5 easy ways to make Christmas gift-wrapping more sustainable

Christmas is right around the corner! Every year I try to be better prepared than the year before, and every year I fail. I am definitely not the type of person that has their Christmas presents figured out by October. In fact, I was very proud of myself for starting to think about things once Black Friday rolled around, which is VERY early for me. So maybe, I didn’t fail to prepare this year… we’ll see how I get on. But buying the gifts is only half of the fun. Wrapping them up nicely is another really important part of gift giving for me. I want the experience of receiving a present to be special. Therefore, I try to make them look as pretty as I can. The dilemma: the wrapping paper just gets thrown away right after. There is so much unnecessary garbage; the wrapper, the bows, the cards. Plus, it can get pretty expensive. So here are 5 ways to make Christmas gift-wrapping more sustainable (and maybe save some money as well)!

1. Use gift bags instead of wrapping paper

The first tip to be more sustainable this Christmas season is also a great one for everybody, that struggles to wrap up their presents neatly. Instead of doing them up in wrapping paper, use a gift bag. How is this more sustainable? Well, the bags can be used multiple times. Plus, you can fit more than one thing in them, rather than having to wrap each thing individually. So the next time someone hands you a present in a nice gift bag, keep it. Works for all kinds of holidays or occasions, of course.

2. Use wrapping paper instead of foil

This one might be obvious, however I find, that a lot of people still wrap their presents in foil. It’s not like I don’t understand it, some things are just super hard to wrap in paper because of the shape, or maybe paper just wouldn’t look right. But rather than covering it in foil, consider 1) not wrapping it at all, or 2) putting it in a nice gift bag or basket.

Also, consider getting just plain wrapping paper. That way you can use it for any occasion and it is likely going to save you money, as it is a little cheaper. To make it more festive, you can then add stamps or special bows to it.

3. Don’t use glittery wrapping paper

The next tip to make your Christmas wrapping more sustainable is one that you might not be familiar with. It is to not use glittery wrapping paper. Because the glitter “contaminates” the paper, it can not be recycled, but has to be burned. Not ideal. If you want to make your gift a little fancier, smack a nice, preferably reusable bow on it. Opt for a fabric (click here for my favorite ones), rather than a plastic one of course. I like to keep the fabric bows, because you can simply reuse them. Saves the environment, and money.

4. Try wrapping without tape

For the same reason, the contamination of the paper with plastic, you might want to try wrapping up your Christmas presents without using sticky tape. There are a ton of different tutorials online, so just google it and pick the technique you like the most (or the one that looks the easiest). I found a pretty simple one here:

This techniques works entirely without tape or ribbons, but of course, if you’re like me and you want to make your gifts extra special, you can put a fabric bow on it.

4. Don’t buy name tags or Christmas cards

And my final tip on how to make your presents more sustainable: don’t buy name tags or Christmas cards. Those can definitely not be reused and will eventually be thrown out. Instead of buying a name tag, I like to make them myself. Just find some nice cardboard, cut it into the shape you want, and put the name or message on it. I have used anything from perfume boxes to the wrapper of my advent calendar and old gift bags. Because these are usually already Christmas themed, and/or beautifully designed, they instantly spice up any old wrapping paper.

Same goes for Christmas cards: instead, print out a nice photograph of yourself or your family, and write your message on the back. That in and of itself makes for a nice present, in my humble opinion.

Bonus: Use newspaper instead of wrapping paper

Now this last one I put as a bonus tip, because while it is a great way to reduce waste to use newspaper instead of wrapping paper, it is not something I personally would do when giving someone a present. Like I said, I want to make the whole experience of receiving a gift special for the person I am giving it to. And to me, that includes an aesthetically pleasing wrapper. Sadly, newspapers just don’t cut it for me. I don’t want the person to open up a (hopefully) lovely present, while simultaneously being informed about all the horrible stuff going on in the world.

The only exception I make: my boyfriends advent calendar. The “whole experience” is a different thing and doesn’t matter so much to me when there is a present to be opened for 24 days in a row. And I know: he doesn’t mind, not even sure if he would notice if I used actual Christmas wrapping paper (sorry babe). Plus: it’s kinda funny how the newspapers say “protect yourself from Diabetes type II”, and inside there is candy. Very ironic indeed.

And that’s it! Being more sustainable doesn’t always have to be hard. Just try to incorporate a few of the tips into your Christmas wrapping this year. It’ll make a difference, for sure. And as always, please let me know any of your tips for a more eco-friendly festive season!

Lots of Love,
Lena