ALT-3 Green Guide to Gift Wrapping Eco Friendly Alternatives to Wrapping Paper
Many people may be taking extra steps to incorporate being more environmentally friendly in their daily lives. Using eco-friendly alternatives to wrapping paper is an excellent way to get the whole family involved in “going green.” Utilizing alternatives to traditional gift wrap paper can become a fun family tradition. Even the youngest family members can get involved in thinking of eco-friendly alternatives and helping to decorate gifts in a fun, festive “green” manner.
Deciding on the Alternatives
Some people may decide to just use newspaper to wrap packages. Newspaper is indeed an acceptable option, particularly if the gift recipient has moved away or is serving in the military. A gift that has been wrapped in the hometown newspaper gives two gifts – the gift that you purchased or made, as well as the opportunity to catch up on news "back home" when reading your newspaper wrapping.
Another alternative is wrapping in fashion magazines. The fashionista on your shopping list, especially those who may not be able to afford fashion magazines in these still-trying times, may appreciate a gift being slipped into a nice fashion magazine. For teens and tweens on your gift list who have ogle eyes directed to young music and movie stars, a magazine catering to that age level is an appropriate gift wrap. A gift card or gift certificate, cash or a piece of jewely affixed inside the magazine are just a few examples of items that can be "wrapped" in a fashion magazine.
Is your gift recipient a traveler for fun or business? Consider using a map as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional wrapping paper. If he or she is new to the city, a city street guide would be a nice eco-friendly alternative for wrapping a gift.
If your gift recipient is a seamstress, consider new fabric to wrap a nice gift. The fabric not only serves as an eco-friendly alternative to wrapping paper, but as a second gift, too. If you are presenting a gift to a crafter, the fabric will probably work well for this gift recipient as well. Just adorn the package with a few craft accessories as an extra-added touch.
Let the kids join in the fun! Ask the grocer for brown paper bags instead of plastic. Let the kids spread out at the table or even in the floor and give them plenty of crayons and materials to decorate with. Then let the kids put the gifts they are giving inside their eco-friendly gift bags that they decorated themselves. This may be an especially nice gesture when the kids are giving gifts to grandparents. Grandma or grandpa will have a nice gift as well as new artwork from their grandchildren.
Embellishments
Utilizing eco-friendly alternatives to traditional gift wrap does not mean your gift has to look unattractive. A few beads, buttons, left-over bows and ribbon or other inexpensive accessories easily found around your home or even the local thrift shop make excellent additions to eco-friendly wrappings. Add a nice pen on top for the writer or business professional, or a glittery marker or glue pen to the package that is for a child. A variety of added embellishments on your eco-friendly gift wrap creates a more festive look.
Whatever the interests, age or gender of your gift recipient, there are plenty of eco-friendly alternatives to traditional wrapping paper that will help you "go green" while the entire family can have fun decorating the "green" wrap.
