>I don’t like wrapping paper. It gets used once and then thrown away. It’s not recyclable, we can’t burn it in the fireplace, and re-using it is difficult if not nearly impossible. So what’s an environmentally friendly mama to do? I re-use paper when I can, I keep gift bags until they fall apart, and set up a box for the cut-up cards that become our tags every year.
It still seems wasteful.

I’ve set myself a goal. Goals need to be realistic, so I set this one high enough to make a difference, but not so high I’ll be sure to fail.

I can use scraps that are already on our wrapping shelves. I can re-use bags and tissue, bows and curling ribbon. But I won’t buy new wrapping paper, no matter how cute or special.

I’ve salvaged packing materials, especially the large pieces of butcher paper that cushion the smaller boxes within the big ones. Flattened, that paper makes a great base for wrapping. I can decorate it with cards or ribbons or other small pieces of wrapping material, and it’ll look reasonably festive.

My family won’t buy into my project. I know that already. They fuss when I take care to open presents so I can reuse the paper. But I set this goal for me alone, and I don’t plan to force it on the rest of the crew.

Here’s the first. We have a couple of birthdays to celebrate over Thanksgiving holiday. This one is wrapped in off-white packaging, decorated with pieces from one of last year’s holiday newsletters and a bow, and then one of my own specialized gift tags.