To boycott wrapping paper this Christmas ?

[MostlyAmbridgeandcoffee]

It’s terrible for the environment and completely pointless ! Who’s with me? Old newspaper or pretty reusable cloth instead? My little one turned 1 this weekend and the cardboard and wrapping paper rubbish at the end of it all made me feel a bit ill! Does anyone do this already and have any tips ?

50 metres of brown paper is about £8 on Amazon.

‘Nice ribbon’ is likely plastic based and not recyclable or biodegradable.

Brown paper or fabric (worst option of all, IMO, ridiculously wasteful) is like bamboo toothbrushes. Virtuous nothingness.

No meat in December would have a far greater impact, but even that is pretty minuscule.

We used newspaper last year, tied with "ribbon" made from cutting thin strips from a pair of old jeans and decorated with a sprig of rosemary from the garden (smelt nice). Just wrote names on with pen rather than using a gift tag.

If you're crafty you can use the legs of old jeans/trousers/pj bottoms to make bottle bags. One year I bulk bought red cotton bottle bags online (I think they were £1 each) and appliqued Christmas motifs on them.

Thanks @MustardScreams that’s some comfort at least.
All bar three of my kids gifts will be either homemade or bought off Facebook/eBay or even freecycle and trash nothing.
Our oldest is getting a bike (off a friend) and the baby is getting a scooter (should get one off Facebook) and they’re having new helmets. That’s off Santa.
Their stocking fillers are all little “bits” so an orange, apple and banana each, some chocolate coins and for big one he will have stationary and the baby will have a few little cars - so that will be new.
Then their presents off us - I am making a “ryans world treasure chest” for the big one - using the magazines and things I can make at home (for example I have a plain sleepmask I can print and I can print his plain white blanket with Ryan faces) and the little one is getting his brothers old fireman Sam playset.
And that’s it. Apart from a tub of bubbles each and a mug (which I make) and a bauble (again I make them)
I’m hoping to do our bit by not adding to more plastic waste and using wrapping paper for the “surprises” in Ryan’s treasure chest.

We reuse gift bags and have family who send presents via amazon, who use fabric gift bags and we reuse these too. I make gift tags from last year's cards as we have lots of family birthday's around Christmas, so lots of presents to keep track of. Reusable gift bags are 1) easier, no fussy wrapping 2) no wrapping paper to throw away, so better for the environment and 3) look great.

Avoiding sellotape is a good call. String around paper or fabric ribbon that will be reused to wrap other presents or used for crafting but hopefully not chucked away.

I re-use gift bags and large pieces of wrapping paper (when you can remove it all in one go!) and me and DSis have been known to use magazine pages for each others gifts (we pick pages we think the other would be interested in so added bonus of reading material with your gift!)

I hate wrapping presents. I’m useless at it and it just feels like a waste of time. I didn’t wrap my DC’s gifts when they were tiny, it didn’t make sense to but I remember my DM saying I was being ‘cruel’ not wrapping them .

@Greenmarmalade
Nice ribbon doesn't have to be plastic based - I've got recycled cotton, recycled silk, paper and wool (I'm a hoarder so I save fabric and bits all year road)

I'd love to get on board with this but when I've got around 300+ presents to wrap, I'm not pissing about with random materials and spriggs of Holly.

It's Christmas, the time for overindulging. I buy recycled and recycle it after. Yes we all have a responsibility to do the best we can, but I draw the line at ruining Christmas by not wrapping my children's presents.

@wonkylegs good point. It sounds lovely!

We re-use as much wrapping and tissue paper as possible, and re-use gift bags. We also re use labels- DM keeps envelopes with different combinations in - "Janet from John" "Dad from Sophie" etc as these don't change yr on yr so we never bother with new ones.

@Pinkyyy 300 presents?

I compost mine.

@Etino yes! I have a huuuge family and I love buying gifts so I give to everyone, even if it's just a small gift. I also give my own DC an embarrassingly large pile each but I can't help it, I LOVE Christmas!

I bought a roll of brown paper last year, and some decorative ink stamps. Even teen ds got involved! (Although I’m probably the one who has most fun..)

I accidentally bought some of that plasticity wrapping paper a few years ago. I know it's bad for the environment but the sticky tape comes off really easily so we will be using it again for the 4th year.

YANBU this year Santa's gifts to my little one will be glittery paper I already have but we are getting brown paper and metallic children's paints to decorate it with potato stamps and some pretty ribbons. That is what all other presents will be wrapped in.

I'd love to get on board with this but when I've got around 300+ presents to wrap

that is shocking!

Last year's efforts. The string, green balls, cinnamon and wooden tags will be used again this year.

ruining Christmas by not wrapping my children's presents 🙄 OTT much?

Brown paper and string tied with cinnamon sticks or brown paper with lovely reusable ribbon. Very rustic but much more environmentally responsible

Some people think it's by consuming less wrapping paper. I think it's by consuming less stuff to wrap

This. In spades.

And how is potato stamped brown paper any better for the environment than the Santa printed generic non glitter/non metallic paper? Ok so one is more fun and prettier, but both will be recycled.

And how is potato stamped brown paper any better for the environment than the Santa printed generic non glitter/non metallic paper? Ok so one is more fun and prettier, but both will be recycled.

My council won't accept any wrapping paper for recycling. It literally goes from roll, to present, to landfill. Waste of money.

We use the kids “artwork” from over the year- they bring tons of it home, this way it has a purpose