Coming into an age of renewable and sustainable practises, you have to wonder – is there a more economic way of wrapping your Christmas gifts? Well there certainly is, and what better time to start making eco-friendly changes than before a big event like this one. Standard wrapping paper isn’t recyclable where we live, so we’ve had to think outside the box. We’ve come up with some brilliant options beyond spending money on paper that’ll last seconds on Christmas day and be thrown out!
One of the easiest methods I personally use is newspaper! Depending on where you live, you may receive a newspaper at your home/business daily or weekly. Regardless of how you can come across getting enough paper to wrap presents, it’s typically a free, easy method of covering up those presents. It may not be the prettiest option out there but using some nice tags or a sprig of rosemary and some twine, you can make it look beautiful. You could also use some teabags to colour the paper to make it look older. Or why not get the kids involved and let them paint/draw on the paper before you use it?
The next idea requires a little more effort! If you’re as passionate about giving practical gifts as I am, this one is for you. Pillow cases. I know – it sounds a little lame, but hear me out! Fill a pillow case with soft gifts (like toys and clothes – you could include some hard items, just be mindful that the pillow case will provide little to no protections) and use some nice twice to tie it up. You could add some extra touches with rosemary, and a nice gift tag. For extra brownie points, you could get a Christmas-themed or a personalise pillow case.
If you’re not a fan of giving bed linen at Christmas, you could use a blanket, an item of clothing, or a reusable tote bag – get creative! Please send through your own solutions, we’d love to see your ideas and creations on our Facebook page!