As the holiday craziness sets in, there is no reason why we have to continue to add to the growing pile of shredded printed paper and crumpled ribbons and bows. Sometimes it takes a little extra time, a little creativity and an open mind. If you are looking for a few ideas on how to wrap your gifts in a green and reusable way, you are just in luck- we always have ideas don’t we?!
Create a reusable collection that you can use next year (and the next).
Start using reusable gift bags. They might cost more the first year, but just think of how great it would be to never have to buy wrapping paper again? On top of that, you never need scissors, tape or the knowledge and savvy it takes to tie those crazy curling ribbons. One company specializing in these reusable bags, luckycrow.com, offers whimsical prints that are chosen with re-purposing in mind. The Christmas prints can also be used for Valentines Day and the birthday bags are gender neutral and festive. The bags are fitted with a grosgrain ribbon for tying- these bags are pretty and practical.
Try Using Grocery Sacks into Gift Bags
While everyone SHOULD have a reusable grocery bag, not everyone does. What better time to get your friends and family on the “green bandwagon” than to ambush them and force them to own something reusable? While you can get inexpensive versions costing about 99 cents, you can also opt for the pricier versions. Some come with slots for wine bottles, can be insulated and come in various prints and colors for up to $10. One company, www.mixedbagsdesigns.com has a wide array of prints and sizes and would be perfect for holding presents under the tree.
Towels work, too!
Fluffy towels, tablecloths, festive place mats or table runners can also double as a gift wrap. It might take some extra time to figure out exactly how to cover the present, but if you are giving something homemade and edible? Wrap it in foil and then tie a festive tea towel around it and secure it with a holiday ribbon.
Gifts, gifts, and even more gifts!
How about buying a sports bag or trendy handbag and give that as a gift as well as the gift it is hiding? Athletes tend to need extra bags like back sacks or sports bags. Looking for something a little fancier? Check our Vera Bradley for a beautifully printed duffel bag.
Brown Bag It
Take all of those brown paper grocery bags and put them to use. It may even be a time waster for the kids when it’s too cold to play outside! Let them paint the plain side of the bags with red and green paint. If you are looking for something with a little sparkle, sprinkle glitter on the prints when the paint is still wet. It is a nice way to reuse what would be thrown away and a nice little piece of art, too. The comics section of the newspaper has always worked and it might offer a bit of nostalgia to a new tradition.
Not all gifts have to be wrapped.
Some gift boxes are pretty enough, and some gifts are nice with just a bow. Gift sets are beautiful with only a bow. Some stores offer you their gift boxes and they already have a print on them.
Whatever you decide to do for the holidays, remember that it is one day and the miles of wrapping paper that gets discarded each year starts to add up. Do your part to help keep our trees rooted in the ground and not crumpled up on top of the ground.
Tags: holiday, Recycle, repurpose, reuse, ribbon, tote, wrapping paper
