Wrapping paper can be beautiful. I used to love going to the after-Christmas sales to get the, often glittery or metallic, rolls of paper. It always made me a bit sad that such pretty paper would just be tossed aside, even though it was fun to see the kids tear open their gifts. I still have quite a bit of it, so I’ll use it up as the holidays pass. If you have extra, you can use it to create decorations, create a backdrop for pictures, line your shelves (with the glitter-free kind)… get creative! What happens when you run out of wrapping paper? Or maybe the item you are gifting requires a different kind of wrapping material. There are alternative methods that are inexpensive, or even free, that are more sustainable than wrapping paper. You could reuse wrapping paper, but that also means you have to be careful when unwrapping gifts.

One thing you could do is not wrap the item. While items look fun and festive all dolled-up, there isn’t anything that states that wrapping is necessary. It takes the surprise from the gift, but if you are gifting something like a layered hot chocolate mix, dried fruit, tea, or flavored salts and sugars, they tend to look great as-is. To make a jar more festive, you could use twine with a kraft paper tag, cinnamon stick, dried orange or apple slice, etc. Fabric bags, reusable shopping bags, and even gift bags can be used multiple times for those in your household. Fabric drawstring and brown paper bags can be stamped or drawn on to create one-of-a-kind designs. You can also tie different embellishments to them as well to make the gift extra festive. I’ve used drawstring burlap bags. They’re one of my favorites because they remind me of the past.

Gifting in tins, dishes, and jars are other ways to “wrap” an item without the use of gift wrap. I use tins for bars, cookies, cakes, and brownies. That reminds me– I need to get some candied fruit for one of them. Anyway, you can find tins in all sorts of designs. I tend to get a few extra at the end of the season to use the following year. Jars are also multi-use, and are a wonderful, reusable option. Bowls, flower pots, plates, and mugs also work to hold gift items. If you are crafty, you can paint the piece to customize it. A personalized piece is also a thoughtful gift on its own. Furoshiki, head scarves (think Audrey Hepburn in Charade), neckerchiefs, and other fabric makes for one of my favorite wrapping paper alternatives. They come in such a wide variety of colors and sizes, that it’s easy to find the perfect multifunctional piece of cloth.

Aside from bags, I also save boxes. Not all of the time, but usually, especially when they have fun designs or colors on them. At one time I was subscribed to Birchbox, so I kept the boxes for holiday and birthday gifts. I’ve also sent parcels off in old FabFitFun and Amazon boxes. Since they come in all sizes, it is easy to find one that will fit whatever I’m gifting.

Since we are on such a tight budget (especially this year) I’m making 99% of the gifts, many of which will be in their own form of wrapping. Luckily, last year I bought most of what I needed to wrap for this year. I didn’t buy any gift wrap since we have plenty of that. Also, old magazine pages work as wrap for smaller gifts in a pinch. Unfortunately, not all companies are sustainable, and they’re not always inexpensive. Go with what fits your budget. While I’m all about sustainability, thrift, and being low-waste, these are not the days to focus on that, especially (and this is just me) given my financial situation. Everyone is in a different boat, weathering the same storm, so be understanding and supportive; and, don’t give yourself a bad time! You are doing the best with what you have.

Peace & Love, always!