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I don’t know about you, but all the waste generated at the holidays makes me feel a little guilty. Especially the mounds of wrapping paper that get thrown away Christmas morning. While the US does not have statistics on exactly how much is wasted, the UK estimates they use 83 km2 of wrapping paper (That’s over 4200 miles of paper!) Here are a few tips to ease the guilt:

Recycle! Most wrapping paper is recyclable (except foil type papers). While unwrapping try two create to piles: one for recycle, one to save for reuse.

Get creative. Uniquely wrapped gifts are way more fun to give than those wrapped in the typical red and green holiday paper. Decorate plain boxes with small pieces of unusual papers or wallpaper. Place gift in a reusable photo or hat box and tie with a ribbon. Bundle gifts in fabric samples. Wrap kitchen gadgets or wine bottles in a cute new dish towel. Thoughtful wrapping makes even the most inexpensive gift special.

Make it Personal. Wrap gifts for Grandma in little Timmy’s artwork. Stamp a plain box or craft paper with the your sister’s  initials. Use colorful pages from your  hubby’s favorite magazine for gift wrap. You get the idea.

Look at everyday items for inspiration. Some stores use nice ribbons or cords for the handles on their shopping bags. Once the bag  starts to fall apart from re-use, carefully remove the handles to use for gifts.  Baker’s twine or yarn scraps tied artfully around boxes can be elegant or playful! Get some ideas a’ la Martha below:

Or try this great idea from Ink&Post . Make gift tags from Trader Joe’s bags!

Below is a gift I wrapped for my sister-in-law, Erin, who always sends beautifully wrapped gifts. I can’t say what’s inside, but I re-used a  plain brown box,  a small piece of a decorative wood veneer sample (I’ve had since design school), jute twine and two tiny pine cones (pulled from a holiday potpourri mix).

You can duplicate this by cutting any pretty paper scrap to fit the top of  your gift box, and adhering it with spray mount of double stick tape. I’d love to see your unique recycled gift wrapping ideas – show me whatcha got!

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