to hear the new arrival of a baby and they want the couple to have more babies in the future. 
Rather than expressing one's feelings directly through words, the Japanese discreetly wrap mizuhiki cords around their gifts for the recipient to sense their intentions.