Ideas for gifts (wrapping, that is)

[helwen]

Just a few thoughts I'm putting out there for friends and family...

Earlier this year I was thinking about different environmental things (while working on cleaning the attic), and one thing that was taking up space was gift wrapping paper. An annoying part of that was that a number of them are getting low, which meant I was going to have to buy more of it, and I thought about how much paper gets used for holiday wrapping and gets disposed of incorrectly by a lot of people. I also happened to have some holiday-type fabric from when I used to make Christmas ornaments and stuff, so I decided to make my own re-usable gift bags. I gave some to to my mother-in-law Marian earlier this year to see what they look like.

The great thing about gift bags is that they can be re-used many more times than paper, and if they get dirty or scuffed up you can wash them. They take up less space on the shelf too! And depending on the fabric, you could make them for any holiday, not just Christmas. They could even be part of the present if you're really into sewing -- reusable as a purse, bookbag, etc. (And I'll still be using some paper for a little while -- not going to throw out the stuff I still have!)

Of course, not everyone happens to have a bunch of fabric laying around, or is handy at sewing. And some folks like paper better so... here are some links to sites that have recycled and/or earth-friendly wrapping paper -- some of it's even competitively priced with standard wrapping papers. (if you want fabric bags, write me and let me know what size you'd like, and I'll see what I can do to make some for you or help you make some).

Paper wraps:
http://www.importica.com/GiftWrap/StoreGiftWrap/default.aspx

http://www.importica.com/GiftWrap/StoreGiftWrap/default.aspx

http://paporganics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=HW353&Category_Code=HHW

http://paporganics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=P&Category_Code=GT

https://www.peacefulvalleygreetings.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=51
(Great nature designs on this page. There are also links at the top of the page for holiday wraps (just under the photo that's across the top of the window))

Other Ideas from Ideal Bite (cool web site that I got the above links from):
http://idealbite.com/tiplibrary/tip.php?tip=20060620

Comments

[alphasarah.livejournal.com]

Another option is newspaper or paper bags. When TRex was in the NICU, we came home from the hospital every day with big paper bags full of sterile bottles for pumped breastmilk. That year, we wrapped all holiday gifts in brown paper bags that I then decorated with crayon. And then we just recycled it.

[helwen.livejournal.com]

Oh, absolutely! I've used the plain newsprint paper that some companies use for shipment packaging too, and decorated it with rubber stamp designs, etc.

But some people want something 'snazzier', so I figured why not put some of that info out there :)

On using cloth, I've also used veils, handkerchiefs, napkins, and pieces of nice fabric that the recipient can use for whatever he/she would like. I read somewhere that the Japanese often wrap gifts in fabric, or at least used to -- considering the scarcity of trees there, not really a surprise.