Comments on: Eco-Friendly & Reusable Gift Wrap Ideas

By: Tinker Iddins

Tinker Iddins — Tue, 15 Dec 2020 01:17:28 +0000

We have always used the funny papers in my family. When my Dad moved away, we both had to promise that no matter how small an item might be, we would use the full sheet so no funny went unlaughable! Thanks for bringing up such happy memories.

By: Vera

Vera — Wed, 29 Jan 2020 23:34:53 +0000

Brilliant idea! This could be applied in all seasons and holidays. Not just for Christmas only. As Valentine’s is fast apporcahing we could apply these tips in gifting and gift wrapping

By: Sara Burns

Sara Burns — Sun, 22 Dec 2019 13:24:27 +0000

I wrap shoe boxes with Christmas fabric. I did it so family could keep and reuse the boxes from year to year, but the idea didn’t work. Everyone kept their boxes because they were so pretty. They use them as decor now. I love wrapping boxes. I still give them hoping it will catch on one day. I love all your ideas too.

By: Donielle Gerry

Donielle Gerry — Sun, 22 Dec 2019 12:44:53 +0000

I use the gift bags received each year from other family members to wrap my kids presents year after year! I put their initial on it and it also makes wrapping much easier. Just drop it in the bag! I put the bag back in the closet until next year and just keep using it and using it. It only fills a bin in my closet and not any landfill 🙂

By: Peggy

Peggy — Sat, 21 Apr 2018 15:45:35 +0000

I’ve wrapped in newspapers, comics, brown paper, children’s preschool paintings, maps, sheet music, bags I made with fabric and ribbon I had from my stash, Altoids tins and jewelry store velvet-lined snap-close boxes. A kit to make things goes nicely in a jar lined with paper. A daughter wrapped a gift for her sister in a piñata. A nice idea that looks surprisingly good is to carve simple stamps into potato halves and use them to stamp on plain paper. Can be brown bag, butcher paper, or the inside of a shopping bag or back of a poster. A plain square makes a “present” stamp then draw a bow onto each one afterward. Use tempera or stamp pad.

By: Ron

Ron — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 15:18:06 +0000

Comics.
When we were kids, we liked reading the color comics in the weekend newspaper. Mum would save them to use as wrapping paper for Xmas and birthdays.

By: El

El — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 12:22:08 +0000

I have only ever wrapped my children’s presents in my sarongs or their steiner (Waldorf) Muslin cloths. Oldest is 22.
I am not a fan of Christmas cards either. They just say the same thing every Christmas.

By: Emily

Emily — Mon, 19 Dec 2016 04:00:18 +0000

I’m a recycling fanatic, so have been doing some of these things for years. I like to use new dish towels and hand towels, and to reuse gift bags and boxes, tissue paper, and wrapping paper.

This year for my preschool class I made scarves of fleece material and wrapped it around pencil boxes I decorated with paint and filled with little gifts (crayons, little play doughs, blunt scissors, fruit leathers.) I hope they enjoy them and wear the scarves for going out to recess!

By: Reidun

Reidun — Sun, 18 Dec 2016 16:22:08 +0000

In reply to Hayley. I do this too. I just fold the tissue paper and put it inside the gift bag and then when I need a bag throughout the year I just go to the box and find one the right size and theme. In our extended family at Christmas the bags get traded around from year to year because we all save them and give gifts back in them. The kids remember "that was the bag I got_____ in last year!" I don't usually need to buy anything for wrapping either, but if I do start running short our local thrift store sells used ones in packages of several each for a couple dollars, which is cheaper than the dollar store even, plus another way to recycle.

By: nadira

nadira — Sat, 17 Dec 2016 16:24:03 +0000

Will you get sick if you accidentally leave a plastic spoon in your oatmeal while cooking in microwave

By: LaraS

LaraS — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 09:19:04 +0000

Old sheet music is a nice way of wrapping gifts up too… I find it very classy!

By: Andromeda

Andromeda — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 01:20:41 +0000

We go to so many events, they always give out reuseable shopping bags and it’s to where I know I won’t need them. So I plan on using those as gift bags this year :).

By: Amy

Amy — Sun, 27 Nov 2016 22:42:31 +0000

I’ll definitely be stealing some of these ideas Katie! ?
My favourite recycled wrapping paper idea is the use the Christmas magazines they give out at supermarkets, or inside the newspaper, and cut out the pages which have nice Christmas images and colours on them. It always makes for very colourful and creative looking gifts! X

By: Ann

Ann — Sun, 27 Nov 2016 21:47:37 +0000

I was going to keep things simple and wrap in craft paper this year and string, but so many other great ideas here! I like the idea of going without the traditional ribbon & using fabric scraps!

By: Betty

Betty — Fri, 08 Jan 2016 12:53:44 +0000

I liked all of the ideas you gave. We have used several of these and there were some new ones to explore.

Our family saves much of the Christmas wrapping paper and we use it over and over. The rule is save the old paper by carefully opening your gift. If new paper is used you can rip the package open.

We have gone to dating the tags or clues that identify the recipient. It has become a game to use clues and incorporate the old tags. One year my adult daughter took a well used piece of wrap, cut off the (7) tag area, and framed it. This picture has now been incorporated into our Christmas decorations.

By: Christa

Christa — Wed, 30 Dec 2015 14:02:30 +0000

White or black netting wrapped around a gift and stuffed in a large jar (gallon, quart, pint, or what ever size works for you) is an idea for wrapping a gift in an unusual fun way. I’ve also stuffed jars with used ribbons and/or bows. No need to wrap the outside of the jar.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 05:18:55 +0000

This year I used my old gift bags. I removed the string, covered them in some Christmas paper I had lying around, put the string back on and viola! Gift bag with store logo because a Christmas gift bag!

By: Denise

Denise — Sun, 27 Dec 2015 23:57:39 +0000

For girls, using several colored ribbons and a bandana gives them some neat hair pieces or craft items also.

By: Jennifer Winchester

Jennifer Winchester — Sun, 27 Dec 2015 22:20:44 +0000

I used to teach preschool and always bought the huge end rolls of white paper. One year I used crayon shavings sprinkled all over the paper then put down wax paper and melted the shavings to the paper. That was my wrapping paper. I thought it was wonderful, colorful, and fun.

By: Hayley

Hayley — Sun, 27 Dec 2015 19:39:12 +0000

Great ideas. I gave done many of these. The main thing I do each year is keep all the wrapping that we get from others. I keep the bags and tissue paper and reuse it the next year. Most people I know don’t recycle and reuse as mich as i do. I find that I don’t need to buy anything for wrapping.