Welcome to another Project Design featuring Christmas wrapping ideas. Cindy, Annie and I have invited two other bloggers that we really admire to join us. All the links are at the end of this post
The last several years, we have spent Christmas in San Diego where my mom and sister live. It’s a VERY merry time! But I am always alarmed by how much wrapping paper trash we generate. My brother will jump on the tall recycling trash can to compact it down…and last year it almost tipped over (i.e. dangerous). Here are some eco-friendly ideas that I am doing this year…
Using:
- reusable burlap bags
- recycled white wrapping paper
- linen dish towels as wrapping (and as a usable gift)–on sale!
- reusable chalk and natural gift tags with monograms
- savable cloth ribbon
- preserved or faux greenery
- pinecone garland
Here you can see the recycled white wrapping paper…
The gift recipient can either take the burlap bag home, or we can save it to use again next year. The white and burlap ribbon was actually from last year that I rolled up to re-use. Do you reuse your ribbon?
This is my favorite thing that I am doing this year, using linen dish towels as wrapping. I just tied the towels with rubber bands and then ribbon.
In fact, Pottery Barn has lots of tea towels on sale right now.
These reusable chalk and natural gift tags with written monograms can be used again next year.
I’ll let you in on a little secret… I’m not that organized to have so many Christmas presents already. Some of these are birthday presents for my brother and son. But I’m on a roll for future presents with all the supplies!
In fact, I like to turn on Christmas music and sit on the rug in here and enjoy the process of wrapping gifts for the people I love.
I’m excited to see what these creative ladies have in store for us with their holiday packaging…
Fantastic idea! I am going out to get some burlap bags today! Of course you know how much I love that color scheme 🙂 Off to check out the others!
Gorgeous with a capital G! I am officially inspired…..I too get into my giftwap, it can really elevate the gift giving experience. Hope your holidays are off to a merry start!
I love creative gift wrapping. Have special drawers for beautiful papers. Love your use of tea towels as wrapping paper. I go to Ikea for tea towels and use them for napkins.
I’ve always had a passion for gift wrapping, so I love all of your beautifully wrapped packages. Lots of great ideas!
Xo gail
All sooo pretty. I already feel like I’m behind getting it all done ; (( I have started my to-do list with these great ideas! Wrapping paper is so expensive and it is really sad it all goes in the trash so quickly.
xo kelley
I love using tea towels for wrap. It’s super easy to make a bow or tie out of a second one, to make a pair. It also offers a little cushion if it has to go somewhere to be delivered – great for wine especially if you’re transporting host(ess) gifts while making the rounds to parties, etc.
Your packages are so pretty, all of them – you are a constant source of inspiration.
I think I’m going to buy some more tea towels!!
Mary Ann I love the dishtowel idea! And the burlap bags….so pretty and environmentally friendly! You have me thinking about alternative wrapping this year……thanks for the ideas! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Thanks, Lisa. Happy Thanksgiving to you!!
YES!
I re-use the ribbon……….have not BOUGHT RIBBON IN YEARS!!!!!!
Thank you for posting these eco friendly ideas! I, too, have stopped buying wrapping paper and my family just reuses the same bags over again each year. We reuse ribbons, too. My brother-in-law had a friend sew cloth bags made out of lovely holiday fabrics one year and he reuses those each year. There’s enough waste in packaging that comes from the gifts we give, so it helps to do what we can to keep stuff out of the landfills.
I wouldn’t want to open those pretty packages, Mary Ann! They’re beautiful as decor! Love your great tips for ‘wrap’ without using wrapping paper. Your monogram tags are perfect too! Thanks so much for including me today, what a fun group and topic to kick off the holidays!
I have re-used ribbon for years! My teenage boys even know to roll it up and put it in the “save” pile on Christmas morning! I also re-use bells, letters, faux berries, pine cones, and nice gift boxes (Target sells some from Sugar Paper that are so pretty they don’t need wrapping, just a ribbon). Target also carries a nice selection of bags, similar to the idea of your burlap examples. You will find these in the holiday section. I’m not a fan of all of the waste, either. Love your ideas!
Love the idea of using dish towels. Looks like a fun group of posts. Will be visiting them all.
I recycle gift bags year after year. I think they’re on their 7th year now. I also keep plain white or brown bags without logos that I get when I shop and use them as gift bags with a bit of ribbon.
What great ideas and so practical and beautiful, but I knew they would be with your touch added to the process, Of course I absolutely love the black and white touches!! Very festive fun and your recipients will love having a new dishtowel. I am going to remember this for next year!! Great job my friend!
I love using furoshiki techniques to wrap gifts in tea towels or scarves. A gift plus.
I love it. Both how pretty they are and the thought behind them. Do you have any ribbon tying tips?