Dreaming of a Green Christmas? Reduce Wrapping Waste with These Simple Tips

When you see piles of wrapping paper, boxes and bows on Christmas morning, does it make the environmentalist in you cringe? Are you dreaming of a green Christmas? With a little creativity and willingness to depart from tradition, you can reduce the waste without surrendering the beauty of the season.

Use Wrapping Paper Sparingly...

Receiving a wrapped present has a special feel, but does that mean every present has to be swaddled in pretty paper? Consider implementing a one wrapped present per family member rule.

Or buy a single roll of wrapping paper and pass it around- when it's gone, it's gone. If you do this, you might want to consider wrapping the small presents and foregoing wrapping on the big ones.

Just because presents aren't wrapped doesn't mean they can't be surprises. Wait until the wee hours of Christmas morning to put the unwrapped presents under the tree or hide them under the tree skirt until it's time to open them.

Or, Not at All

Recycling newspaper into gift wrap may seem tacky at first but with a bit of creativity, you can make some striking art. Wrap packages in newspaper and dress them up with collage art made from colorful cutouts from glossy inserts. Do a simple screen print on newspaper or glue on words from headlines that offer a clue to the package contents.

The present within a present concept works well when you can wrap a gift in a piece of colorful clothing or other textile that is a gift for the same recipient. The same concept works with any gift that opens and closes or is hollow and can contain a second gift.

One fabulous suggestion presented by Tree Living is the use of discard clothing for gift wrap. Cut the fabric to size for wrapping presents and voilà, a colorful and eco-sensitive package. With some fabrics, ironing and spray starching may increase their attractiveness as gift wrap.

Better than Bought Bows

Tree Living's recent page devoted to holiday wrapping suggests looking to nature for package decoration. In lieu of purchased bows, it recommended creative use of twigs, leaves, pine cones and other gifts of nature. How about a spring of holly or mistletoe or some pine cuttings (the latter available for the taking at many Christmas tree lots) to pretty up a package?

Decoratively wrapped candies are another adornment for package tops, and these give the recipient a bonus treat. Round peppermints and candy canes look festive and a cluster of Lindt chocolates works nicely, too. A lollipop bouquet extending from the center of a paper flower makes a nice package topper for children's gifts.

If you have no candy on hand and no urge to trek outside for natural trimmings, consider making a newspaper bow.