Gift Wrapping in a Wasteful World

It's easy to reuse old stuff and still create fabulously wrapped gifts

My stash of colorful Christmas wrapping paper is getting very small.

I haven’t purchased new wrapping since 2023. Upon inspection this year, I have maybe six rolls left, plus some large scraps.

Now I’m using newspaper, paper bags, and kraft paper to wrap gifts at Christmas. But it’s hard to let go. After a lifetime of Christmas mornings looking at a kaleidoscope of colors that made up our pleasing pile of presents, I struggle to find the same pleasure wrapping gifts that I used to have.

I want holly and village scenes and Santa Clauses under the tree, dammit! The sober hues of newsprint (not to mention their buzzkill headlines) take me down to earth with a resounding thud.

So I have to find new ways to create gifts that look pretty, even in plain wrap.

Getting Artsy with Newspaper

There are lot of advantages to using newspaper as gift wrap. For one thing, its size is ideal for any number of box or package sizes. If you’re lucky, you can find colorful images like the one above, or maybe the comics, to use. Save that pic of George Clooney or Taylor Swift in the Entertainment section and use it for the person who is a big fan.

If you want to get really fancy, cut out images and interesting layouts from various pages (or mags, if you still get those) and decoupage them onto the base wrap.

A deliberate use of color for the left-side border …

… then simple doodles in Christmas-appropriate marker colors, is all I did to make this box merry and bright.

It’s All About the Ribbon

The real saver of Christmas, at least in the aesthetics department, is ribbon. And no, NOT the stiff, shiny stuff you buy in exhausted desperation a few hours before wrap time.

Made with plastic and polypropylene, this kind of ribbon is terrible to work with and doesn’t do your plain wrapping any favors.

No. You’ll want the good stuff.

Fabric ribbon is best for wrapping gifts, hands down. You’ve got many choices, from cotton to organza to silk and velvet. These ribbons are flexible and sturdy; they come in a host of hues that will complement and elevate your gift wrap. You can even look for vintage ribbon, which has a distinct look and feel that’s hard to replicate with modern ribbon.

I found this old ribbon dispenser at Vintdustrial in Huntington Beach. It was still filled with the most amazing ribbon trim on its three spools.

This ribbon is much more expensive than the plastic stuff, no question. However, if used over and over (by careful salvaging on Christmas morning), it means you will never have to buy the plastic stuff again.

This old ribbon is beautiful at every angle. You just can’t beat the details, like the tiny sequins and the finished gold metallic fabric on the underside.

A couple of tips:

1. Cut your ribbon long for generous bow ties. You’ll be tempted to skimp but remember you will be reusing it and having longer pieces is important for accommodating all gift sizes.

2. Use ribbon to wrap one way only, instead of crossing it both ways. A little charm or pine tree cutting tucked into the bow would be nice, too.

3. Gather the ribbon as presents are opened, roll them up and put them away for next year.

Good News About Wrapping Paper

I am surprised to report that printed wrapping paper is actually recyclable, by and large (I was told a few years ago that it was not). The trick is getting paper that does not have plastic or other synthetic materials in it (no glitter!). If you can crumple it into a ball and it stays crumpled, then you’re good.

Does that mean I’ll be going back to the pretty wrappings I love? Probably not. There is too much waste in the world and this is a tiny way to combat it. I’ve turned gift-wrapping into a challenge and a way to use old things, and therefore I am happy.