Wrapping gifts is so much fun but the holiday season can be extremely wasteful. Between the shipping, shopping, gift paper and bags, bows, tissue paper, gift tags and ribbons, our landfills are inundated with these low-value materials during the giving season.
Listen, I love a pretty wrapping paper and when it comes to tape I am out of control…but each year I try to be mindful of the materials I'm using and the amount of waste I'm generating.
Here are a few of my semi-sustainable gift wrapping tips:
Make your own gift tags and use them for years to come! These gift tags (and the hemp I use instead of ribbon) are going on their second year. Once the gift you are giving is opened, just let your friend or family member know you want to reuse the tag again next year!
Spruce it up! Ditch the bows and use what nature has to offer. I love taking small cuts from pine trees and using the clippings to complete the gift presentation.
Save the comics section from the newspaper and use it as gift paper! After all, the paper is torn apart in a matter of seconds and disposed of, why not re-purpose the newspaper and give it a second life?
Extra wrapping paper scraps? Use it to make your own gift tags and labels!
Save shoe boxes to use as gift boxes. No need to spend money to purchase boxes that will only be used once. The gift might be a little misleading at first, but nobody really cares.
How do you keep the holiday season sustainable? Drop me a line!
