I think it is time to stop using wrapping paper. What are the alternatives?

[Meglet]

I'm going to be good and stop using wrapping paper once my current bits are used up, the sight of all of the waste in the bin after xmas (and birthdays) makes me .

Does anyone have any inspirational alternatives?

I'm off to google compostable paper to see it it exists........

[deepdarkwood]

normal brown paper (tied with nice ribbon, or string & luggages tags)
newspaper/old magazines

[thisisyesterday]

i always keep gift bags and re-use them

save boxes that you get deliveries in, and decorate them yourself?

[strongblackcoffee]

Another vote for newspaper - it honestly looks great, especially if you add a bright ribbon.

Although my DSD thought I was mad last year when I asked for my presents to be wrapped like this...

[Meglet]

I do re-use gift bags. They are swiped from under the dc's noses before they can destroy them .

Brown paper and nice ribbons might be the way forward.

[MrsBadger]

newspaper? recycled brown paper?

our green box men take wrppaing paper if it is folded neatly...

[iheartdusty]

following a thread on here couple of years ago I bought fabric gift bags, we collect them up and re-use them every year. Some bright red, and some patterned.

I admit to wanting a change, though, but feel bound to use them now after the outlay. Also I couldn't afford to get all organic cotton, so not sure how the total environmental impact works out. It would have been better to reuse fabric scraps and make the bags.

[BikeRunSnowflake]

tea towels, held together with ribbon or string,

[LittlewhiskersCat]

Here's an brainwave -
Save and reuse wrapping paper instead of binning it if it makes you so !!! Even small sections of wrapping paper can be saved for smaller gifts.

My grandma used to always "save the paper" that way before recycling was in any way cool. Extremely tight forward thinking she was, bless her

[Meglet]

Thank you all! I could get hold of some pretty scarves in charity shops I expect. And the dc's can potato print brown paper for next year, if we start in January we might have made enough by next Xmas .

[SantaClausImWorthIt]

Oxfam sell wrapping paper that is made from recycled paper and is recyclable.

(I bought mine online, don't know if they sell it in their shops)

[dinoroar]

largish presents presented in pillowcase (to kids obv, not people outside own family!), then just wash pillowcase if necessary?

in bag for life, and bag for life is part of gift?

[LittlewhiskersCat]

Not really seeing why buying new brown paper any better than buying new wrapping paper (barring any biodegradable element/less colour chemicals than some printed wrapping papers). Brown paper still uses raw materials, electricity, transportation miles, chemical processes, packaging etc in its production.

The best idea is to use LESS PAPER which generally means using whichever paper twice or three times be it brown or fancy paper. Then finally composting it (if possible).

[LittlewhiskersCat]

So people receive scarves/pillowcases/teatowels they probably DON'T WANT and DON'T NEED and are cheaply manufactured in god knows where by god knows who just so we can feel good about not buying wrapping paper?!?

Sorry, not having a go at anyone in particular but just dismayed at the irony.

Newspaper at least has had two lives if used for wrapping after reading, and after wrapping it can be used for something else (lining cat tray/collecting potato peelings/cleaning windows or whatever). The fabric reusable gift bags are also great (especially if handmade instead of mass produced abroad).

[LittlewhiskersCat]

Sorry, a bit ranty

I think I need a nice cuppa tea.

[Meglet]

How about newspaper tied with garden twine, a long enough length to use in the garden in the spring?

I don't want to use sellotape as I understand that mucks up the re-cycling process.

[SantaIsMyLoveSlave]

I don't think the idea is to actually give someone the pillowcase.

More
(a) I take pillowcase out of my pile of pillowcases-to-be-put-on-pillows-when-I-wash-existing-pillowcases
(b) I put gift for X in pillowcase and tie a ribbon round it
(c) X unwraps gift and excalims in delight at how utterly perfect it is
(d) I put pillowcase back in my pile of pillowcases-to-be-put-on-pillows-when-I-wash-existing-pillowcases

and similarly with teatowels (except they don't start off in the pillowcase pile).

[UniS]

I'm using gift bags saved from previous years for immediate family as I'll be able to reuse again next year. using saved used paper again for close family ( my side) who see that as normal.
I thought saving the paper was normal till I married and found DHs family just screw it up and bin, not even re-cyc.

[SantaIsMyLoveSlave]

Apparently most modern wrapping paper can't be recycled (although can be re-used if my DCs haven't been the ones unwrapping the presents, obviously)

[cornysxmasmuffmusic]

old tights

[whomovedmychocolate]

Stop buying so many fecking presents. That'll cut down on your paper usage!

We are doing one present per person this year. I have bought one roll of paper (and it's not shiny)

[LittlewhiskersCat]

Old tights!

I've got some old maternity bras. They should do a couple of presents from one cup

[Cananymotherhelpme]

I used newspaper one year. It looked fine. You could jazz it up with some random splodges of silver or gold paint.

[confuddledDOTcom]

How about the pictures that the children do throughout the year, save them up and use for wrapping paper.

[SantaClausImWorthIt]

Most wrapping paper isn't recyclable. Something I didn't know about.

I'm not going to stop buying presents for people. Sorry! But I am buying recycled/recyclable paper.