My favorite green present wrapping options

Can we all agree that we are past the 1980’s "wrap a million presents in disposable paper and put them under the tree" thing? Throwing out piles of paper, or even recycling it, is so ... passe. Wrapping should be part of the gift, or completely reusable. Plain and simple.

It doesn't have to be hard. Here are some simple ideas that I have used in the past:

Reusable fabric gift bags: When I was a kid my mom made a big set of fabric gift bags from a few different wintery prints. We still have several of them to this day. They are perfect for giving gifts within the family so that they can be reused over and over again. We also do something similar with my husband’s family, but we reuse paper gift bags with tissue instead.

Another option is to wrap your gift in a useful fabric item. Maybe a scarf, a large printed handkerchief or event a shirt!. It’s a very old tradition – the Japanese even have a name for using a cloth to wrap things: furoshiki.

Reusable containers: I am completely guilty of hanging onto nice plain tins and boxes to use come Christmas. (It is possible that I hang onto to more than I really need…but its nice to have options.) I often wrap presents in either reusable packaging, or an item that is created for another use. Think Tupperware or Rubbermaid containers, clay plant pots, mason jars, or food storage containers. It's easy to dress them up with a nice piece or ribbon, a bow and a handmade gift tag.

The best part is you can tailor the wrap to suit the gift and the recipient, or you can pick one method and stick with it if you want.

And if you would rather just avoid wrapping altogether, there's no need to give material gifts at all this season…check out a previous Green Living Blog about how to give experiences as gifts.

What about you? What's the most creative gift wrap that you've made? Join the conversation in the comments below.