Almost half the paper consumed in the United States every year is for wrapping items and decorating in the holiday season. Our Creation Care Ministry Team has some tips for gift wrappings that would reduce, reuse, repurpose, and recycle to keep all that wrapping paper out of the landfill!
As a Creation Care congregation, let’s do our part and use alternatives to newly purchased wrapping paper:
- Use newspapers, advertisement inserts and the comic pages.
- Cut open brown paper grocery sacks to make a piece of plain craft paper.
- Consider old sheet music or maps.
- Use fabrics instead of paper. Cloth can be part of the present like a pretty dish cloth or colorful bandana.
Check out this excellent “green” website for ideas and unique ways to wrap gifts:
- For next year: consider carefully unwrapping and smoothing this year’s paper for reuse.
There are eco-friendly containers that can be used for gifting:
- Baskets with ornaments, bows or spray painted. Be creative.
- Brown paper lunch sacks for small items; decorate with ribbons, or pictures.
- Gift bags from stores with tissue paper fluffed in the top.
Paper bows made from on-hand materials are a great decorating choice. Kids would enjoy this project; it’s so simple, even adults can make them. Learn how from this video at UpCycle!
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