To wrap Christmas presents in newspaper?

[fairynick]

My family seem to think so! 😂 I read an article about how wasteful Christmas is, and one of my New Years resolutions is going to be about reducing the waste I produce because I do think that I mindlessly produce quite a lot. In the article it said how wrapping paper is non recyclable and really damaging. I am living back at home atm and my mum buys a newspaper everyday so I have decided to wrap my presents in her old newspapers. My mums response was “well they’re not going under MY tree”. The rest of my family seem a bit miffed too. I should add that my family is all adults, I’ve not bought for any children whatsoever so surely grown adults can deal with wrapping paper that isn’t very pretty and shiny?

It depends on where you live. Some councils refuse all wrapping paper, not just the glittery kind. Most councils won't take the thicker firmer kind, just the thinner 1970s style

@JenniferM1989 I think buying recycled paper, and recycling paper is also really important but still creates waste and recycling still uses energy and won’t have a 100% output. That’s why I thought from now in my life I want to be moe mindful about at least trying to reuse before eventually recycling

Some wrapping paper can't be recycled. Just buy some plain paper without plastic or metal content in it!

Don't forget when you wrap - most sellotape isn't recycled and can't be recycled either.

Regular B&W newspaper as gift wrap wouldn't appeal to me. I'd suggest you go with brown Kraft paper/parcel paper or the pinky-orange Financial Times newspaper. :)

I don't see why not. We don't get a newspaper so I am using recyclable brown paper. I need to work out how to make the gifts look nice now though as I'm not creative enough to draw my own design on it and don't have the time or the inclination

To wrap the presents in newspaper means you have to buy the physical copies which means more trees being cut down. Read the news online instead

@rhubarbcrumbles Colourful butcher's twine looks nice to tie them up? (You can get Xmas versions - white/green/red combo.) Or, I've previously stamped brown paper luggage tags, attached mini tree crackers, used raffia for bows, etc. x

I'm going to get paper tape this year. I've bought nice brown paper from Ikea so it will all be recyclable. Sticking and Santa presents don't get wrapped and I'll reuse gift bags received in previous years for some.

My son asked me when he was about eight if I could wrap his present in newspaper so I could afford to get him a bigger present! We have used newspaper to wrap our presents to each other ever since, if we are in the same country and giving presents rather than doing that "lend money in the third world so people can do something useful" thing. That makes a great present if you aren't actually going to see each other. (Or even if you are: better than a goat, anyway.)

We did brown paper, labels and sealing wax with string one year. It looked very quaint!

Sorry but u really wouldnt want to open my present thinking it was a fish special

I not you

Newspaper will stain everything with black ink.

@Lucylouxc I do read the news online, my mother is older and buys a newspaper everyday. That’s why I’ll be wrapping in her used paper, to reuse it!

Newspaper doesn’t transfer ink the way it did years ago - I’m going for brown paper though as recyclable , husband is saying he’s going to use tinfoil but I’ve told him he can buy his own and not to touch my Lakeland stuff !

I've read that all wrapping paper in not recyclable so I've wrapped mind in brown paper and tried to brighten up with ribbon.

To wrap the presents in newspaper means you have to buy the physical copies which means more trees being cut down. Read the news online instead

Trees grown for the purpose though, which are then replaced. No-one is cutting the Amazon down to print copies of the Guardian/Daily Express.

However, over half of the UK's electricity is generated from fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are not renewable and generating the energy is polluting, to say nothing of the resources used to make electronic devices. Using more electrical energy to save the planet is counter-productive.

karmastar I've read that all wrapping paper in not recyclable

There has been some media dramatisation. If is is just paper, it's recyclable. If it's laminated or metallic, no.

www.recyclenow.com/what-to-do-with/wrapping-paper-1

I did brown paper and ribbon many years ago (because it was cheaper) before it was fashionable! I save paper to reuse when I can and have bought paper from charity shops (so not encouraging paper to be made?). This year we're putting the children's presents into boxes we already have (because they LOVE playing with boxes) and wrapping with ribbon.

If it's just for adults I think it's a great idea. Maybe put the newspaper gifts into a gift bag to keep the moany ones happy? Everyone reuses them anyway.

I use recyclable parcel paper

Brown paper and fabric here. I'd use newspaper if I had any.

Not all wrapping paper is non recyclable and what are we supposed to do with the tons of it we have left over from previous years? I have loads.

From now on I will only buy craft paper which is basically brown paper with pretty designs on it - however I will use up what I have in store.

My council refuse people encourage us to put all wrapping paper in the recycling bin having torn off sellotape and tinsel first, which I do.

I'm surprised by the controversy on here - I thought that newspaper-wrapped gifts had gone from stylish to mainstream ages ago. Has it gone so completely out of style that everyone's forgotten that it was ever the height of fashion?