Reusing gift bags

[Aroundtheworldin80moves]

A conversation that occurred with my Mum today
DH asked me while I was on the phone if we had any gift bags left, joked about cutting the previous tag off.
My mum then asked me if reused gift bags and seemed shocked that we do. I've got one that seems to come back on a biannual basis for example.
She claims that no one does this (except my DHs family, as obviously we do to get that particular one back

So are we the only ones?
YABU... It's just you
YANBU... We reuse gift bags

(They get retired when they get grotty. But they still last a few uses!)

YANBU it is wasteful to use them once then throw them away. When I give them I don't write on the tag so they recipient can reuse them.

So you have probably been given loads of reused ones and just assumed that they were new!

steppemum Either way they go straight in the bin.

Gave my god children gifts last week in bags (which had been used a number of times). The mum handed them back straight away for next time.....

Either way they go straight in the bin.

Do you not see how wasteful that is or do you just not care?

In Tibet the custom is to reuse greeting cards but keeping all the previous written greetings inside and the blessings from each sender multiply and the goodwill contained in it becomes stronger so the more senders have used it the better, Because the sender is sending something precious to them.

I think it is Tibet. Might be Nepal. I really like that idea. Hard to introduce here though.

829 votes in and finally there is a person who agree with your Mum

Or is it your Mum ?

Of course we re-use them. that is what they are designed for.

@thosetalesofunexpected

Hi Op Good idea recycle stuff in that way,why not,nothing wrong with this Its going back to old school traditional values of yesterday years era etc such as 1940s etc making clothes/alternating clothes items yourself...

‘Make do and mend’ was the saying back then, bless them really they had nothing but nothing went to waste - we are seeing the effect of our disposable consumer society now and it’s not good 😢

Of course, that's the whole point of them. Never write on the gift tags so they can be re-used.

@emilyfrost

So you have probably been given loads of reused ones and just assumed that they were new!

steppemum Either way they go straight in the bin.

That is such a waste. Are you concerned about environmental issues?

oh EmilyFrost, there's always one!

What do you do about shopping bags?

@steppemum

actually this thread has really made me laugh.

I reuse bags, and I don't buy bags.

WHO BUYS THE BAGS?

or do they spontaneously reproduce in the drawer?

I wonder this as well.

I always reuse them! I get great enjoyment out of “fresh” ones coming in with presents from friends!

@emilyfrost

I don’t reuse them; I just bin them. I wouldn’t be best impressed if someone gave me a used one.

Wow, I didn't know that anyone actually throws them away, don't you care about the environment?

My mother used to save xmas wrapping paper when we were children. I still feel guilty throwing it away.

Chasingsquirrels lol, I was miffed this morning to see that i only had a happy birthday and no Christmas ones left.

Think I do need to buy some now.

I've never bought a gift bag
I recently bought my friend a lovely pop up birthday card. I couldn't see an obvious place where to write on it so I left it blank then I thought I may as well leave the envelope blank in case she wants to reuse it
We had a laugh about it and I guess it will be given to someone else

Oh we used to fo that. Iron out the paper with our hands so it could be reused

Yep I re use! Got a big box full of gift bags under my bed!!!

I love it when I get one with a blank tag! I strip off all rosettes, ribbon etc and save those as well. I’m sure I’ll be using done that have gone round the family several times. A bit of double sided sellotape and you’re done. Chuck when grotty, not before. My stepmum uses lovely proper ribbon and that goes round many times. I have one of those wrapping paper organisers that hangs up. Rolls of paper , tags, rosettes, ribbon etc go in there, gift bags flattened in one big bag hung up with the organiser- sorted.

Do you not see how wasteful that is or do you just not care?

LittleMissLockdown I don’t care.

That is such a waste. Are you concerned about environmental issues?

woodhill Nope.

What do you do about shopping bags?

cantdothisnow1 I just buy them as and when I need them.

Last year I wrapped all the gifts given in our house in recycled gift bags. The best of all of them are the Amazon fabric ones which last and last. I did all in house birthdays in those, too. I also like the fun bag for life type shopping bags they have at places like Poundland or Tesco. I have several of those for use this year.

I often reuse gift bags.

SIL and I have a gift bag that goes between us for our birthdays - I can't actually remember who bought it, but it's been going strong for 3 years!

It would be irresponsible NOT to reuse a gift bag.

I haven't bought any wrapping for about 10 years.

@emilyfrost

Do you have kids?

Do you care about the world they will inherit from our generation?

Are you selfish, or just stupid?

[quote UntamedWisteria]@emilyfrost

Do you have kids?

Do you care about the world they will inherit from our generation?

Are you selfish, or just stupid?[/quote]
Yes, I have a child. I’m still not interested in all the woke environmental bullshit going around.