The holidays are here. Yet with the economy still shaky, many people are looking for low cost gift ideas as well as low cost ways to wrap them. Since recycling and reusing are excellent ways to protect our planet, you may have some wrapping ideas just laying around the house. Not only will you be saving money but you’ll be helping to preserve our planet.
1)Newspaper is an excellent gift wrap for books and journals. Tie with 1 inch ribbon and finish off with a bookmark. Double the layers if necessary. Since many people like to give gift bags, try using newspaper for filler instead of the standard tissue paper. The cost: FREE to 50 cents.
2)The yellow pages work well for smaller items like cell phones and cell phone accessories. Tie with red or green ribbon and detail with holly with berries. The cost: FREE if you have a phone book handy.
3)Flour sacks are soft, durable and reusable. Vintage flour sacks are popular among collectors. They can be made into totes, purses, pillows, dishtowels or even curtains. Flour sacks make great wrap for kitchen themed gifts such as cookbooks, utensils or as gifts themselves. While they may be a little more expensive compared to standard gift wrap, because they are reusable, the recipient is sure to get years of enjoyment from them making them very earth friendly. Try stacking folded, vintage flour sacks then tie with ribbon and place in a lined basket. Place the basket inside a plain, new flour sack and secure with raffia tied in a bow. The cost: around $5.00 +
4)Brown paper like the kind used when painting, is another clever way of wrapping gifts. If perhaps you’ve remodeled and have extra, using it as wrapping paper saves both money and helps to preserve our planet by using what you already have. The cost: Can be FREE if you or someone you know remodeled and has extra.
5)Shopping bags from previous purchases are a chic yet green way of giving gifts. Because you’re reusing, you’re not only saving the earth’s precious resources, but you’re saving your own resources as well. It’s easy to give the bags a holiday feel by adding red, green or gold ribbon, pine cones, holly with berries or fresh pine sprigs. The cost: FREE if the bags have been saved.
Clever ways of gift wrapping many times are just laying around the house. All it takes is a clever approach and creative thinking. Purchased wrapping paper is just thrown away once the gift is opened. By following these suggestions, not only are you helping to preserve the planet, but you are saving precious money. And in today’s economy, every penny counts.
