Holiday Eco-Challenge: Gift Wrapping

This is my holiday eco-challenge to you and your families and friends:  wrap your gifts without using any virgin paper source.  Check back for a tip each day until the holiday wrapping frenzy is over. Or follow my Tweets @ WabiSabiVegan.  Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

1. Wrap with a scarf and tie closed or pin with a vintage or new brooch.  The scarf can be a delicate fashion accessory or a warm addition to a heavy winter coat.  You can even make it a fashion statement on its own.  And by the way, this works for men, women and children!  Have fun with it!
2.  Burlap is beautiful!  Last year I bought a dozen used coffee bean sacks.  To my delight, the company imprints are in a seasonal red and green. Who knew?  The uses seemed endless:  cut and fray for place mats, hang on the wall as art, replace roller shade canvas...but I digress.  Today's focus is gift wrap.  Cut the burlap to fit your box/package.  Remember, the challenge is to avoid the use of virgin paper.  That includes trim, so no paper curling ribbon, please! Tie the package with twine for a rustic look or grosgrain ribbon to dress it up a bit. And voila - a perfectly wrapped gift!
3. Elevate the lowly reusable shopping tote to an elegant reusable gift bag.  Many stores, such as Pier 1 Imports, offer pretty, seasonal shopping totes this time of year.  Presentation is everything with this idea - you don't want it to look like you didn't have time to wrap!  Place the gift inside an appropriately sized bag and tie closed with fabric ribbon, colorful yarns, twine, ric-rac, etc.  For added charm, dangle a sparkly or rustic ornament, whichever suits your gift!
4. Buy a comfy throw and use it to wrap a coordinating decorative pillow.  How fun to find the soft surprise inside!
5. Bandanas are festive!  If one isn't big enough, stitch or tape them together in a colorful patchwork.  Tie with coordinating fabric ribbon.  The brighter the better!
6. Use a fashion backpack for girls and a more rugged version for boys to wrap virtually anything that fits inside.  It would be fun to open and find a cozy sweater inside! 
7. A pretty cosmetics bag can hold more than just makeup - jewelry, accessories, fuzzy socks, gloves, candy, anything that fits!  Use your imagination and have fun!  Take it one step further and create a nesting gift by putting the filled cosmetics case inside a purse!
8. Gift tins meant for food are perfect for jewelry and other small trinkets, too!  Plus, they're reusable!
9. Wrap with a colorful tea towel or fabric napkin and tie closed with a bright grosgrain ribbon and bow!  Use seasonal colors or choose something more cotemporary like a floral or plaid!
10. No need to use paper trim!  Think fabric ribbon, yarn, ric-rac, tulle, fabric cut into strips - so many possibilities!  Cut with decorative-edge scissors or braid the yarn and crochet thin threads for added impact.  Wide strips of tulle simply knotted are especially lovely.  They "stick" to themselves when tied - easy and so pretty!
11. Use paper remnants creatively: cut into strips to use in place of ribbon and bows; shred to use as gift bag filler; weave strips or tape together as a patchwork to create a new wrap; cut into gift tags.  For added detail, layer coordinating colors and cut with decorative-edge scissors.  Let your imagination guide you!

Happy Holidays Everyone!