EASY WAYS TO ZERO WASTE GIFT WRAP
Whenever I think of holiday gift wrap I think of the times when I was growing up and on holidays my family would all gather round in a big circle to exchange and open gifts. We would all get that glossy gift wrap with trees and reindeers and we would tear it all up to open our actual gifts and throw the wrap in the middle of the circle. The pile of gift wrap trash would be bigger than all of our gifts combined and my mom would take big trash bags and pile all the wrapping in. I never thought anything of it and now thinking of it makes me want to cry! Knowing that two seconds of barely acknowledging something that will forever end up in our landfills and outlive generations makes me want to try my very best to stop it any way I can. The good thing is that there are SO many other ways to gift wrap, and make it look unique, classy and thoughtful. Here are just a few ways I’ve done it. Not only are we not creating trash but we are supporting a circular economy where we can actually reuse and repurpose things headed for the landfill.
I found a beautiful big roll of brown paper next to the trash can outside so I cut off the outer bits and recycled it and then used the rest for packing lotions and presents! I have a big bunch of lavender in my house for aesthetic purposes but grabbed a couple sprigs to bundle with the gift for an extra touch and added an incense match for that extra love.
2. I also found a huge pile of perfect conditioned newspapers headed for recycling! Another perfect opportunity to give materials a new life! I got the pretty boob cloth from Lovewild in Brooklyn and a dried flower for an extra touch as well. I also love the idea of painting something small on the newspaper for an extra touch too.
3. This one is probably one of my favorite ways to gift because I am a person whose love language is time spent. I also think this is a great way to not over consume. You can find wonderful post cards at vintage or antique stores or even online or at national parks - heck you can even make your own! Find a card of some kind that means a lot to you and the other person and write a personalized coupon on it as a gift. It can be for one free dinner and movie night, it could be an art night where you provide the wine and supplies, it could be to spend a day in the mountains and you provide the snacks and jokes. Whatever it is, it is a sweet reminder that we don’t need THINGS to keep us happy, and that all we need is the person we want to give it to.
4. Last but certainly not least is use a gift to wrap the gift! I think a perfect give would be cloth bags like my favorite Simple Ecology ones that can be used for grocery shopping for bulk items, taking snacks to go and so many other purposes! You can but some small special items such as these vintage nature books and put them in a cloth bag with even a flower tied with it!