Wrapping paper has gotten cuter over the years, but even the trendiest wrapping paper doesn’t stand a chance against these instaworthy gift wrapping ideas that are as earth-friendly as they are beautiful. Skip buying wrapping paper this holiday season and do this instead:
1. Wrap gifts using your child’s excess artwork.
Feel guilty about throwing away the piles of art your little one churns out? Well, with a little tape, scissors, and twine, you can turn your tiny Rembrandt’s collection into one-of-a-kind wrapping paper. I love this example using construction paper art.
2. Save the brown kraft paper in the Amazon boxes.
When the thing you ordered from Amazon is smaller than the box it’s shipped in, Amazon pads the box with large plastic bubble wrap (boo!) OR brown kraft paper (yay!). If you get kraft paper in any of your boxes over the next few weeks, save the paper to reuse as simple and chic gift wrap. All kraft paper needs is string or ribbon, plus dehydrated flowers or leaves to elevate it. Check out this beautiful example.
3. Rescue old magazines and newspapers.
It’s true that most of us don’t get the Sunday paper delivered to our homes anymore, but there are still plenty of newspapers and old magazines out in the world just waiting to be upcycled. You can usually find old magazines at your local thrift store. I’ve found that the store clerks are often willing to give them away for free just to clear out some space. Once rescued, magazine and newspaper pages can be made into beautiful wrapping paper. Pro tip: Use pages with more text than pictures.
4. Upcycle battered book pages.
Throwing away books feels so… wrong. I’ve always loved books and feel like they should be cherished and treated kindly, but some books have been loved to shreds. Before chucking badly injured books (the books that are missing pages, missing covers, etc.) into the recycling bin, carefully cut the last few full pages from the book to use as wrapping paper for small gifts.
5. Wrap gifts for new moms in a gently used muslin swaddle blanket.
Wrap that present you bought for the new or pregnant mom in your life in a swaddle blanket. Let’s face it, when we have babies, we’re gifted an abundance of swaddle blankets. They make great new mom gifts because swaddle blankets can be used as swaddles, changing pads, towels, burp cloths, etc. If you have an extra swaddle or two, upcycle as wrapping “paper” this holiday season. Pro tip: You can also buy stylish dish towels to use as wrapping paper.
