Try eco-friendly gift wrap
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Trash bags of crumpled wrapping paper fill garbage cans all over the valley the day after Christmas, and many get hauled to the landfill. But with a little ingenuity, gifts can be wrapped in an eco-friendly way.
Use a reusable shopping tote instead of wrapping paper for all manner of things, from a pair of running shoes to a fluffy bathrobe.
Used wrapping paper can be shredded and used for packing material or even used for rewrapping if it’s not too thrashed.
For a seamstress or a quilter on the Christmas list, wrap a gift in fabric and tie with rickrack or seam binding.
Dish towels or an apron can conceal a new cookbook or even new measuring cups and spoons and a bar of baking chocolate in a mixing bowl.
An amaryllis in a classy pot makes a great present for the woman who has everything or for an exchange gift.
Instead of things, food makes a great gift, too. After all, Christmas cookies and other treats don’t need to be stored; they can be consumed. Jams and jellies, homemade fudge, peanut brittle or caramel popcorn can be festively wrapped in a napkin or a reusable tin.
Panettone, brioche or any sort of homemade bread can be wrapped just in plastic or placed in a paper bag tied with a ribbon.
Wrap a shoebox or other sturdy box and its lid separately with plain colored paper and then pop a gift into the box, cover it with the lid and tie with a glittery ribbon. After the holiday, the box can be used to hold trinkets or spools of ribbon.
Creative gift wrapping will make presents more fun while reducing the amount of waste paper going to the transfer station.
