I know that when you were little you most likely picked on your Grandmother for saving all of the wrapping paper at Christmas, but she really did have a point. We can learn a lot of things about green living from the Great Depression/World War II era children. Although they saved, reduced, reused & recycled for different reasons, they’re often way ahead of the rest of us when it comes to taking care of our planet. It’s becoming more & more important to find ways to keep “stuff” out of the landfills by redirecting its purpose in our lives. I plan on saving as much of the wrapping paper from the gifts I open this Christmas not only so I don’t have to throw it away, or burn it & release chemicals into the atmosphere, but also so I can save money on buying more next year. Doesn’t it seem so wasteful, this whole tradition of gift wrap?
But I can certainly understand if you enjoy ripping apart the wrapping so much that it is far past any rescue, & in that case you could consider doing your own wrapping in gift bags (you know, for other people to open & reuse). Gift bags are so practical because they can be used again & again for years to come, & even after that they’ll still be in great condition. Even the tissue paper that goes inside the bags, that can be saved & reused as well since it’s supposed to have a crumpled already-been-used look!
I hope that no matter where you are in your holiday gift giving process or how you’re going about doing it, that you are having a lovely time partaking in this fantastic tradition. & if you’re in New England with me, enjoy the snow!
