That’s a wrap

Just because you are super cool and wrap gifts in reusable organic cloth bags or ‘gently used’ wrap from last year, doesn’t mean you can’t try other ideas to help save hundreds of thousands of trees this season.

It would be more palatable if the stuff was actually recyclable,

but it’s typically dyed, laminated and /or contains non-paper additives such as metallic coloured shapes or plastics. Some wrapping paper is very thin and contains few good quality fibres appropriate for recycling and a lot of paper has sticky tape attached that makes it difficult to recycle.

You can buy wrapping paper made from recycled products, but some paper mills do not recycle used wrapping, and although as a general rule most recycling centres avoid accepting wrapping paper, you could check with your local municipality to see if they do. If you are going to buy wrapping paper, try buying 100% recyclable and even better, made from 100% recycled materials such as hemp - this is also a good rule of thumb for holiday cards, which you can find printed with vegetable or soy-based inks. Biodegradable ribbon is available as well.

You don’t have to give up the idea of beautifully wrapped presents under the tree on Christmas morning – you can have them, avoid the small mountain of wrapping paper that’s the norm after Santa’s been and feel good about it.

If possible during frenzied present opening, try to restrain yourself long enough to avoid ripping the wrap so you can save it for next time. You could try wrapping WITHOUT tape. This takes special coordination but it can be done with string, ribbon or wool and some patience. This is a good option if you are very fastidious because you can also save the ribbon for next year, too.

Roll up your sleeves and get creative. Christmas advertisements, old calendars, leftover wallpaper, children’s art or using old clothing catalogues are all good places to start. Reuse scrap paper and tissue that are hiding always in closets and boxes around your house as wrapping alternatives.

Putting gifts in colourful bags is more environmentally friendly than wrapping them with paper, with the additional benefit of being easy. Bags are usually recyclable and definitely reusable. They can be used for many holiday seasons before getting too torn and tattered. Along the same lines, you could use plain brown paper bags and trim the present with holly or pinecones. Gift boxes made from recycled cardboard are also a good option.

Try wrapping presents with bed linens, scarves, table linens or dishtowels – any of these items can be used to wrap a gift  - creating a gift within a gift. You can often find all of these items with colourful holiday prints on them. You can be even more eco-friendly by buying items that are made from all-natural materials such as organic hemp or cotton.

Try using old fabric trimmed with pinking shears, which create a nice edge and has the added benefit that it doesn’t unravel – pick up some seasonal fabric at the end of the year sales for next Christmas. You can also cut up old holiday cards to make gift tags.

Concert tickets, gifts cards or donation gifts can all be placed under the tree is a pretty envelope saving you the trouble of wrapping.

Another idea, courtesy of the UK’s Guardian Unlimited, forget about wrapping altogether, hide the presents around the house and have a Christmas morning present hunt!